Courses Offered

An examination of the relationship between humans and the biophysical environment at local, national, and global levels. Emphasis is given to the impact of personal attitudes, cultural beliefs, economics, politics, technology and available resources on environmental problems and solutions.

• Gen Ed: Social Sciences 2

Contemporary issues in American public policy. Substantive public policies such as those dealing with the American economy, energy, crime, environmental quality, the welfare state and social programs. Models of the policy process are also considered.

• Gen Ed: Social Sciences 2

Using case studies, this course explores the principal tools and methods for conducting public affairs, the external and internal elements affecting public agencies, and the role of these elements and the human dimension in creating and implementing public policies and programs.

• Gen Ed: Social Sciences 2

Travel courses are conducted to various parts of the world and are led by one or more faculty members. May be repeated to different locations.

• Gen Ed: World Culture
• Travel Course
• Course is repeatable for credit.

U.S. and global environmental problems and their political implications. Emphasizes U.S. environmental politics, issues and controversies in environmental protection policy, the performance of governmental institution in response to environmental challenges, and strategies for environmental improvement.

The origins, purposes and operation of regulatory agencies and the programs in the U.S.: theories of regulation, issues and controversies in regulatory policy, and decision-making in such areas as economic regulation, public health, consumer protection workplace safety and environmental quality.

Administrative law in the American federal (intergovernmental) system: connections between administrative law issues and issues of public policy; and legal dimensions of administrative problems.

Using case studies and applied learning techniques, this course explores management in public and nonprofit organizations from the perspective of a manager. Management approaches, techniques and concepts and theoretical frameworks are covered.

The importance of coastal resources, with an emphasis on Wisconsin's coasts. With field trips to local lakes and Lake Superior, we will study issues of development, overuse, risk, and their consequent environmental, aesthetic and economic impacts.

History, processes, and impacts of environmental planning in the United States. Action forcing legislation and its effect on environmental issues and processes. Emphasizes environmental planning and implementation at the national, state, and local levels.

Various forms of public land-use controls in planning and administration, addressing "what, why and how" aspects of land-use controls. Smart Growth, Environmental Impact Analysis, and other comprehensive planning models studied.

Creating resilient communities based on local inputs/outputs to support jobs, housing, transportation, schools, agriculture and city services.

The philosophy of comprehensive Emergency Management will be discussed with the four attendent steps, which include mitigation, preparedness, response and recover. In addition, legal issues involving state and Federal law effecting emergency operations will be studied.

Strategic planning and budgeting is a very important component in emergency planning and mitigation. Learn how to acquire and allocate resources, plan for crises with or without warning, and implement preparedness programs.

Examine the roles and responsibilities of the players in a crisis event. Explore the various problems associated with response operations such as: inadequate preparedness measurers, safety and site security, politics, and record keeping.

Examine disaster recovery in isolation. Explore the short and long term effects of disasters, as well as, the process of putting families, businesses and communities back together. You will learn the importance of reconstruction and relocation.

This course considers the political and policy environment in which emergency management is practiced. It focuses on political processes and phenomena associated with mitigating the likely effects of extreme events, responding to them, and recovering from them. The course is intended to help emergency managers develop an understanding of local, state, federal, and intergovernmental politics affecting and affected by extreme events.

Roles, functions and environments of organizational managers and leaders broadly defined, especially in public enterprises; issues of human resources management within these sectors.

Uses state-of-the-art software to integrate digitized data maps, transfer data, manage relational data bases, overlay maps, display, query, edit interactive graphics, and geocode addresses. Applications are tailored to fit student interests and may include tax base analysis, property mapping, natural resources inventory, crime demography, transportation routing, and other tasks.

This course will cover the basics of water management and planning, covering local to global examples of such things as surface water pollution, mining of fossil aquifers, water wars at regional, interstate, and international levels.

An overview of major environmental laws such as the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, with emphasis on how these laws are implemented by the federal and state governments.

