Fall 2022 Courses | Online-Only Courses
Want to learn more about the worlds of public policy, civic engagement, and public affairs as an undergrad? Check out our undergraduate course offerings below! Full course information can be found at ClassInfo.
Fall 2022 Courses
PA 1401 – Community Organizing Skills for Public Action (3 credits)
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:00-2:15 p.m.
Instructor: Dennis Donovan, National Organizer, Public Achievement
This is a hands-on introduction for students wanting to develop skills, confidence, and knowledge to become empowered citizens of change by examining key concepts of citizenship, politics, and democracy. Hands-on experiential learning in problem solving and team work within the framework of Civic Studies develop the skills to address the challenge of collective action in a world of often radically different ethical frameworks.
PA 3002 – Basic Methods of Policy Analysis (3 credits)
Mondays & Wednesdays, 1:00-2:15 p.m.
Instructor: Alejandra Diaz, a doctoral candidate in Public Affairs. Her current research focuses on DEI practices and policies in higher education.
This course is designed for students who share an interest in quantitative techniques to analyze issues of public policy. This multidisciplinary course is appropriate for students from various undergraduate majors, including economics, political science, business and other social sciences. In particular, this introductory course provides a firm academic and technical background for students preparing for graduate studies and careers in public and nonprofit organizations at the local, state, national and international levels.
PA 3003 – Nonprofit and Public Financial Management (3 credits) – Tentative Offering
Thursdays 4:40-7:25 p.m.
Concepts/tools for project/budget planning. Program analysis. Interpreting financial reports. Identifying/resolving organizational performance issues. Case studies, real-world exercises.
PA 4101 – Nonprofit Management and Governance (3 credits)
Tuesdays, 5:30-8:15 p.m.
Instructor: Kabo Yang, strategic services consultant, Propel Nonprofits. Previously Executive Director of the MN Women’s Consortium. She has served on nonprofit boards and other community organizations for the past decade.
This course explores the theories, concepts, and some real-world examples of how to manage nonprofit organizations. Students will study governance systems, strategic management practices, the effects of different funding environments, and management of multiple constituencies.
PA 4200 – Urban and Regional Planning (3 credits)
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 4:00-5:15 p.m.
Instructor: Frank Douma, Director, State and Local Policy Program, Humphrey School of Public Affairs
This course is geared toward upper division undergraduates who are curious about a career in urban and regional planning, or simply want to know how planning works and affects our lives. It provides an introductory overview of planning theory and practice, with primary attention to current issues in planning practice in the U.S. The content covers land use, urban design, transportation, community development, housing, and environmental planning problems within the broader context of the historic development of cities, political processes, and regional and national economic forces.
Online-Only Classes
PA 3969 – Survey of Election Administration (3 credits)
Survey of building blocks of election administration, from voter registration to recounts.
PA 3973 – Strategic Management of Election Administration (2 credits)
Instructor: Larry Jacobs, Humphrey School faculty member
Strategic management for election administrators in the political environment. This course covers the distinct phases and hurdles of the policy process and skills, tools, and challenges for election officials to enact new policy. This course also covers the role of the lawmaking process in budgeting and organizational planning.
PA 3976 – Voter Participation (1 credit)
Voter participation issues and challenges including historical survey of voter participation in US and methods to increase voter turnout.
PA 3985 - Physical Election Security (2 credits)
U.S. Homeland Security designated election security as a “critical infrastructure” after threats from foreign governments, and collaborates with states in detecting and responding to foreign interference. This course will provide students with a deeper understanding of the current security context and best practices and processes for physically safeguarding elections based on 2016 and 2020. Students will learn the difference between physical and cyber threats to U.S. systems; tangible steps to protect election offices and their equipment; the use of audits to ensure the accuracy of elections; the integration of security into vendor relationships; and the connection between physical election security and citizen trust in elections. Content will be explored through readings (including government documents and studies), videos, discussions, and writing assignments.