PA 612 - Research Methods in Public Administration

Units: 4
Examines various methods for designing and conducting interpretive (Qualitative) and positivistic (Quantitative) research for organizational improvements, policy research and decision making in the public sector. Various modes of data-gathering and analysis are discussed and the logic underlying the methods explored.

Prerequisites: Admission to Master of Public Administration program.
Possible Instructional Methods: Entirely On-ground, or Entirely Online, or Hybrid.
Grading: A-F grading only.
Student Learning Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:

Demonstrate a theoretical and practical understanding of the types of and basic differences among descriptive, quasi-experimental, and experimental research methods and designs.
Practice qualitative and quantitative research data collection techniques, including observation, interviews, and document analysis, etc.
Articulate the epistemological assumptions underlying qualitative and quantitative research methods, including the competing paradigms in research.
Demonstrate proficiency in using SPSS to derive descriptive statistics (mean, median, mode, sample variance, standard deviation), and statistics associated with frequency distributions, multiple regression, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and cross-tabulated analyses.
Gain proficiency in social science hypothesis testing, measurement theory, validity and reliability determination, and principles of data quality while also articulating key ethical issues in the application of quantitative and qualitative research methods.
Evaluate the appropriateness and quality of questionnaires, interviews, and other data collection methods.