PSL Department Homepage

Public Service and Leadership (PSL)
The Public Service and Leadership program is the academic component of the George and Eleanor McGovern Center for Leadership and Public Service. The goals of the PSL program are five-fold:

• to help students explore, from a multidisciplinary perspective, compelling social, political, economic and other cultural issues that confront contemporary society;
• to introduce students to public service fields and careers and to place students in workplace environments where they might develop and apply critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, develop their leadership potential and contribute to the common good through service;
• to develop in students the skills and perspectives relevant to problem solving in the public service sector;
• to explore the concept of the "common good" and other social values associated with the public domain, and to examine and apply ethical analysis of public policy and professional practice in public service; and
• to use effective oral and written communication in practical public service settings, including communication skills related to political activity, marketing and fundraising, and human relations.

Major
Public Service and Leadership
All PSL majors must complete the following core courses:

The research project for PSL 400 and the internship experience in PSL 499 must relate to at least one of the student’s supporting concentrations. The nine hours of content area electives must be approved by the director of the academic program.

The major must include at least 21 upper level hours in the 39 hours required for the major.

Policy Concentrations
For the major, nine hours must be taken from one of the following tracks: policy analysis, policy communication or policy formation.

Policy Communication

* Photography may be used only if journalism is also part of the concentration.
^ Three or more hours of forensics may be counted as one course for the major/minor.
# CTH 302 may be used in the minor only if CTH 203 is also part of concentration.

Policy Analysis

Policy Formation

Content Area Concentrations
Suggested content area elective concentrations are hunger and poverty, globalization, gender, health care, and environmental issues. These are among a wide range of issues of interest to the McGovern Center. The content area concentration does not need to be one of these. However, each student’s content area concentration must be approved by the program director. Courses applied toward the policy concentration may not be double counted toward a content area concentration. For suggested courses in these areas, see Public Service and Leadership.

Minor
Students seeking a minor in public service and leadership must complete the following courses:

*The 12 hours of electives must be approved by the director of the academic program. Suggested concentrations are the clusters of courses recommended for the major.

Course Descriptions
210 Introduction to Public Service and Leadership 3 hours S
This course is an introductory survey of the environment, skills and social values of public service, defined broadly. The concept of the “common good,” as well as the ethical implications of this concept, will be explored. The course will also contain a basic examination of the role of leadership within social policy change.

299 Selected Topics – Basic 1-3 hours TBA

310 Public Service: Policy Communications 3 hours F09
This course is a study of the various tools which are commonly used in communicating to and persuading various “publics” about policy issues.

320 Ethics and Public Policy 3 hours S10
This course is a blend of ethical theories and the application of these theories within public service and leadership. Case studies will be used.

330 Public Service: Policy Formation 3 hours S10
This course is an in-depth examination of how policy is initiated and shaped by a variety of actors in the public policy process. It focuses on the policy process of the American system of government, including all three levels of government (local, state and national) and non-governmental actors.

340 Public Service: Policy Analysis 3 hours S11
This course is the study of various tools which are commonly used in analyzing public policy issues, including various forms of cost/benefit analysis.

400 Public Service and Leadership Seminar 3 hours S09
In this capstone course, the student is expected to synthesize and integrate the conceptual and theoretical knowledge and understanding as well as skills acquired in the curriculum through course work, internships, leadership development, research and other learning activities. The emphasis is on the student's demonstrated development and competency of applied skills and understanding of the literature.

450 Internship 3 hours TBA

499 Selected Topics – Advanced 1-3 hours TBA