Introduction To Public Administration
- Management Sciences
- 700 level
- 2 credit units
- 200 pages
- 30 units
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the field of public administration. It explores the meaning, nature, and scope of public administration, examining its principles and historical development. Key topics include bureaucracy, public policy, organizational theory, and the Nigerian civil service. Students will gain an understanding of public personnel administration, financial administration, and local government administration, equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary for effective public sector management.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 208 hours
- Maths
- None
- Content
- Theoretical
- Practical work
- No
- Assignments
- Tutor marked assessments
- Final examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of PAD747, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
PAD747 · UNIT 1: MEANING, DEFINITION, NATURE AND SCOPE OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
Ad+Ministaire, which means, to look after people or things. Public Administration is a collective mechanism for the expression of the will of the people and the wellbeing of the environment. Public administration can also be referred to as the political system in action. It also means to care for or look after people and to manage affairs (Gladden, 1972).
What you should be able to do
- Explain the context of public administration.
- Examine the historical development and approaches of public administration.
- Examine the relationship between bureaucracy and public policy.
- Examine the concept of organization.
- Examine the evolution and operations of the Nigerian civil service.
- Overview other aspects of public administration such as personnel administration, development administration, financial administration, urban administration and local government administration.
What it prepares you for
- Public Administrator
- Policy Analyst
- Civil Servant
- Local Government Officer
- Public Sector Manager
- Government
- Public Sector
- Non-Profit
- Civil Service
- Local Government
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module 3: Bureaucracy and Public Policy
Unit 4: Public Policy analysis
Public policy analysis requires understanding of various theoretical approaches and their application to real-world scenarios.
- Module 4: Organization, Processes and Management
Unit 3: Theories of Organization
Theories of organization require critical evaluation and comparison of different schools of thought.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 46 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1Module 1: Introduction to the Study of Public Administration
Unit 1: Meaning, Nature and Scope of Public Administration · 2 hours
Read the unit introduction to understand the basic ideas of public administration.. Examine various definitions and characteristics of public administration.. Discuss the nature and scope of public administration.. Complete the tutor-marked assignment to assess your understanding..
Unit 2: Principles of Public Administration · 2 hours
Discuss the principles of public administration.. Examine the three types of authority an administrator holds.. Complete the tutor-marked assignment to reinforce your learning..
- Week 2Module 1: Introduction to the Study of Public Administration
Unit 3: Public Administration; the Art and Science Debate · 2 hours
Discuss why Public Administration is referred to as a science.. Explain how Public Administration constitutes an art.. Complete the tutor-marked assignment to consolidate your knowledge..
Unit 4: Public Administration; Politics Administration Dichotomy · 2 hours
Explain the relationship between the political process and administrative process.. Define Public Administration and Management in your own words.. Complete the tutor-marked assignment to test your understanding..
- Week 3Module 1: Introduction to the Study of Public Administration
Unit 5: Private and Public Administration Compared · 3 hours
Discuss the major differences between public administration and private administration.. Complete the tutor-marked assignment to assess your comprehension..
- Week 4Module 2: Historical Development and Approaches of Public Administration
Unit 1: Historical Development of Public Administration · 2 hours
Explain the historical development of Public Administration.. Explain the historical approach to the study of Public Administration.. Complete the tutor-marked assignment to reinforce your learning..
Unit 2: Public Administration and Other Social Sciences · 2 hours
Describe how public administration is closely related to other social sciences.. Explain the influence of science and technology on public administration.. Discuss why an understanding of politics is key to understanding public administration.. Complete the tutor-marked assignment to consolidate your knowledge..
- Week 5Module 2: Historical Development and Approaches of Public Administration
Unit 3: Approaches to the Study of Public Administration · 3 hours
Discuss the various approaches to the study of public administration.. Differentiate between the various approaches to the study of public administration.. Complete the tutor-marked assignment to test your understanding..
- Week 6Module 2: Historical Development and Approaches of Public Administration
Unit 4: New Dimensions of Public Administration · 2 hours
Discover what has influenced the study of Public Administration.. Identify why the term New Public was used to describe this trend in the field of public administration.. Complete the tutor-marked assignment to assess your comprehension..
Unit 5: The Concept Of The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) · 2 hours
Define the Chief Executive Officer.. Identify the roles and responsibilities of the Chief Executive Officers.. List and explain the functions of the Chief Executive Officer.. Complete the tutor-marked assignment to reinforce your learning..
