P ADM 594: (3 credits)

Overview | Student Expectations | Objectives | Technical Specifications | Materials| Library Resources | Course Requirements | Grading | Schedule | Academic Integrity | Policies

---

Course Overview

P ADM 594 is the capstone course for Master’s degree students in the MPA and iMPS in Homeland Security Base Program. The course builds on the knowledge components and skills students have gained in prior courses. The purpose of P ADM 594 is to develop additional competencies in problem identification and problem solving, professional writing and oral presentation, and group research and presentation skills. The course is broken down into two modules that reflect these areas of competence:

Module One focuses on communication skills required of all professionals in public service careers. Both written and oral communications will be stressed. Students will be asked to assess their own communication skills, professional writing, and Power Point presentations.

Also, each student will individually prepare a 3-5 page briefing paper and a 6-9 slide narrated Power Point presentation on cases provided by the instructor. All work will be done on an individual basis in Module 1.

Module Two focuses on problem identification and problem solving skills. In this module, emphasis will be given to the ability of groups to deal with complex problem and issues that require multiple perspectives. Cases used may be drawn either from the literature or from real-world examples. The challenge for students will be to analyze cases in a group setting using the following approach:

• What is the nature of the problem around which the case centers? Is it a simple or complex problem? Does it reflect both ethical/value issues and issues of factual information?
• What resources are needed to deal with the problem?
• How best can the problem be dealt with, given the nature of the problem, the resources available to the decision maker, and the context in which the decision is made?

return to top of page

Student Expectations

Make sure that you check your email everyday. Please use the course-email system (Select the Communicate link on the left menu on the course site, and then click on View Inbox to view, read and compose messages. Please make sure that you check the "Send a copy to each recipient's Internet e-mail if known" option before you send out the messages. If you send out an email to your instructor, you should expect to recieve the responses within 24-48 hours.

Learning Objectives

Students will learn and gain further experience in the structured problems solving skills, communication skills and working in groups to solve problems. The course is designed to increase the ability of students to:

• Improve the written and oral communications skills of students;
• Develop the ability to identify and resolve complex problems facing decision makers in public service roles;
• Work effectively in groups;
• Report group findings to key decision makers.
  

return to top of page

Technical Specifications

Technical Requirements

Operating System	Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8*; Mac OS X 10.5 or higher *Windows 8 support excludes the tablet only RT version
Processor	2 GHz or higher
Memory	1 GB of RAM
Hard Drive Space	20 GB free disk space
Browser	We recommend the latest ANGEL-supported version of Firefox or Internet Explorer. To determine if your browser fits this criterion, and for advice on downloading a supported version, please refer to the following ITS knowledge base article: Supported Browsers and Recommended Computers. Note: Cookies, Java, and JavaScript must be enabled. Pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. Due to nonstandard handling of CSS, JavaScript and caching, older versions of Internet Explorer (such as IE 6 or earlier) do not work with our courses.
Plug-ins	Adobe Reader [Download from Adobe] Flash Player (v7.0 or later) [Download from Adobe]
Additional Software	Microsoft Office (2007 or later)
Internet Connection	Broadband (cable or DSL) connection required
Printer	Access to graphics-capable printer
DVD-ROM	Required
Sound Card, Microphone, and Speakers	Required
Monitor	Capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution

return to top of page

Course Materials:

Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.

Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can

• access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
• borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
• get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
• much more. 

You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service.  The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.

return to top of page

Library Resources

This course requires that you access Penn State library materials specifically reserved for this course. You can access these materials by selecting Library Resources in your course navigation, or by accessing the Library E-Reserves Search and search for your instructor's last name.

Many of Penn State's library resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Library Resources and Services for World Campus and Distance Education Web site, you can...

• access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases
• borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep...or even your desktop
• ask a librarian for research help via e-mail, chat, or phone using the ASK! service

...and much more!

NOTE: You must have an active Penn State Access Account and be registered with the University Libraries in order to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and services. Registration and services are free!

return to top of page

Course Requirements

The first module consists of three challenges. Below are the requirements for each challenge.

Challenge 1 - Self-Introduction (ungraded)

Assess yourself, and identify your strength and weakness in writing and oral communication. Post a 1-2 minute self-introduction thread using Webcam or Microphone to record your introduction via VoiceThread.

Challenge 2 - Briefing Paper Assessment Response - 15 points

Examples of professional writing will be presented and students will be required to critique each in a 2-3 page single-spaced response. The response will be worth a maximum of 15 points toward the final grade.

