This course provides an in-depth examination of the history and institutions delivering human services in the United States, with an emphasis on how human-centered design can help improve service provision and outcomes. It explores how public, nonprofit, and philanthropic structures create unique operational realities and cultures that must be navigated to lead change across institutional boundaries. It also systematically investigates contributors to disparities in the human services system, particularly race. The use of frameworks such as human-centered design, human services value curve, and an equity lens will help us on this exploration. Course learning materials take students through a design process to highlight strategies for systems change and improvement grounded in outcomes. Design processes are iterative and involve understanding and engaging the people and context in problem solving. Through project-based learning approach, students will understand the various constraints that need to be navigated in design: feasibility, viability, and desirability. Students gain experience using design to help appreciate these constraints and develop strategies for overcoming them.

Public service delivery innovation and redesign in health and human services fields to improve outcomes. Study and application of theories of organizational development, leadership, and system change. Social system dynamics analysis. Engaging diverse stakeholders. Effects and influence of implicit bias on current and redesigned efforts. Models and tools for public service redesign.

Critical analysis of organizations in the world of public affairs from multiple levels - including the individual, group, organization, and sector - and the dynamics of relationships among them. Develop actionable recommendations to improve organizational effectiveness in the context of multiple (often contested) prosocial purposes and conflicting stakeholder demands. Memo writing, case analyses, simulations, guest speakers, and self-awareness exercises

Models of change/leadership. How leaders can promote personal, organizational, and societal change. Case studies, action research. Framework for leadership and change.

Are you interested in working across government, business, and the non-profit sector for public good? Are you wondering how you can create sustainable shared leadership on challenges that can best be addressed together? This course explores multi-sector leadership and related governance and management challenges from a variety of perspectives and provides an opportunity for students to work together to apply what they are learning individually and in teams through in-class exercises and a final team project. The course is taught by a team of interdisciplinary faculty and considers different contexts, forms, and specific examples of multisector leadership that can enable transformative action to tackle a significant societal issue and achieve lasting change. Credit will be not be granted if credit has been received for GCC 5023, OLPD 6402, PUBH 6702, MGMT 6402, PA 5130, LAW 6623.

Project management and leadership strategies for implementing public policy, including new or revised government programs, public works, and regulations. Use of project management concepts, principles, and tools, including project definition, scoping, planning, scheduling (using the critical path method), budgeting, monitoring, staffing, and managing project teams. Application of "agile" and "extreme" project management in situations of complexity and uncertainty, including those due to the scrutiny and expectations of elected officials, the media, citizens, and other stakeholders.

Critique/learn various approaches to civic participation in defining/addressing public issues. Readings, cases, classroom discussion, facilitating/experiencing engagement techniques. Examine work of practitioner, design engagement process.

Selected topics.

This course covers the core principals, methods, and implementation of evaluation research. Students will learn through an applied partnership with a nonprofit or state/local government clients. The course is designed for both students interested in a potential career in evaluation and those that want to be better consumers of research. Past programmatic/policy areas included health and human services, education, environment science, economic development, transportation, and evidence-based policymaking.

Theory, tools, and practice of the implementation of public policy, particularly in areas involving public, private, and nonprofit organizations. Analytical approach focuses on multiple levels in policy fields to pinpoint and assess implementation challenges and levers for improvement.

Historical roots of racial inequality in American society. Contemporary economic consequences. Public policy responses to racial inequality. Emphasizes thinking/analysis that is critical of strategies offered for reducing racism and racial economic inequality. prereq: Grad or instr consent

Grantwriting skills, processes, problem,s and resources for nonprofit organizations. Researching and seeking grants. Communication with potential funders and generating financial support. Collaborating effectively with the organization and clients to create substantive, fundable proposals.

How theory is incorporated, affects the change process, and can improve schools/institutions of higher education. Characteristics that impact change processes/outcomes. Leadership/policy effects.