King Saud University Deanship of Graduate Studies Master's of Public Administration (Courses Option) College of Business Administration Department of Management 2007/2008
Introduction The Saudi public sector performs a vital role in fulfilling the country's needs; i.e., social, economic, educational, security, health, etc. The Department of Public Administration was, therefore, established in 197 A.H. (1977) to prepare the human resources necessary to operate public organizations. In 1410 A.H. (1990) the Master's Degree in Public Administration was established to provide public organizations with leaderships required for development. Currently, this Master's program is one of the most successful programs at King Saud University with an average of 400 male and female applicants per year. Program Objectives 1. Contributing to human knowledge through innovative, specialized and applied studies and research in public administration. 2. Granting distinguished students a chance to complete their higher education locally.. Preparing specialized professionals and equipping them with analytical and administrative skills necessary for leading public organizations. 4. Encouraging qualified students to cope with advances in knowledge and technology and motivating them to creatively deal with current issues. 5. Stressing ethics of public administration that stem from Islamic and Arabic values in line with international directions. The Degree Title Master's of Public Administration Admission Requirements 1- The admission requirements enumerated by the 15 th article of the unified law organizing graduate studies in Saudi universities. 2- Obtaining a B.S. degree from a Saudi University or other accredited university. - Presenting 2 academic recommendations from previous instructors. 4- Official approval of applicant's work. Degree Requirements Completing 42 credit hours ٢
Program Tracks General Public Administration track Program Structure Required hours: 42 credit hours Courses 14 Courses Units 42 hours 42 credit hours Study plan Course PA502 PA526 PA57 Level 1 Public Administration: Theory and Practice Research Methods and Procedures Statistical Methods in Administration hours 9 Course PA522 PA52 PA525 Level 2 Administrative Behavior Human Resources Administration Organizational Development hours 9 ٣
Course PA55 PA547 PA562 PA570 Level Program Planning and Evaluation Management Information Systems Public Budgeting Executive Leadership Skills hours 12 Level 4 Course PA54 PA561 PA575 PA581 Decision Making and Policy Analysis Problems and Issues in Development Administration Research Project Graduate Seminar in Public Administration Hours 12 ٤
Course Descriptions PA 502 Public Administration : Theory and Practice. hrs. (+0) An analytical study and critical examination of the theoretical and practical issues in Public Administration. The course explores the development of thought with respect to the organization and management of Public Administration in contemporary societies, and their relation to the political, social and economic circumstances, with special emphasis on these implications for developing countries. PA 522 Administrative Behavior. hrs. (+0) A critical analysis of the behavior of individuals and groups in the public organization with special emphasis on the contemporary contributions of the behavioral sciences. The course aims at familiarizing the student with the literature in this field and at behavioral modification and public organizations. PA 52 Human Resources Administration. hrs. (+0) A critical comparative examination of the theoretical and practical issues of public personnel administration. Students will be involved in a research project dealing with various aspects of Civil Service Administration in the Kingdom and the Gulf states and aiming at identifying the needs and problems in this field and exploring alternative ways of dealing with them. PA 525 Organizational Development. hrs.(+0) A study of the process of planned innovations and change in the public organization. The course surveys the various theories and alternative methods pertaining to this process with special emphasis on the development of the human resources to enable the organization to continuously adapt to changing circumstances and to successfully meet new challenges. ٥
PA 526 Research Methods and Procedures. hrs. (+0) An Advanced course in research methodology in the social sciences. Special emphasis will be placed on the preparation of research projects and the theoretical and practical issues involved in this process. PA 54 Decision Making and Policy Analysis. hrs. (+0) A study of the various theories and approaches pertaining to the decision-making process in public organizations and of the techniques used by policy analysts in the study and evaluation of public policies. The course covers decision-making in large complex organization and under conditions of uncertainty, and explores the decision making process in Saudi Public Organizations through field research and case studies. PA 55 Program Planning and Evaluation. hrs. (+0) A study of the process of program planning and evaluation, including the procedures used for determining long range and short range public program. The course also covers and analysis of the obstacles and problems facing program planning in public agencies in general and in developing countries in particular, as well as some of the techniques used to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of public programs. QM 57 Statistical Methods in Administration. hrs. (+0) Aims to present comparison of two means (small samples), inference about the population variance, variance, ration test, comparison of several groups, analysis of frequency : Chi-square test of independence, the planning of statistical investigation, transformation of data, and some scaling methods in attitude measurement. PA 547 Management Information Systems. hrs. (+0) An exploration of the important of management information systems in the planning and formulation of policies and in the management and control of public organizations. Particular emphasis is given to computer based systems and their organizational and behavioral impact on the processes of decision making and organizational change. PA 561 Problems and Issues in Development Administration. hrs. (+0) ٦
An overview of a number of development problems and issues and the role of development administration in improving performance in regional countries and overcoming development obstacles. Focus will be on most current and important obstacles. PA 562 Public Budgeting. hrs. (+0) An exploration of the budget as a tool of planning, management and control. The course analyses the process of preparing and implementing government budgets, and the various forms of budgeting and their theoretical and practical implications, with special emphasis on the issues and problems facing the budgetary process in developing counties in general and in the Kingdom in particular. PA 570 Executive Leadership Skills. hrs. (+0) This course aims to improve executive leadership skills in time, conferences, dispute, and negotiation management. The course also aims to discuss important obstacles that leaders face and ways to deal with them and the role that transformational leaders play in leading organizations and the necessary characteristics and skills required. PA 575 Research Project. hrs. (+0) This course aims to give students required knowledge to design research according to scientific research procedures. The course aims to assist students in performing a deep study of an administrative problem/issue. Further, it aims to improve student's ability to apply scientific research methods. Students work under the supervision of an academic advisor and final grade is subject to advisor's evaluation on a pass/fail basis. PA 581 Graduate Seminar in Public Administration. hrs. (+0) This Course deals with selected issues and problems in Public Administration. Students are expected to make class presentation based on in depth exploration of the literature and research dealing with these issues. ٧