Graduate Certificate in Public Management
Purpose
The Public Administration Program at the University of West Georgia offers a course of study leading to a Graduate Certificate in Public Management (GCPM). The GCPM is designed to meet the needs of practicing public administrators who already have a bachelor’s degree and who desire to:
- broaden their understanding of the concepts and techniques of public management; or
- pursue the certificate with the goal of career advancement but do not find it necessary or feasible to complete the MPA degree; or
- continue their education with the goal of earning a graduate degree in public administration (MPA).
Learning Outcomes
Certificate students will demonstrate the knowledge and understanding of:
- Public service values including ethics, democracy, and constitutional principles
- Generalist management techniques and skills
- The linkage between theory and practice
Admission
The GCPM is open to all professionals who have a bachelor’s degree with a GPA of 2.5 or above. Any bachelor’s degree meets the requirements for admission. Prospective students must complete a Graduate School application form and submit it along with an official college transcript prior to being accepted into the GCPM. Students seeking admission to the GCPM register as non-degree seeking. Courses taken by GCPM students are the same as those taken by MPA students. Students must complete their program of study within four years from the date of admission and receive no less than a 3.0 GPA.
All courses for the GCPM are offered regularly and can be taken in any order. Courses are offered in Carrollton and Newnan at night and on the weekends. Students deciding to apply for admission to the Masters in Public Administration (MPA) Program after completing the GCPM must take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and meet all other MPA admission requirements. Students who have completed the GCPM may apply up to 9 credit hours toward the MPA degree within six years of completion and award of the certificate.
Certificate Requirements
Students may earn the Graduate Certificate in Public Management after completing 12 credit hours as specified below:
- CORE 3-6 credit hours
- POLS 5210 Modern Public Management
- POLS 6203 Theories of Public Organization
- SKILLS 3-6 credit hours
- POLS 6206 Public Personnel Administration
- POLS 6200 Public Budgeting
- POLS 6204 Public Policy Analysis and Program Evaluation
- SPECIALIZATION 0-3 credit hours
In consultation with the MPA Director, you may choose one of the following graduate level courses in an area of specialization.- POLS 5202 Interorganizational Behavior
- POLS 5204 Public Finance
- POLS 5207 Technology Policy
- POLS 5208 Health Policy
- POLS 5209 Environmental Policy
- POLS 5211 State and Local Politics and Administration
- POLS 5212 State and Local Government Finance
- POLS 6205 Administrative Law and Procedures
- POLS 6208 Scope of Public Policy
- POLS 6209 Management of Nonprofit Organizations
- PLAN 5701 Technology and Sustainable Economic Development
- PLAN 5704 Planning Theory and Practice
- CISM 6331 Strategic Management of Information Technology
- ACCT 6264 Nonprofit Accounting and Auditing
- MGNT 5630 Dispute Resolution in Contemporary Organizations
- PROBLEM SOLVING/CAPSTONE EXPERIENCE 3 credit hours
- POLS 6290 Practicum/Assessment Center
Practicum and Assessment Center
Inherent in the GCPM is both an underlying theme and a concerted effort to prepare students to apply the theoretical knowledge gained in the certificate program to “real world” issues and problems faced in public sector management. The achievement of this goal is finalized through successful completion of the Practicum (application) and Assessment Center (evaluation).
The Practicum and Assessment Center process ensures that the student gains practical knowledge and skill in program and policy administration by applying the latest and most effective theory and practice to their operations.