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PAD868

Comparative Public Administratioon

This course provides a comparative analysis of public administration across diverse social settings, focusing on developed and developing countries. It explores key concepts, theoretical perspectives, and models in comparative public administration. The course examines administrative systems in countries like France, Britain, Nigeria, Uganda, Senegal, and Benin Republic. Students will learn to analyze the roles and problems of bureaucracy and understand bureaucratic accountability in different contexts.

About this course

Difficulty
Intermediate
Study hours
46 hours
Maths
None
Content
Theoretical, case study
Practical work
No
How it is assessed
  • Assignments
  • Tutor marked assessments
  • Final examination

What you'll read

The real module and unit structure of PAD868, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.

One paragraph, so you can see how it reads

PAD868 · UNIT 1 MEANING AND NATURE OF COMPARATIVE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

This unit of the course material introduces you to the meaning as well as scope and areas of comparative public administration in order to provide you with the background knowledge for easy comprehension of the units that follow afterward.

What you should be able to do

  1. Describe major concepts in comparative public administration
  2. Trace the evolution of comparative public administration
  3. Explain the rationale for studying comparative public administration
  4. Explain theoretical perspectives and models
  5. Identify roles and problems of bureaucracy
  6. Understand bureaucratic accountability
  7. Discuss comparative practices in different settings

What it prepares you for

Careers
  • Public Administrator
  • Policy Analyst
  • Government Official
  • International Development Officer
  • Non-profit Manager
Where it is applied
  • Government
  • Public Sector
  • International Organizations
  • Non-profit
  • Consulting

Where it gets hard

The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.

  • Module 3:

    Unit 13: Prismatic Model and Comparative Public Administration

    Requires understanding of complex systems and their interactions, demanding critical thinking to apply the model to real-world scenarios.

  • Module 4:

    Unit 17: Systems of Administration in Developed Francophone Countries: France

    Involves grasping the nuances of administrative structures and their historical evolution, requiring synthesis of diverse information.

A suggested way through it

Suggested

13 weeks, about 26 hours in total. Yours will differ.

  1. Week 1Module 1: Introduction
    • Unit 1: Meaning and Nature of Comparative Public Administration · 2 hours

      Define comparative public administration. Identify areas of comparison. Differentiate between comparative and traditional public administration.

  2. Week 2Module 1: Introduction
    • Unit 2: Evolution of Comparative Public Administration · 2 hours

      Trace the origin and evolutionary trends. Identify factors influencing development of comparative public administration.

  3. Week 3Module 1: Introduction
    • Unit 3: Riggs' Contribution to the Study of Comparative Public Administration · 2 hours

      Describe trends in the study of Comparative Public Administration by Riggs. Explain the nexus between ecology and Comparative Public Administration.

  4. Week 4Module 1: Introduction
    • Unit 4: Rationale for Comparative Public Administration Studies · 2 hours

      Understand the significance of Comparative Public Administration studies.

  5. Week 5Module 1: Introduction
    • Unit 5: Forms/Dimensions of Comparative Public Administration Studies · 2 hours

      Explain the various levels of analysis. Describe the different forms or dimensions of Comparative studies.

  6. Week 6Module 2:
    • Unit 6: Comparison between Public Administration and Comparative Public Administration · 2 hours

      Describe Traditional Public Administration. Briefly describe Comparative Public Administration. Compare Traditional and Comparative Public Administration.

  7. Week 7Module 2:
    • Unit 7: Uses of Models and Approaches in Comparative Studies · 2 hours

      Explain the uses of models and approaches. Compare Models and Approaches.

  8. Week 8Module 2:
    • Unit 8: Cross-cultural Approach to Comparative Public Administration Studies · 2 hours

      Explain Cross-cultural approach. Understand how to apply Cross-cultural approach.

  9. Week 9Module 2:
    • Unit 9: Bureaucratic Approach to Comparative Studies · 2 hours

      Describe and understand the application of Bureaucratic approach.

  10. Week 10Module 2:
    • Unit 10: Case studies Approach to Comparative Studies · 2 hours

      Define Case Studies approach. Explain its application.

  11. Week 11Module 3:
    • Unit 11: Institutional Approach to Comparative Public Administration Studies · 2 hours

      Define Institutional approach. Explain the application Institutional approach.

  12. Week 12Module 3:
    • Unit 12: Structural-functional Approach to Comparative Public Administration Studies · 2 hours

      Define structural-functional approach. Explain application structural-functional approach.

  13. Week 13Module 3:
    • Unit 13: Prismatic Model and Comparative Public Administration · 2 hours

      Understand and examine the Riggs Prismatic Model. Understand and know how to apply the Riggs' Prismatic Sala Model.

Preparing for the exam

What to do
  • Create comparative charts contrasting administrative systems of different countries (Units 16-22)
  • Focus on key concepts from Module 1 (Units 1-5)
  • Review case studies in Module 2 (Units 6-10)
  • Practice applying theoretical models from Module 3 (Units 11-15)
  • Analyze past exam papers to identify frequently tested topics

Questions students ask about this course

What is PAD868 about?

This course provides a comparative analysis of public administration across diverse social settings, focusing on developed and developing countries. It explores key concepts, theoretical perspectives, and models in comparative public administration. The course examines administrative systems in countries like France, Britain, Nigeria, Uganda, Senegal, and Benin Republic. Students will learn to analyze the roles and problems of bureaucracy and understand bureaucratic accountability in different contexts.

How many units does PAD868 have?

PAD868, Comparative Public Administratioon, has 21 units across 5 modules, over 111 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.

How many credit units is PAD868?

PAD868 carries 3 credit units, at 800 level in Management Sciences.

Is PAD868 hard?

PAD868 is rated intermediate level, with no mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical and case study work.

How long does PAD868 take to study?

About 46 hours of study, spread across its 21 units.

How is PAD868 assessed?

PAD868 is assessed by assignments, tutor marked assessments and final examination.

What can I do with PAD868?

Public Administrator, Policy Analyst, Government Official, International Development Officer and Non profit Manager.

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