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AS.470.695 section 51 Syllabus

Proseminar: Essentials of Public and Private Management

Course Information:

Proseminar: Essentials of Public and Private Management

AS.470.695.51 ( 3.0 Credits )

AE Spring 2026 [AE Spring 2026]

Description

(The purpose of the class is to help equip students to operate effectively in both the public and private sectors. The class will cover three major topics: (1) an overview of managing public and private organizations, with special attention to their differing missions, capabilities, and environments; (2) a survey of important relationships between the public and private sectors; and (3) the need for improved coordination between the public and private sectors to achieve important public purposes. Students will be encouraged to make the course an interactive one and to share their personal knowledge in the context of the issues discussed. Students will be expected to complete a significant paper on a relevant topic approved by the instructor. (Core course for the MA in Public Management and the MA in Government/MBA program)

Course Structure

Course Outline:

Session                      Course Learning Objective(s)                   Activities & Resources                   Assignments/Assessments

See Course Outline Docu ment above

What to Expect in this Course:

All will be held in person. The instructor is committed to promoting in-person socialization and reclaiming its many academic and socio-emotional benefits that were undermined during the pandemic/online teaching. She will not be sitting in front of her laptop screen while in class, but will be moving freely in the classroom, approaching student groups, distributing handouts, pointing at the slides, etc. As a result, it is generally not feasible to zoom in students, who have to miss a class session. Also, to allow students to communicate candidly and freely, no class sessions will be recorded. If you have to miss class, I will approach it as I did prior to the pandemic, by supporting you, encouraging to take advantage of the resources posted on canvas and instructor’s office hours. (I will be available to meet either in person, or in zoom during office hours).

Required Text and Other Materials

Textbooks:

No specific books are assigned for the course. A wide selection of readings have been assembled for the course, some available on the internet and others placed on Canvas. Many readings are seminal works in the field—that is, they influence the way in which people study and comprehend public management. Others provide commentary on current topics. Additionally, we shall examine a succession of case studies and some films.

Textbook Search:

You can search for your class textbooks via the AAP Online Bookstore here.

Minimum Technology Requirements:

Computer

The minimum operating systems for Canvas are:

Mac – OSX 11 or higher

PC – Windows 7 or higher

Also, your computer should be equipped with a Microphone and a Camera.

Note: you may use a mobile device for access, but it’s recommended you have a laptop or desktop prepared in case the mobile device has issues with any of our software.

Browser

For the best experience with our Canvas Integrations (e.g., Panopto and VoiceThread), the recommended browsers are Chrome and Firefox.

You should always use the most current version of your preferred browser. Your browser will notify you if there is a new version available. You will also need Java, Cookies, and JavaScript, but the majority of the time, this will be managed by your browser automatically. To verify these are enabled, you can check this Canvas page.

Additionally, you will need to ensure that Third Party Cookies are enabled for our integrations to work. You can do this by following these instructions.

Internet Connectivity

You will be expected to log on to Canvas frequently (daily), so a reliable internet connection is essential. We recommend that you have access to a stable internet connection with speeds of 5 Mbps or higher.

Software

Expectations for additional software or plugins will be communicated within the details of each course:

Adobe Reader – other PDF viewers are not supported.

Microsoft Office 365 - other software such as Google Drive may cause issues when converting between file types and isn’t integrated into Canvas.

Zoom – Instructors may designate real-time virtual office hours via Zoom. For more information on Zoom, please see the Zoom Quick-Start Guide.

The above list includes the most common required software used to support our online courses. Please note: Courses may or may not use all the software listed.

