Undergraduate Catalog

2008-09 Academic Year

Public Administration

Emergency Administration and Planning, EADP

2700. Current Issues in Emergency Management. 3 hours. In-depth investigation of a contemporary issue of concern to emergency managers. Possible topics include catastrophic events, public health and disasters, volunteer organizations, and emergency medical services.

3010. Introduction to Emergency Management. 3 hours. Introduction to the theory, principles, phases and processes of emergency and disaster management. Topics include hazard, risk, vulnerability and comprehensive emergency management. Course also examines alternative career paths, the evolution of the field and its future outlook.

3035. Hazard Mitigation and Preparedness. 3 hours. Theoretical examination and practical application of pre-disaster management activities including hazard and vulnerability analysis, structural and non-structural mitigation, capability assessment, planning, training, exercises and public education. Development planning, political advocacy and networking are heavily stressed. Prerequisite(s): EADP 3010.

3045. Disaster Response and Recovery. 3 hours. Theoretical examination and practical application of post-disaster management activities including human behavior in emergency situations, warning, evacuation, sheltering, triage, damage assessment, disaster declaration, debris removal, media relations, crisis counseling, individual and public assistance, and other relevant functions. Decision making, incident command, EOC operations, coordination and service delivery strategies are also discussed. Prerequisite(s): EADP 3010.

3080. Leadership and Organizational Behavior. 3 hours. Study of interpersonal relationships and organizational behavior as they apply to the field of emergency and disaster management. Topics include leadership, management, conflict resolution, influence and motivation. Prerequisite(s): EADP 3010 or consent of department. (Same as PADM 3020.)

4000. Hazardous Materials Planning and Management. 3 hours. Planning for and management of hazardous materials incidents. Attention is given to environmental regulations as they relate to hazardous materials. Defensive strategies for hazardous materials response are identified. Prerequisite(s): EADP 3010 or consent of department.

4010. Public Health and Disasters. 3 hours. Discussion of the changing and unique role of the public health field in emergency management, paying special attention to epidemiology, integration with emergency services, medical/first responders, public safety, bio-terrorism preparedness and public/professional community education. Prerequisite(s): EADP 3010 or consent of department.

4015. Flood Plain Management. 3 hours. Identification and assessment of flood related hazards and vulnerabilities. Evaluation of the merit and necessity of implementing various structure and non-structural approaches to reduce flood related disasters. Includes discussion about mapping, containment devices, land use planning, early warning systems and insurance. Prerequisite(s): EADP 3010 or consent of department.

4020. The Federal Government and Disasters. 3 hours. Historical review of how the Cold War, disasters and legislation have resulted in the creation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Examination of roles and inter-organizational relationships among FEMA and other federal agencies. Prerequisite(s): EADP 3010 or consent of department.

4030. Private Sector Issues. 3 hours. Study of business continuity and the role of businesses in emergencies and disasters. Topics include business impact analysis, recovery planning and multi-organizational coordination. Prerequisite(s): EADP 3010 or consent of department.

4040. International Disasters. 3 hours. Explores issues pertinent to international disasters, including susceptibility of poor countries to natural disasters, the nature of complex emergencies, and the actors involved in humanitarian activities across national borders. Special attention is given to the social, political and economic barriers that perpetuate the vicious cycle of vulnerability as well as the need for long term solutions that promote beneficent forms of development. Prerequisite(s): EADP 3010 or consent of department.

4050. Special Populations and Disasters. 3 hours. Identification and examination of special populations in disaster. Discussion of their needs and service delivery strategies. Emphasis on relevant response agencies and programs. Prerequisite(s): EADP 3010 or consent of department.

4060. Technology in Emergency Management. 3 hours. Examination of the use of technology and computers in emergency management. Topics include software, hardware, information management, communication equipment and future innovations. Prerequisite(s): EADP 3010 or consent of department.

