Year 2010-11
Introduction to Public Administration (21285)
Qualification: Degree in Political and Administration Sciences
Year: 1st
Term: 3rd
Number of ECTS credits: 6 credits
Hours of student dedication: 150 hours
Teaching language: Catalan
Course teachers: David Sancho
1. Introduction to the course
This is an introductory course to public administration. Its focus is on facilitating students understanding of public administration anatomy and how they work.
2. Competencies to be achieved
Instrumental Competencies: cognitive abilities, deduction, abstraction, analytical skills, management of information, searching for sources of information, critical evaluation of data, selection of relevant information, oral and written communication, public presentation of group work, discussion of texts, critical and argumentative writing.
Systemic competencies: Understanding and analysis of different political and contextual realities, result orientation, research and comparative skills (applying basic methodological principles), critical reading, ability to apply knowledge.
Interpersonal competencies: preparation of group work, critical and self critical ability.
Specific competences: identifying and distinguishing between the basic elements that make up Public Administrations and the structure of government action: a) the bureaucracy within the political system, b) administrative and bureaucratic organisation, c) the political and bureaucratic role of public administration, d) comparative elements, e) State General Administration, f) Autonomous Community Administration, g) Local Administration, h) the concept of public policy
3. Contents
Topic 1. The Administration Science and Political Science
Topic 2. Public Administration models
Topic 3. Public Administration in Spain and Catalonia: State General Administration
Topic 4. Administration in the Autonomous Communities
Topic 5. Local Administration: the local map
Topic 6. Local Administration: Municipal and Provincial
Topic 7. Local Administration: other local entities
Topic 8. Institutional or Civil Administration, and the Independent Regulatory Agencies
Topic 9. Public administration and public policy
Topic 10. Modernisation and administration management
4. Assessment
Continuous assessment (Compulsory work in groups and individually) (50%)
Individual part:
•- Individual participation in class discussions
•- Participation in seminar assignments
Group part:
•- Seminar assignments
Final assessment (compulsory and individual) (50%)
•- Final exam: with short and more developed questions on the topics covered
Description of assessment types:
In the continuous assessment, class assistance and active participation will be important and will account for 20% of the final mark.
For assignments set in practical sessions, it is important to adapt a critical perspective. All types of plagiarism will be controlled for and penalised. This includes copying between groups and using information form web pages that are supposedly developed to help students.
This assessment will be complemented by an exam that will be made up of a set of short questions and questions that will require students to develop a general reflexion on a given topic covered in the contents of the course.
5. Readings and resources
5.1. Basic bibliography
Reading 1 (Topic 1. Administration science and political science)
Olmeda, J. A. (1999): "De la génesis de las Administraciones Públicas a la crisis de la Adminstración prestadora de servicios" in Ciencia de la Administración Vol. I. Madrid UNED. (p 217-257).
Reading 2 (Topic 2. Public Administration models)
Baena del Alcazar, M. (2005): "La burocracia como organización y el poder de
los burócratas" in Manual de Ciencia de la Administración. Madrid. Sintesis.
(p 105-120).
Sancho, D. (1999): "Conceptos básicos de gestión de servicios en el entorno
público" in Gestión de Servicios Públicos. Madrid. Tecnos (p 15-33).
Reading 3 (Topic 3. Public administration in Spain and Catalonia: State General Administration)
Ballart, X. / Ramió, C. (2000): "La Administración General del Estado" in
Ciencia de la Administración.Valencia. Tirant lo Blanch. (p 171-223)
Reading 4 (Topic 4. Administration in the Autonomous Communities)
Ballart, X. / Ramió, C. (2000): "La Administración de las Comunidades
Autónomas" in Ciencia de la Administración.Valencia. Tirant lo Blanch. (p
231-257)
Reading 5 (Topic 5. Local administrations: the local map)
Ballart, X. / Ramió, C. (2000): "La Administración Local" in Ciencia de la
Administración.Valencia. Tirant lo Blanch. (p 295-335)
Reading 6 (Topic 6. Local administration: Municipal and Provincial)
Olmeda, J. A. / Parrado, S. (1999): "Los Gobiernos Locales" in Ciencia de la
Administración Vol II. Madrid UNED. (p 383- 424).
Reading 7 (Topic 7. Local administration: other local entities)
Jimenez Asensio, R. (2006): El Gobierno local en el Estatuto de Autonomia:
Primeras reflexiones. Conferencia Octubre 2006 in the Seminiari de Dret Local,
Federació de Municipis de Catalunya.
Reading 8 (Topic 8. Institutional and civic administration and the Independent Regulatory Agencies)
Baena del Alcazar, M. (1990): "Organismos Autónomo y Empresas Públicas" in
Curso de Ciencia de la Administración. Madrid. Tecnos. (p 241-259).
Reading 9 (Topic 9. Public administration and public policy)
Ballart, X. / Ramió, C. (2000): "La actuación de la Administración: las Políticas
Públicas" in Ciencia de la Administración.Valencia. Tirant lo Blanch. (p 481-
525)
Reading 10 (Topic 10. Modernisation and administration management)
Sancho, D. (2005): "Sociedad de la Información, Gobierno y Administración
Pública" in Sociedad de la Información y Gobierno. Sevilla. Instituto Andaluz
de Administración Pública. (p 23-46)
6. Methodology
The teaching methodology used is based on a combination of different classroom based sessions and seminars where guided activities are developed (individually and in groups), and autonomous study outside the classroom.
There will be weekly two-hour lectures where the contents of the material available to students for each topic will be introduced and revised. The aim of the lectures is for students to understand and analyse the contents of each topic.
After each lecture, a weekly, hour-long small group seminar will be held where previously set, guided activities will be developed. These activities are designed to reinforce the theoretical aspects addressed, to teach students to present and debate in public, assimilate concepts, and develop a critical and analytical perspective of the texts and other materials. Students must therefore do the required readings on time.
Autonomous study will consist of research activities, reading, reflexion and group exercises.
7. Programme of activities
Week 1: lecture. Topic 1. Administration science and political science
Week 2: lecture. Topic 2. Public Administration models/ Seminar. Methodology in academic work: texts and presentations
Week 3: lecture. Topic 3. Public administration in Spain and Catalonia: State General Administration / Seminar. Practical exercice.
Week 4: lecture. Topic 4. Administration in the Autonomous Communities / Seminar. Practical exercice.
Week 5: lecture. Topic 5. Local administrations: the local map / Seminar
Week 6: lecture. Topic 6. Local administration: Municipal and Provincial / Seminar. Practical exercice.
Week 7: lecture. Topic 7. Local administration: other local entities / Seminar. Practical exercice.
Week 8: lecture. Topic 8. Institutional and civil administration and the Independent Regulatory Agencies / Seminar. Practical exercice.
Week 9: lecture. Topic 9. Public administration and public policy / Seminar. Practical exercice.
Week 10: lecture. Topic 10. Modernisation and administration management and revision of all topics for the exam / Seminar. Practical exercice.