Support

For questions regarding Canvas or issues you are having, feel free to review the Canvas Student Resources or reach out to AAP technical support through any of the following methods:

Phone: 844-417-0874

Chat with an Expert

Email

Specific Technology Requirements and Skills for this Course:

This course requires the use of a computer that complies with the following hardware specifications:

2 GB RAM or higher

2 GB free disk space

Windows XP or Windows 7 or later/ OS 10.6 or later

Learning online requires some basic knowledge of computer technology. At a minimum, you need to be able to:

Navigate in and use Canvas

Create and save MS Word documents; review MS Word training and tutorials for PC users (all versions); Word Help for Mac users

Find basic resources on the Internet

Create and organize files & folders on your computer

Evaluation and Grading

Grading Scale:

Grade          Range

A                 94% to 100%

A-                90% to 93.999%

B+               87% to 89.999%

B                  83% to 86.999%

B-                 80% to 82.999%

C                  70% to 79.999%

F                   0% to 69.999%

There is no rounding of grades.

Assignment Description:

Case Studies – 50% of the final grade

There will be a number of case memos available throughout the class. The goal of the case studies is to improve your ability to think about a complex scenario, and write a short and concise analysis of this situation – no more than 1 page, single spaced, Times New Roman, 12-point font, 1 inch margins. Memos should be uploaded to Canvas, and no hand-written work will be accepted. The memos should display a critical analysis of the main issues of the case, not a summary. You can assume that I know the basic details of the case.

A typical teaching case tells a story (that is, something happened, then something else happened, then something else happened, and so on) about a problem or issue facing a public manager. A good way to get to the heart of a case is to try and summarize the story in case in one sentence. You may be asked for such summaries during case discussions.

A quality of a good teaching case is that there is no obvious right answer. Rather, there are many possible answers (decisions, solutions), each of which has advantages and disadvantages and about which reasonable people may disagree. You will be asked to make a good argument for the approach you are recommending, supporting your answer with evidence from the case and theoretical insights from the readings. Good arguments usually require a close and insightful reading of the case.

Case discussions in class will generally focus on the actions or problems of public managers in the case as they are caused or influenced by contextual (structural or institutional) factors. You may be asked, “What would you do and why?”

Grading the Cases

My way of scoring the memos is that everyone starts with a maximum score, and I mark down where I observe a serious problem. The overall criterion is whether you make a strong and clear argument. A strong argument requires the use of evidence where possible, including theory and evidence from course readings, logical claims that are persuasively presented, an ability to meet counter-claims. More specifically, here are the major items I look for:

Does it cover the major points? Or is there some major aspect of the case you overlooked? In practice, this means that you should deal with the central issue of the case, and when making a recommendation, demonstrate awareness of arguments against your point of view.

Is there a significant flaw in the logic of your argument? If I think the flaw is so bad as to lead you to offer bad advice, the penalty is doubled.

If you present the right conclusions, but do not support them with the level of analysis or detail to be really persuasive.

Any of the above failings will usually see you lose a point or more on a memo. Style, and basic errors will be included as considerations if you are on the borderline between a grade, unless they actually weaken your ability to deliver a coherent memo, in which case they will be counted for more. If you failed to fundamentally understand or answer the assignment question you are looking at a possible fail. In drawing on materials to use you should look for support from the readings assigned for that topic, and other readings in the course. If you wish to look on the web for additional resources and arguments, by all means do so, but always cite any external source for quotation, fact, idea, etc. You may not copy (cut and paste) any information from the case study article, or any other source without clearly citing the source and using quotation marks. For more information about academic integrity, please read and adhere to JHU’s Notice on Plagiarism.

As with all of your written work, utilize fully developed sentences that form coherent paragraphs. Resist the temptation to rely on bullet points as a means of summary and/or analysis. It’s a lazy approach that leads to a type of shorthand writing that can be opaque.

Supplemental readings -10% of the final grade

In almost every class there will be at least one supplemental reading that is suggested, but not required. To facilitate discussion and learning, one or two students will be assigned to summarize and present that supplemental reading. You should plan to work on this project for a couple of weeks before the scheduled presentation. The presentation should be between 10-15 minutes, and anticipate another 5 minutes for questions and discussion. If you go over your allotted time, you will be cut off.

