Doctoral Course Descriptions
Browse the course descriptions of all doctoral courses that the University of Baltimore offers.
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APPL: Applied Psychology
APPL 801 STATISTICS FOR ASSESSMENTAND EVALUATION I (3)
An advanced course covering statistics common to field research, including partial and semi-partial correlation, ANCOVA, and multiple regression, and statistics used with dichotomous dependent variables, including logistic regression and nonparametric procedures (e.g., Chi-square, Cohen’s Kappa, Fisher Exact test, Wilcoxon’s Matched-Pairs Signed-Rank Test). Exams and projects involve examples of field assessment with an emphasis on interpreting results calculated using SPSS. Prerequisite:This course is open only to the following majors: Applied Psychology or Certificate in Professional Counseling Studies. Other majors may take this course with departmental permission only.
APPL 802 STATISTICS FOR ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION II (3)
An advanced course covering multivariate statistcal procedures, including factor analysis, MANOVA and MANCOVA, discriminant analysis, confimatory factor analysis and causal modeling. Exams and projects involve examples of field assessment with an emphasis on interpreting results calculated via SPSS. Prerequistie: APPL 801.
APPL 803 MEASUREMENT THEORY (3)
An advanced course in psychometrics that focuses on understanding the internal structure of scales used primarily for measuring abilities, personality traits, interests, values, and attitudes. Emphasis is on scale construction based on True Score Theory, Generalizabilty Theory, and Item Response Theory. Theis course assumes the understanding of reliability, validity, and scaling models. Prerequisite:This course is open only to the following majors: Applied Psychology or Certificate in Professional Counseling Studies. Other majors may take this course with departmental permission only.
APPL 804 ORGIZATIONAL THEORY AND DEVELOPMENT (3)
Survey of organizational theory and techniques used in Organizational Development. Topics include organizational structure and communication, sources of power, organizational culture, Lewin’s Change Model, Action Research, and Schein’s Process Change. Prerequisite:This course is open only to the following majors: Applied Psychology or Certificate in Professional Counseling Studies. Other majors may take this course with departmental permission only.
APPL 805 CONSULTING SKILLS (3)
Focuses on the essential skills and abilities needed for successful consulting to organizations. Topics include business development, project managment, cost estimation, and report writing. Emphasizes learning techniques used for successful group presentation andPrerequisite:This course is open only to the following majors: Applied Psychology or Certificate in Professional Counseling Studies. Other majors may take this course with departmental permission only. developing skills for effective oral and written communications.
APPL 806 SURVEY DEV ELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION (3)
Students learn how _to plan, design, and implement surveys to assess organizational characteristics. Emphasis placed on how to collect, analyze survey data, and present findings to the organization. Prerequisite:This course is open only to the following majors: Applied Psychology or Certificate in Professional Counseling Studies. Other majors may take this course with departmental permission only.
APPL 807 EXAMINATION CONSTRUCTION (3)
An advanced course that develops skills in constructing examinations (primarily written) for employment and educational testing. Measurement theory is reviewed through data analysis projects that involve calculating estimates of reliability and validity, item difficulty and item discrimination, criterion-referencing, methods for setting cutoff scores, cross-validation, and jack-knife procedures Prerequisite:This course is open only to the following majors: Applied Psychology or Certificate in Professional Counseling Studies. Other majors may take this course with departmental permission only.
APPL 810 QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS (3)
Focuses on the predominant techniques for designing, collecting, and analyzing qualitative data. Various methods of data collection such as naturalistic observation, informal interviewing, in-depth immersion (ethnography), and focus groups are studied. Covers topics relating to content analysis, coding responses, ethical issues and comparing qualitative and quantitative measures. Prerequisite:This course is open only to the following majors: Applied Psychology or Certificate in Professional Counseling Studies. Other majors may take this course with departmental permission only.
APPL 811 INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENT (3)
Focuses on assessing, interpreting, and communicating individuals’ work-related characteristics, primarily for the purpose of staffing (hiring, promotion), development (competency building, rehabilitation, employee counseling), and career planning. Skills in testing and interviewing are learned for the purpose of evaluating ability, personality, aptitude, and interest characteristics. Students are familiarized with standardized measures used in employment settings and learn to administer evaluate, and report results to employees and managers. Prerequisite:This course is open only to the following majors: Applied Psychology or Certificate in Professional Counseling Studies. Other majors may take this course with departmental permission only.