4080. Capstone Course in Emergency Management. 3 hours. Synthesis of emergency and disaster management concepts and perspectives. Case studies of disasters are emphasized to provide real-world examples of applied principles. Discussion of current theoretical approaches and future trends in the field. Topics include sustainable development, resistance, resilience and vulnerability. Prerequisite(s): EADP 3010, 3035 and 3045.

4090. Terrorism and Emergency Management. 3 hours. In-depth investigation into the ideological forces and groups involved in terrorist activity. Analysis of the effects of terrorism, including the similarities and differences to other types of disasters. Attention is given to weapons of mass destruction and the unique challenges to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks. Prerequisite(s): EADP 3010 or consent of department.

4800. Emergency Management Internship Preparation. 3 hours. Enrollment in this course is required for pre-career EADP students. Course prepares students for an internship. Recommended to be taken the term/semester before the student serves the internship. Periodic seminars cover career counseling, resume development, professionalism and interview skills. Prerequisite(s): 15 hours of EADP course work, including EADP 3010, 3035, 3045, and consent of internship coordinator.

4810. Emergency Management Internship. 3 hours. Provides practical experiences geared toward the integration of theory and practice in a supervised emergency management setting. Requires a minimum of 240 contact hours within the practicum setting and attendance at scheduled classes. Enrollment in this course is required for pre-career EADP students. Prerequisite(s): EADP 4800, 15 hours of EADP course work including EADP 3010, 3035 and 3045, and consent of the internship coordinator. Application for approval of the practicum site occurs in the term/semester prior to enrollment in this course.

4900-4910. Special Problems. 1–6 hours each.

4951. Honors College Capstone Thesis. 3 hours. Major research project prepared by the student under the supervision of a faculty member and presented in standard thesis format. An oral defense is required of each student for successful completion of the thesis. Prerequisite(s): completion of at least 6 hours in honors courses; completion of at least 12 hours in the major department in which the thesis is prepared; approval of the department chair and the dean of the school or college in which the thesis is prepared; approval of the dean of the Honors College. May be substituted for HNRS 4000.

Public Administration, PADM

2100. Diversity in Urban Governance. 3 hours. Course examines the diverse and sometimes competing demands of people of color, women, the elderly and the economically disadvantaged on public policy development and execution. Course addresses how public managers respond to the demands of diverse interests in American cities. Students develop an understanding of public administrators’ obligation to the administrative values of leadership, responsiveness and efficiency in the management of urban services. These values are discussed in relation to the management of diversity in the public workforce, city budgets and the distribution of public services. Satisfies a portion of the Understanding the Human Community requirement of the University Core Curriculum.

3000. Public Administration. 3 hours. Organizations and management in executive departments, and national, state and municipal governments; bureaucracy; administrative theory; budgeting; personnel and administrative leadership.

3020. Public Management. 3 hours. An introduction to organization and management theories and practices as they concern federal, state and local governments. (Same as EADP 3080.)

3410. Financial Aspects of Government. 3 hours. Politics and management of taxation, budgeting, grants-in-aid and municipal bonds. Conflicts among politicians, managers and analysts in developing policy and financing programs.

3420. Bureaucracy and Public Policy. 3 hours. A study of the nature of bureaucracy, its role in policy development and the problem of bureaucratic responsibility. (Same as PSCI 3420.)

3700. Issues in Public Administration. 3 hours. An in-depth investigation of a contemporary issue of concern to public managers. Possible topics include managing nonprofit organizations, public-private partnerships and ethics in government. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

4130. American Intergovernmental Relations. 3 hours. Federal system; constitutional and theoretical bases of federalism; national/state/local government conflict and cooperation; regional arrangements; political centralization; impact upon American traditions; future prospects. (Same as PSCI 4130.)

4450. Public Policy Analysis. 3 hours. Policy making, impact of public policy and factors that place specific problems on the public agenda. (Same as PSCI 4450.)

4900. Special Problems. 1–3 hours.

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