This course examines public land and resources policy, law and administration from multiple perspectives. It covers environmental and administrative decision making and various contemporary resource management problems and conflicts.

This course explores the transnational and international context of environmental politics and policy. Particular focus areas include the causes of environmental harm, the meaning of sustainability, and the relevance of new environmental actors on the global stage.

Required component of the Certificate in Environmental Sustainability and Business. Focus is placed be upon the nature of systems thinking systems dynamics, and problem solving. Will address systems dynamics in natural world policy creation, human creativity and the arts, and business decision making. Latter half of class is applications focussed.

• Course is repeatable to 4 credits.

Applications of tools such as cost-benefit analysis and other economic concepts in current public decision making, with special emphasis upon common property resources management.

Policy and institutional comparisons across states and local governments through hands-on research, placing a special focus on Wisconsin's local governments.

This course explores what is meant by public service, with a special focus on service in local governmental settings. The course considers case studies from the International City/Council Management Association and what management and leadership in local government entails.

• Course is repeatable to 6 credits.

An introduction to public policy analysis and to the policy-making process, primarily in American government. The course emphasizes the political aspects of policy analysis, models and methods for rational design of public policies, and applications of policy studies to particular public problems.

Effects of government spending and taxation on resource allocation, incomes, prices and employment. Includes consideration of the uses and effects of fiscal policy.

The purposes and attributes of major public budgetary systems: principles and methods in designing and managing relationships among program planning, policy planning and budgetary operation; applications of analytical and decision-assisting tools in public budgetary operations.

The course is designed for students aspiring to manage a nonprofit or serve on a Board of Directors. Students learn about creating a sustainable nonprofit by developing broad based fundraising strategies and by marketing the organization to create a positive community immage.

Develops a working understanding and selected skills relating to the conduct of program evaluations. Evaluation design, data collection, data analysis, and utilization of findings are discussed using the political and social context of "real" organizations.

A capstone course for all students in Urban and Public Affairs intended to introduce a range of ethical concerns in public affairs. Through theoretical and case study readings and applied projects, students deal with ethical issues and varied responses to them.

Project-based course using ArcGIS. Students define a project, develop a database, analyze spatial data, and develop GIS maps displaying results of their analysis.

Planning for public and not-for-profit agencies: theory and practical significance of planning; the political and administrative setting of planning operations; and methods of planning analysis such as strategic planning.

Application of tools and concepts in current economic decision making, with special emphasis upon Natural Resource management, environmental problems, market failure, and public policy approaches.

An interdisciplinary study of public policy issues selected from public administration and environmental policy and planning. Includes issues such as health care reform, environmental policy analysis, policy planning.

A hands-on course where students learn the motives, methods, and values of philanthropy by studying local data, working woith nonprofits and donors, and allocating funds (provided by community partners) to organizations in the community. Appropriate for all majors.

Required component of the Certificate in Environmental Sustainability and Business. Enrolled students will be placed by EMBI in a business, nonprofit, or governmental setting that involves interdisciplinary problem solving within an environmental sustainability context. This will be a special co-op/internship/project experience.

Supervised practical experience in an organization or activity appropriate to a student's career and educational interests. Internships are supervised by faculty members and require periodic student/faculty meetings.

• Course is repeatable for credit.

Independent study is offered on an individual basis at the student's request and consists of a program of learning activities planned in consultation with a faculty member. A student wishing to study or conduct research in an area not represented in available scheduled courses should develop a preliminary proposal and seek the sponsorship of a faculty member. The student's advisor can direct him or her to instructors with appropriate interests. A written report or equivalent is required for evaluation, and a short title describing the program must be sent early inthe semester to the registrar for entry on the student's transcript.

• Course is repeatable for credit.

Travel courses are conducted to various parts of the world and are led by one or more faculty members. May be repeated to different locations.

• Gen Ed: World Culture
• Travel Course
• Course is repeatable for credit.