PA 590 Application Upper Iowa University MPA Program

Transcription

1 PA 590 Application Upper Iowa University MPA Program

2 PA590: Research Seminar is the capstone course for the Masters in Public Administration program. To successfully complete PA 590 you will have to demonstrate your ability to take what you have learned in your MPA program and apply it using the framework of a program evaluation. There are many different types of program evaluations. The type of program evaluation used depends on the purpose of the evaluation. The program evaluation employed in PA590 makes it possible to determine if established organizational processes, policies, and procedures are relevant and being followed. A program evaluation always has an intended audience. The audience for the evaluation being prepared in PA590: Research Seminar will differ by organization. It will be the governing board for a nonprofit organization, senior executives for an administrative agency, or even an elected leader. Regardless the organization, there are two characteristics common to each. First, the audience does have a firm grasp of the history and mission of the overall organization. Second, the person(s) reading the evaluation are not familiar with the daily operation of any specific program. They may not even be aware the program exists. It is doubtful they will be familiar with the program specific jargon and acronyms associated with the program. The final program evaluation report should give the reader a general overview of the organization and specific information about the unit of the organization that is responsible for the program s operational administration. The goal of a program evaluation is to create useable knowledge. It is important to know what knowledge the senior managers or elected leaders need to improve their capacity to make organizational, policy, and program-related decisions. In PA590, senior executives or elected leaders need information that will inform their ability to evaluate the adequacy of program related operational processes, policies, and procedures. The Application for Enrollment in PA590 Our program requires students to complete an application for enrollment in PA590. The application process does two important things. First, it ensures that students are able to start PA590 well prepared for the work that is required during that course. Second, the application will be integrated into the final paper produced in PA590. A well written application will save you time once you get into class. You will prepare this application in consultation with the MPA Program Chair, and his approval of the application materials is required in order to register for the capstone course. The application for enrollment should be completed no later than the end of the term before intended enrollment in PA590. Students typically must submit several revisions prior to approval so it is a good idea to get the first draft submitted before the beginning of the term prior to their desired enrollment time frame. Please note that PA590 is offered during Terms 2, 4, and 6. That means that you should have an initial draft of the application materials submitted by the beginning of Term 1 for enrollment in PA590 in Term 2; by the beginning of Term 3 for enrollment in PA590 for Term 4; and, by the beginning of Term 5 in order to enroll in PA590 for Term 6. 1

3 Elements of the PA590 Application for Enrollment There are four parts to the PA590 Application for Enrollment that prepare students for a significant part of the work they will complete in PA590. These parts include: An introduction A description of the organization and operating unit a description of a specific program within that organization a description of a public policy which underlies the program Introduction The application will eventually be integrated into the final draft of the program evaluation you conduct in PA590. In the program evaluation report, the application provides the reader with a description of the organization, program, and public policy that underlies the program. The application needs an introductory segment. The introductory segment provides the reader with the general purpose for the program evaluation. Organizational Description The first step in the application process is for you to select a public sector organization such as a government agency or a nonprofit organization that you will use for the evaluation. The organization you select must fit with your emphasis area. For example, if your emphasis area is nonprofit organizations, than you should select a nonprofit organization. If you currently work or volunteer at a public sector organization that is appropriate to your emphasis area, we encourage you to use that organization for your work in PA590. You will likely have much greater access to the types of data useful in completing the program evaluation. However, if you do not have that relationship, then be sure you are selecting an organization for your evaluation about which you have adequate information through the organization s web site or other sources. Describe the organization including information on the following: history, services, structure and size, budget and funding sources, and other information that you think is interesting and relevant. Consider the needs of your audience when deciding what information to include in this section. A very large organization like the Department of Defense (DoD) may mean you spend less time describing the DoD and more time describing the division, office, or operational unit within the DoD that has direct administrative oversight of the program you are evaluating. Program Description Public programs represent the activities an organization takes to achieve a desired outcome and public administrators are intimately involved in their implementation and evaluation. The activities are deliberate in that they are planned, organized, and controlled by management. All programs share similar characteristics including resources, purpose, and identity. Resources dedicated to a program include staffing, funding, and organizational support (i.e. technology, office space, etc.) necessary to achieve the intended purpose. An organizational commitment of resources gives the program a certain 2

4 degree of stability over time. The purpose of the program defines what it is to accomplish and the outer boundaries of its activities. What the program intends to accomplish should be quantifiable. Finally, a program s identity connects the program to the consciousness of key organizational stakeholders and constituencies. The program is known for what it does or stands for. For example, the American Red Cross is known for programs related to providing disaster relief. You should identify a specific program that is administered by the organization. Using the American Red Cross as an example, the organization administers many programs and services including disaster services, health services, youth programs, services to members of the armed services, food pantries, blood centers, and the list goes on. From the long list of programs it is vital that you select one specific program to focus on. You might decide to evaluate the first aid and CPR training conducted by the Red Cross. Keep in mind the purpose of your evaluation. You are not evaluating outcomes or the normative worth of the program. It is the administrative processes, policies, and procedures for this specific program that you will evaluate. A word of caution is in order when selecting a program to evaluate. Please make sure you have adequate access to operational processes, policies, and procedures so you can complete the evaluation. Describe the program including the following information: the purpose of the program, the program and the services it provides, the major stakeholders, the types of outcomes sought, and how it fits into the overall organizational structure. Public Policy Description Whatever one s position on the degree to which public administrators should be involved in public policy development, there is no question that public administrators are involved with the implementation and evaluation of public policies. Therefore, for the third section of your Application, we want you to describe the underlying public policy that the program you described above is implementing. That public policy may be an existing law, administrative rule, or court decision. Policies are not synonymous with programs. Broadly defined, a policy is a governmental response to an actual or perceived policy problem. A policy problem is notoriously difficult to define. At its most basic, a policy problem represents a collective unease about the status quo of a policy domain within society. A complicating factor is the interdependence of policy problems. What is a problem in one area (e.g., poverty) is almost always connected to a policy problem in a different area (e.g., environmental protection). How policy makers identify and define the problem is a subjective choice based on preferred values, past choices, current constraints, and anticipated future consequences. In a nutshell, policies commit a government to a specific course of action. Programs are the actual strategies used to address the policy problem. Your public policy description should include information about the following: the public problem being addressed by the policy, the history of the policy area, and the issues that were addressed in the debate on the policy. Feel free to include any other interesting information that you think important in 3

5 understanding the final outcome of the policy. It is very important that you clearly illustrate the link between the policy and the program. You will be using other sources, as appropriate, for much of your policy discussion, but we do want you to be able to reference the actual legislation, the published court decision, or the published administrative rule and to use the primary document as much as possible. Submission of Application for Enrollment in PA590 When you have completed the above three sections, submit it as a word processing document including a cover page and a reference list to the MPA Program Chair, Dr. Poppe by ([email protected]). Your document should be approximately 6-10 pages, double-spaced (approximately 2-4 pages for your organizational description, approximately 2 pages for your program description, and approximately 2-4 pages for your policy description). Use APA formatting for your citations and references and for your headings and sub-headings. The MPA Program Chair will review the Application, recommend any needed changes, discuss it with you, and ultimately, approve it before you will be eligible to enroll in PA590. The Program Chair will forward the approved application to the instructor teaching PA590, who will review it as what you have prepared for the Application will be integrated into the papers you will be writing to meet the requirements of PA590. So, please note that approval of the 590 application does not mean there will be not be additions, subtractions, or other modifications required once you get into class. The instructor teaching the course is the final arbiter of what constitutes acceptable organizational, policy, and program descriptions. 4