Public Affairs 7990: MPAL Capstone

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This is a sample syllabus to provide general information about the course and it's requirements. Course requirements are subject to change. This syllabus does not contain all assignment or course detail and currently enrolled students should reference the syllabus provided by their instructor. For a specific syllabus, please email us a request.

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Course Overview

3 Credit Hours
Modalities Available: Online

This course builds on the core curriculum that students have completed in the MPAL program. Students will integrate the fundamental knowledge and skills from previous courses and further apply them to address a workplace situation to create holistic solutions to a public administration challenge.  Students will then be encouraged to use Artificial Intelligence to scan further out into the future, using Futures Scenario Planning, to critically assess the dynamic environment in which they will be working.  

Learning Outcomes

Students will:

  1. enhance decision-making and problem-solving skills through practical application of acquired knowledge  
  2. foster leadership skills and solution-oriented decision-making in diverse and dynamic environments  
  3. synthesize knowledge from various disciplines to create holistic solutions to public administration challenges  

Students will be able to:

  1. use conceptual frameworks to deconstruct public administration problems 
  2. create practical solutions to complex public administration problems 
  3. resolve conflicts 
  4. make ethical decisions that reflect public service values 
  5.  apply reactive and proactive solutions to dynamic environments 
  6. integrate insights from different disciplines to create innovative strategies for public service 
  7. apply foresight techniques to plan for multiple potential future scenarios  

Requirements and Expectations

A textbook may be required for this course. Please consult your instructor's syllabus for detail. 

The course grade is based on the management plan, futures scenario assignments and discussion posts that help students to apply course materials to their own organization (or an organization meaningful to them) and participation (to include synchronous meetings).  All assignments are independent work. 

Deliverables and Points 

  • Management Plan, 60 points
  • Futures Scenario, 50 points
  • Discussion Posts, 60 points
  • Synchronous Sessions, 30 points

For your capstone, you will develop a management plan based on a project, problem, or program that you want to address at the organization where you work or volunteer.   Projects and programs should be tied to a strategic objective of the organization and/or tied to a specific strategy to accomplish the objective. (Their mission, vision, and strategic plans will help you identify those). They should center around something that needs to be created, developed, revised, or implemented at that organization.

Part 1: Clarify the purpose of your management plan - create your problem statement.

Part 2: Situational Analysis - Assess the current state of the organization.

Part 3: Recommendation - Describe how the organization should move forward to address the problem based on your analysis.

Part 4: Evaluation and alternative plan - propose an evaluation method and an alternative should your initial recommendation not come to pass.

To conclude your capstone you will develop an addendum to your management plan - a Futures Scenario Addendum. 

Assignment steps include:

  1. Defining Scope and Objectives
  2. Identifying Key Uncertainties and Change Drivers
  3. Grouping/Voting/Rating
  4. Building the Scenario Narratives
  5. Integrating the Results of Scenario Work into Strategic Decision-Making

Weekly Schedule

  1.  Course Overview
  2. Management Plan
  3. Management Plan
  4. Management Plan
  5. Management Plan
  6. Management Plan
  7. Management Plan
  8. Press Release
  9. “Reporter Interview”
  10. Social Media Plan 
  11. Crisis Management Communication Plan
  12. Presentation Portfolio
  13. Professional Presentation
  14. Life Planning Workshop 

Previous Instructors Have Included