Maxwell’s Winter Courses

Visiting faculty, George Abonyi, teaching course on Political Economy over the winter break

Over 20 years ago, the then Department of Public Administration decided to try something new.  Professor Bill Banks – a joint faculty member in PA and SU’s College of Law (now founding director of the Institute of National Security and Counterterrorism) – created a course: Public Administration and Law – looking at the nexus of public administration and law.  Intended for non-Law students, this course would be delivered in a condensed format, over the winter break – after the holidays and making good use of the early weeks of January before the spring term started. The Department had no idea if any students would be interested – but gave it a go.  Over forty of my classmates registered and completed the department’s first Winter Intercession course in Maxwell.

These winter intercession courses give our students (MPA and MA IR) the ability to make good use of the long winter break to complete a three credit course.  Over the years, we have expanded the offerings available to students over the winter break.  And over a dozen years ago, started providing Winter Intercession courses through Maxwell’s Washington, DC campus and even in New York City on occasion at SU’s Lubin House.

Taking a winter course is still optional for our students and only elective courses are offered.  The faculty are quite deliberate in selecting and designing courses that will work well in a concentrated format. Today, the students are in their final day of their winter intercession courses.

This year, the Department of Public Administration and International Affairs, offered five (below) Winter Intercession Courses.  It is exciting to see how our innovative thinking over two decades ago, has resulted in such a robust expansion of course opportunities and learning experiences for our students.  We have joked over the years that since we teach effective public management – we were simply practicing what we preach by using the semester break as efficiently as possible.

Maxwell students learn tax policy from Professor Burman, the founding Director of the Tax Policy Center (joint Urban Institute/Brookings Center).

2018 Winter Course Offering in Public Administration and International Affairs 

Business and Government in the Global Economy
Taught by George Abonyi
This course is about economic globalization, focusing on (East) Asian development, a region playing a central role in globalization, and the related interplay of government and business.

Homeland Security: State and Local Preparedness and Responses
Taught by Randall Griffin
This course provides students with an understanding of state and local governments, the preparedness and response functions that they provide, and the critical leadership competencies and collaborative relationships necessary for their successful management, particularly in a crisis situation.

Public Administration and Law
Taught by William C. Snyder
This case study driven course designed for non-law students focuses on the major players in public law and public administration and the nexus of law and policy. Students are gaining an understanding on how public and private law systems diverge and converge and how the public law system incorporates public administration.

Off-Campus Winter Courses – taught at  Maxwell’s Washington, DC campus

Professor O’Keefe teaches courses in Technology and Innovation, National Security Policy as well as the capstone course on Executive Leadership

Tax Policy and Politics
Taught by Leonard Burman
This course focuses on understanding the development of the U.S. tax system, major tax policy issues, and the implications of alternative tax policies. Professor Burman is the founding Director of the Tax Policy Center of the Urban/Brookings Institutes.

Public Management of Technological Development
Taught by Sean O’Keefe
This course focuses on the major public policy influences on the formulation and implementation of commercial technology and innovation strategies. Participants are analyzing the active and passive government influences concerning technology and innovation management.