In presenting the reading, identify what you think the core point(s) is, and how you think it relates to the topic of the class, and how it might be presented. This sort of discussion will move you beyond a straightforward summary of the topic. As a general matter, focus on the overall content and conclusions within the articles instead of the critiquing the specific methodologies employed.

Assume your classmates will not have read the supplementary readings; thus, it is your job to provide the key management concepts from these readings. You have the option of using PowerPoint, but think seriously about whether it is the best medium to convey your essential point.

In your presentation, ensure that you relate the reading to the topic of the day. (If you are having trouble finding these connections, come and talk to me). To stimulate discussion you may, for instance, use a set of discussion questions, group work, or a class activity that complements the readings. Be energetic and to be engaged with the materials. Creativity is encouraged.

Practitioner Perspective project and presentation – 30% of the final grade

Practitioner Perspective memo: 20% of the final grade.

Practitioner Perspective presentation: 10% of the final grade.

In this project, you will learn about a specific manager of a public or nonprofit organization by interviewing them or reading a book they have written. Your main objective is to make observations about how the manager you study practically handles some of the organizational issues that are covered in the course syllabus.

More details on this assignment will be provided in a separate handout.

Participation – 10% of the final grade

Every student benefits from the viewpoints of other students. For this reason, your presence is expected in all course units. I reward those who make a strong contribution to the quality of the learning environment in the course. Your participation must reflect your careful reading and consideration of all materials in the syllabus for each unit and your ability to analyze the material and to link it to a broader discussion beyond just the immediate subject.

By participation,

I am not simply referring to attendance and presence. It is also not only active involvement in discussions but also careful and active listening to, consideration of, and respect for the opinions of all peers.

I am referring to you making a good argument for the answer that you believe is the best one. I want to underscore that there is no obvious right answer to any of the questions we are dealing with. Rather, there are many possible answers, each of which has advantages and disadvantages about which reasonable people may disagree. You need to articulate your own assessment of reading materials, but also to step out of your own perspective and consider opposing views.

I realize that we all have different characters or personalities; some of us are shy or uncomfortable speaking in public while others are not. Participation is not evaluated by how long you speak or contribute (quantity) but by what you contribute (quality). The unit’s structure will allow different opportunities to engage in general discussion or the small group exercise.

Assignment Submission:

Students are required to adhere to the following guidelines when submitting written work:

Use correct citation format

Adhere to word limits for each assignment

Cite sources properly

The instructors are required to use the Turnitin tool for written assignments. Please review the JHU Ethics Statement prior to submission.

Assignment Feedback:

The instructor will aim to return assignments to you within 5-7 days following the due date, depending on the length of the assignment. If there is a lengthy writing assignment the instructor may take 10-14 days to grade the assignment. You will receive feedback in the Grades area of the course which can be accessed via the navigation menu.

Learning Objectives

Program Learning Outcomes:

PLO1: Utilize analytical skills—including quantitative and qualitative tools—to assess policies and program effectiveness.

PLO2: Appraise and compare management and organization systems utilized in the public sector for the purpose of maximizing efficiency and effectiveness.

PLO3: Design, evaluate, and experiment with specific policies with regard to their ability to meet public priorities.

PLO4: Formulate and construct budgets and financial systems used in the public sector.

PLO5: Develop oral and written communication skills that will enhance career objectives in the public sector

Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs):

CLO1: Compare the management of public organizations with the management of private organizations.

CLO2: Apply relevant organizational theories and concepts to better identify and analyze the sources of organizational problems.

CLO3: Apply informed understandings of human behavior in organizational settings to create managerial and policy decisions.

CLO4: Evaluate what qualities a manager should exhibit in order to be successful and how managerial behavior should adapt to various conditions.

CLO5: Develop writing, analytical, and presentation skills that will enhance career objectives in the public sector.