POLS 5690
Capstone in Public Administration
Spring 2016
INSTRUCTOR:
OFFICE:
OFFICE PHONE:
OFFICE HOURS:
EMAIL:
Gregg Cawley
Arts and Sciences 322A
307-766-5345
Tues. and Weds. 10:00-12:00; and by
appointment. Email is the most expedient way to contact me.
Cawley@uwyo.edu
MEETING TIMES: Tues. 4-6:50 p.m. for Compressed Video.
January 26, 2016
Intensive Weekends:
Friday Jan. 29; 4-8 pm
Saturday Jan. 30; 8-5 pm
Location: Laramie/UW Campus
Arts & Sciences 139
Friday February 26; 4-8 pm
Saturday February 27; 8-5 pm
Location: Laramie/UW Campus
Arts & Sciences 139
Friday March 11; 4-8 pm
Saturday March 12; 8-5 pm
Location: Laramie/UW Campus
Arts & Sciences 139
Textbooks:
Michael Spicer, In Defense of Politics in Public Administration;
Croft, Giancola, & Loutzenhiser, The Public Administration Casebook.
Other readings provided by the instructor.
Course Overview:
The dictionary defines “capstone” as a “culmination, high point, or crowning stroke.” As
such, this seminar is designed to be the culmination of your formal studies toward the
Master of Public Administration degree. The successful practice of public administration
requires an integration of theories, principles, and skills brought to bear in the
development of strategies and decisions that help to address public problems. The core
and option-core courses in the MPA program were designed to provide appropriate
grounding for this endeavor. Capstone is, therefore, an opportunity to integrate and apply
this learning by developing strategies and decisions concerning specific cases and
decision practices. At the same time, this course will provide a last opportunity in the
program to think about the broader role of public administration in the governing process.
Course Objectives:
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Enable students to apply theories, principles, and skills learned in the “core” and
“option-core” courses to the kinds of situations encountered in the practice of
public administration.
♦
Help students complete the requirements for the Plan B process.
Course Requirements and Evaluation:
Student performance will be evaluated at a minimum on the following criteria:
Skill in identifying the relevant information of a presented situation; devising strategies
for addressing the situation; and assessing the likely consequences of proposed strategies
and decisions
Communication skills on class assignments
Effective work in group settings
Active participation in class assignments, presentations and other activities
Students are required to be present for all classes including weekends. Failure to do so
could result in a failing grade in the course and impact a student’s graduation.
Consideration will be given for serious weather related issues.
Class Assignments:
The overall structure of the course will require students to develop material on their own
between meeting sessions which will then serve to organize the activities in our sessions.
The major assignment for this course is to read and prepare written answers (5 – 7 pages
each) for the case studies in the PA Casebook. This material will be the basis of our
second weekend session so you have plenty of time to get it done. There will be other
assignments, mostly in class.
This course is a pass/fail grading format and so the same generally applies to the
assignments. However, if I perceive problems with the quality of your work, I will most
surely let you know.
Course Outcomes:
This course has 3 main components 1) review the MPA program ‘core’ and where
necessary ‘option core’ course material 2) practice and discuss cases as assigned 3) help
students prepare for final Plan B cases and defense.
After the final weekend session you will be ready to prepare your final case
studies that will for the basis for the oral defense. This part of the course will
entail preparing three case studies (two individually and 1 as part of a 2 person
team). Students may choose their own team member. Final cases will be
provided during the final weekend class-not before. Committees will also be
assigned toward the end of the class. Students do not get to choose their
committee members.
1. Instructor Assigned Team Case;
2. Instructor Assigned Individual Case; and,
3. Student-selected Individual Case.
You will write these final Plan B analyses and submit them to the chair of your
graduate exam committee who will review them and, most likely, suggest changes
and edits. After edits and changes are made, you will provide the committee chair
with four (4) paper copies of each write ups, as well as copies of the case studies
that are the subject of the write ups. These are your official “cases” for the oral
exam, and will be distributed to the other members of your committee. You
should also keep a back up of your write ups.
Specific guidelines for final Capstone cases will be provided at a later date in the
semester. These guidelines provide the basic requirements for the cases. However,
individual committee chairs might have additional requirements. Students are
required to check with their committee chair prior to turning in completed draft
final cases.
ORAL DEFENSES ARE TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR THE
WEEKS OF APRIL 18-29. A sign-up sheet will be provided during the 1st
weekend class.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to: (1) get drafts of your write ups to your chair
by the assigned deadline; (2) complete edits/revisions recommended by your
chair; and (3) get the final hard copy versions of your write ups to your chair by
the assigned deadline. You will not be permitted to complete your oral defense
until your chair has approved your cases. And you will not be awarded a degree
until you have successfully completed both the Capstone class and the oral
defense.
Course Outline:
January 26: Video Session
Introduction to Capstone
Class expectations and overview
Outline of basic requirements and end results
Discussion of Core courses
Assignments for 1st weekend session
Jan. 29-Jan. 30: Weekend Session
Discussion of graduation paperwork
Discussion of Spicer’s book
Discussion of the current state of Public Administration
Oral defense sign up
Feb. 26-27: Weekend Session
Discussion of case studies from PA Casebook
Hand out of practice case study
March 11-12: Weekend Session
Discussion of PA Casebook (if needed)
Peer critique of practice case study
Mock oral exams
Final discussion of requirements for completing of Plan B cases
Final Plan B cases handed out
Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism:
University regulations concerning academic dishonesty will be strictly enforced.
UNIREG 802, Revision 2 (subsections 3e-3h) defines academic dishonesty to include:
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Copying from, or assisting, another student during an examination.
Stealing, or otherwise improperly obtaining, copies of an examination before or after
its administration.
All quotes and ideas from other sources should be properly attributed.
Improperly ‘borrowing’ information from a web site.
The penalty for committing academic dishonesty and/or plagiarism in this class is a grade
of “F” for the entire course. In addition, a letter will be placed in your University
“citizenship” file. The University and I both take Academic Dishonesty very seriously.
The University Regulation that outlines academic dishonesty can be found here:
http://www.uwyo.edu/generalcounsel/_files/docs/uw-reg-6-802.pdf.
In addition, the department’s statement on academic dishonesty can be found here:
Http: www.uwyo.edu/pols/syllabus/index.html. You should read both of these statements
before class begins. If you have questions about academic dishonesty, please do not
hesitate to contact me.
Student Disability:
It is University of Wyoming policy to accommodate students, faculty, staff, and visitors
with disabilities. If you have a physical, learning, sensory, or psychological disability
and require accommodations, please let me know as soon as possible. You will need to
register with University Disability Support Services (UDSS) in the Student Educational
Opportunity offices, Room 330 Knight Hall, and provide UDSS with documentation of
your disability.