Challenge 3 - Individual Case Study - 25 points

This challenge requires you to

• write a 3-5 page briefing paper on the selected case
• prepare an executive summary of around 100 words
• deliver a narrated PowerPoint presentation and provide comments to other students presentation

The second module focuses on problem solving and problem solving skills. It consists of the final challenge that requires group work.

Challenge 4 - Collaborative Problem Solving - 45 points

This challenge requires you to

• share with your group a 2-3-page, single-spaced report - each individual needs to note the nature of the problem, consider the context for resolving the problem and provides a reasoned set of feasible ways of resolving the issues (ungraded)
• develop a group work plan - Each group will discuss the way in which it plans to proceed (ungraded)
• submit a 35-40 page, double-spaced report (35 points)
• deliver a narrated PowerPoint presentation and provide comments to other groups' presentations (10 points) - each person is charged with at least two slides; thus, this will be graded based on individual contribution to the presentation
• submit a reflective paper - each individual in the group will prepare a report identifying the way in which the group went about its work:  how the group divided work among members, how the group communicated throughout the process, how effective the group process was, and how you would assess each of the group members.This will not be graded, but the submission will count for part of the participation.
• submit peer evaluation (5 points) - grade your fellow participants on a scale of 0 to 5 in terms of your perceived value of their contribution

Participation: Participation in the course blog web site and a reflective paper: 15 points

The goal of the course blog is to generate conversation between all the course participants, so be sure to revise the blog and reply to at least two of your fellow students' comments.

You are also welcome to create a new entry if you have some other interesting topics that you would like to share and converse with the class.

Semester Grading

Assignments		Points
Challenge 1	Self-Introduction	---
Challenge 2	Briefing Paper Assessment Response	15
Challenge 3	A Written Report, including an executive summary	18
	A Narrated PowerPoint Presentation	7
Challenge 4	Initial Case Analysis (Individual)	---
	Group Plan (group)	---
	A Written Report (group)	35
	A Narrated PowerPoint Presentation (individual contribution)	5
	Peer Evaluation (individual)	5
Participation	Participation in Course Blog + Reflective Paper	15
Total		100

Grading Scheme

Based on the points earned on each of the graded activities, your course grade will be determined by the scales presented in the table below:

GRADING SCALE
Percentage	Grade	Percentage	Grade
94.00 and Above	A	77.00-79.99	C+
90.00-93.99	A-	70.00-76.99	C
87.00-89.99	B+	60.00-69.99	D
83.00-86.99	B	Below 60	F
80.00-82.99	B-

 

Performance is evaluated on the basis of your course work on the assignments listed in the syllabus. Your course grade depends on the points accumulated during the semester. Use the table above to keep a record of your progress.

Note: Your grade on assignments will be reduced by 5% for each day of tardiness in receipt of work by the Instructor. Submit your work on time as scheduled.

Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Graduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.

return to top of page

Course Schedule

The schedule below outlines the topics we will be covering in this course, along with the associated time frames and assignments. Note that assignments are due based on EST. This ensures that all students have the same deadlines regardless of where they live.

• Course length: 16 weeks

Note: Do the readings in the order provided below. They are structured in such a way as to build upon one another or interact in certain ways.

Module 1 consists of 3 challenges - 5 weeks

• Challenge 1: 1 week
• Challenge 2: 1 week
• Challenge 3: 3 weeks

Module 2 - 11 weeks (including a spring/fall break week)

• Challenge 4: 11 weeks

return to top of page

Academic Integrity

 

[Return to top of page]

Policies

• Accommodating Disabilities:

  Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University’s educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities, including World Campus. The Disabilities and Accommodations section of the Chaiken Center for Student Success website provides World Campus students with information regarding how to request accommodations, documentation guidelines and eligibility, and appeals and complaints. For additional information, please visit the University's Student Disability Resources website.

  In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.

  Students with disabilities participating in internship, practicum, student teaching, or other experiential learning opportunities as part of their degree requirements may also be eligible for reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access and opportunity. These accommodations are determined through an interactive process involving the student, their University supervisor, and the site supervisor. Student Disability Resources can assist students with identifying potential barriers, facilitating accommodation requests, and coordinating with University supervisors to promote inclusive learning experiences.

• Graduation: Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please refer to Graduation at the Chaiken Center for Student Success.


• Late Policy: Assignments are due by 11:59PM (EST) on the due date unless otherwise indicated. Late assignments are not accepted without prior approval from the instructor. Failure to turn in a paper by the required due date may result in a deduction on the final score, up to and including failure of the assignment. Make-up assignments are given at the sole discretion of the instructor on a case-by-case basis.


• Additional Policies:

  For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.

[Return to top of page]

Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.

---