Advanced Public Administration Finance and Budgeting – PADM 702

Course Description

This course provides an analysis of the key challenges associated with finance and budgeting in the public administration context. Students will conduct doctoral level research on best practices associated with both, predicated upon a Biblical perspective on ethics and statesmanship.

Rationale

The purpose of this course is to provide the student with a thorough foundation of the significance of public budgeting from a historical and theoretical perspective.

Course Assignment

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student is required to provide a thread in response to the provided prompt for each Discussion. Each thread must be 750 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge. Each thread must be supported using scholarly and/or Biblical citations in current APA format. In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to 2 other classmates’ threads. Each reply must be 250 words and be supported by scholarly and/or Biblical citations in current APA format. All scholarly sources must have been published in the last five years.

The student will write 6 research-based papers that focus on various aspects of Public Budgeting.

Each of these research papers will use 12-point, Times New Roman font, contain a title and reference page, and use 1-inch margins. The student must also include at least 5 professional, scholarly, or otherwise appropriate sources in his or her paper. These papers will make use of current APA formatting standards. 

Research Paper: Types of Budgets Assignment

The student will write an 8–10-page paper analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of 3 types of budgets (Line-Item Budgeting, Program Budgeting, and Performance Budgeting) and the impact of 2 political, economic, and social constraints on the budgetary process. 

Research Paper: Descriptive Analysis Assignment

The student will submit a 4-page paper consisting of: (1) At least two of pages describing the value of the mean, standard deviation, and coefficient of variation and how they can be used to analyze revenues.  (2) A table of computational findings using the Revenue Analysis Template, and (3) Analysis of the coefficient of variation of two sets of data based on the computations. 

Research Paper: Appropriations and Expenses Trend Analysis Assignment

For this assignment, the student will compute and create tables and charts analyzing a three-year trend (2020, 2021, and 2022) of selected appropriations and expenses for agencies within the Department of Homeland Security. The student will then write an 8–10-page research paper discussing and analyzing the relationship between the appropriations and expenses of these agencies.

Research Paper: Fiscal Solvency Assignment

For this assignment, the student will compute and create tables to analyze three fiscal solvency ratios: (1) Current Ratio, (2) Operating Ratio, and (3) Net Asset Ratio. Then, the student will compose an 8–10-page research paper analyzing the degree of solvency within Bay City, Texas. The paper should also examine solvency methods and techniques, why they are important for governments to use, and their advantages and disadvantages. Further, the paper will analyze how solvency can be used to help financial issues and the differences between solvency and liquidity.

Research Paper: Fiscal Condition Analysis Assignment

The student will compose an 8-10-page paper developing a fiscal condition analysis of Maumelle, Arkansas, while also analyzing the city’s most recent three-year revenue and expenditures data. Further, the student will use Excel tools and charts to compute and create tables and charts to create the fiscal condition analysis. The analysis will focus on 5 important financial indicators for local governments: total revenues, property taxes, sales tax, operating expenditures, and personnel costs.

Research Paper: Simple Time Series Analysis Assignment

In this assignment, the student will compute and interpret a simple Time Series Analysis entitled “Exponential Smoothing.” Then, the student will compose a four-page report stating and interpreting the findings for the Time Series Analysis, being sure to include the charts that the student created during the analysis.