- Week 7Module 3: Bureaucracy and Public Policy
Unit 1: Bureaucracy- meaning, characteristics and criticism · 3 hours
Define Bureaucracy.. List and explain the elements of Bureaucracy.. Enumerate the functions of Bureaucracy.. Explain the criticism of Bureaucracy in an Organization.. Complete the tutor-marked assignment to consolidate your knowledge..
- Week 8Module 3: Bureaucracy and Public Policy
Unit 2: Public Administration and Bureaucracy · 3 hours
Explain the historical development of bureaucracy.. Discuss the need for bridging the gap between people and bureaucracy.. Explain the difference in bureaucracy and political development.. Complete the tutor-marked assignment to test your understanding..
- Week 9Module 3: Bureaucracy and Public Policy
Unit 3: Public Policy · 2 hours
Define Public Policy.. Differentiate between Public Policy and Decision Making.. List the types and components of Policy Making Process.. Complete the tutor-marked assignment to assess your comprehension..
Unit 4: Public Policy analysis · 2 hours
Explain the concept of Public Policy Analysis.. Explain the basic elements of good public policy analysis.. Discuss the importance of public policy analysis.. Explain the steps for successful public policy analysis and the stages of public policy analysis.. Complete the tutor-marked assignment to reinforce your learning..
- Week 10Module 3: Bureaucracy and Public Policy
Unit 5: Bureaucracy and Public Policy Making · 3 hours
Know what bureaucracy is all about.. Know the role of bureaucracy in public policy making process.. Know the administrative discretion/power and its control measures.. Complete the tutor-marked assignment to consolidate your knowledge..
- Week 11Module 4: Organization, Processes and Management
Unit 1: Organizations; Meaning, principles, types and elements · 3 hours
Explain the meaning of organization.. State the principles of organization.. Discuss the types of organizations and state their differences.. State the elements of organization.. Complete the tutor-marked assignment to test your understanding..
- Week 12Module 4: Organization, Processes and Management
Unit 2: Process of Organization · 2 hours
Expatiate on the process of organization.. Complete the tutor-marked assignment to assess your comprehension..
Unit 3: Theories of Organization · 2 hours
Discuss the various theories of organization.. Complete the tutor-marked assignment to reinforce your learning..
- Week 13Module 4: Organization, Processes and Management
Unit 4: The concept of Management · 2 hours
Explain what management means.. Explain the tasks of management according to Gullick, Terry, Fayal, Seckler Hudson, and Millet.. What is input in management?. Explain the true goals of management according to Gulick.. What are the types of management that constitute the Nigerian administrative hierarchy?. Complete the tutor-marked assignment to consolidate your knowledge..
Unit 5: Principles of Management · 2 hours
Discuss the 14 principles of management by Henri Fayol.. Discuss the other principles of management by Hicks and Gullet.. Discuss the validity of management principles.. Complete the tutor-marked assignment to test your understanding..
Preparing for the exam
- Review all tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) and their solutions to identify key concepts and areas of focus.
- Create concept maps linking Modules 1-3 to understand the foundations of public administration and policy.
- Practice applying theoretical frameworks from Module 4 to case studies of Nigerian public sector organizations.
- Focus on the evolution and structure of the Nigerian Civil Service (Module 5) and its impact on governance.
- Study past exam papers to familiarize yourself with question formats and time management.
- Allocate specific study time for each module, prioritizing areas of weakness identified in TMAs.
- Form study groups to discuss complex topics and share insights on exam strategies.
- Create flashcards for key terms and definitions from each unit to aid memorization.
- Practice essay writing to improve your ability to articulate concepts and arguments clearly and concisely.
Questions students ask about this course
What is PAD747 about?
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the field of public administration. It explores the meaning, nature, and scope of public administration, examining its principles and historical development. Key topics include bureaucracy, public policy, organizational theory, and the Nigerian civil service. Students will gain an understanding of public personnel administration, financial administration, and local government administration, equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary for effective public sector management.
How many units does PAD747 have?
PAD747, Introduction To Public Administration, has 30 units across 6 modules, over 200 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is PAD747?
PAD747 carries 2 credit units, at 700 level in Management Sciences.
Is PAD747 hard?
PAD747 is rated intermediate level, with no mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical work.
How long does PAD747 take to study?
About 208 hours of study, spread across its 30 units.
How is PAD747 assessed?
PAD747 is assessed by assignments, tutor marked assessments and final examination.
What can I do with PAD747?
Public Administrator, Policy Analyst, Civil Servant, Local Government Officer and Public Sector Manager.