APPL 812 GROUP PROCESS AND PROCEDURES (3)
A study of the interpersonal interaction and task interdependence of work groups in organizations. Focus is on theory and research concerning group dynamics and teams, drawing from social psychology, organizational psychology, sociology, and organizational behavior. Topics include group leadership, motivation, interpersonal influence, group effectiveness, conformity, conflict, role behavior, and group decision making. Prerequisite:This course is open only to the following majors: Applied Psychology or Certificate in Professional Counseling Studies. Other majors may take this course with departmental permission only.
APPL 813 PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL AND MANAGEMENT (3)
A review of techniques for assessing and improving individual and group work performance. Topics include performance appraisal systems, assessment centers, structured interviews, and performance feedback and motivation. Prerequisite:This course is open only to the following majors: Applied Psychology or Certificate in Professional Counseling Studies. Other majors may take this course with departmental permission only.
APPL 830 SPECIAL TOPICS IN ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (3)
A course based upon faculty expertise and student interest. Representative topics include: Behavioral Prevention, The Mental Health Setting, Cross-cultural Issues, Organizational Culture and Learning, Change Models. Prerequisite:This course is open only to the following majors: Applied Psychology or Certificate in Professional Counseling Studies. Other majors may take this course with departmental permission only.
APPL 840 SPECIAL TOPICS IN PROGRAM EVALUATION (3)
Advanced topics in program evaluation methodology. Topic to be selected based on student interest. Representative topics include: Measuring Efficacy of Therapy Outcome, Time-Series Designs and Methods, Evaluation of Programs in an Elementary School Setting. Prerequisite:This course is open only to the following majors: Applied Psychology or Certificate in Professional Counseling Studies. Other majors may take this course with departmental permission only.
APPL 850 SPECIAL TOPICS IN ASSESSMENT (3)
Topical areas of interest to students relating to issues in assessment. Representative topics include: Legal and Ethical Issues in Testing, Cognitive Biases in Performance Appraisals and Interviewing, Assessment of Non-Verbal Behaviors, Computerized Data Collection, and Development of Assessment Centers. Prerequisite:This course is open only to the following majors: Applied Psychology or Certificate in Professional Counseling Studies. Other majors may take this course with departmental permission only.
APPL 897 PRACTICUM IN APPLIED ASSESSMENT (3)
Supervised practicum experience with applied projects in public or private sector organizations. Emphasis on the development and implementation of an assessment instrument and feedback of findings to the organization. Projects will vary on a semester basis. Proposal writing and presentation skills will also be covered. Prerequisite: APPL 806 Survey Development & Implementation or consent of instructor. Prerequisite:This course is open only to the following majors: Applied Psychology or Certificate in Professional Counseling Studies. Other majors may take this course with departmental permission only.
APPL 899 DOCTORAL PROJECT (3 - 6)
An independent and original applied empirical research project that addresses an existing problem or opportunity in an organization. It must be founded in the literature and theory of applied psychology. The student is expected to demonstrate the ability to formulate a researchable question and test it in a field setting. The student is supervised closely by a full-time faculty member. A report of the project in APA style must be submitted to the project committee for approval. Prerequisite:This course is open only to the following majors: Applied Psychology or Certificate in Professional Counseling Studies. Other majors may take this course with departmental permission only.
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ECON: Economics
ECON 741 SPORTS ECONOMICS (3)
The sports world offers a unique arena to illustrate many important economic concepts because incentives affect the behavior of individuals in the sport industry--players, managers, owners, and fans--just like they affect behavior in any other industry. This course will allow you to study sports and the sports industry using the models found in economics. This course is loosely organized according to the fields of industrial organization, public finance, and labor economics to allow for an investigation of many of the issues that regularly come up in sports. Topics include league makeup, stadium financing, team location, competitive balance,and incentive structures. Prerequisites: ECON 640 or ECON 605.
ECON 792 SPECIAL TOPICS IN ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT (1.50)
Specialized topics in economics allowing flexibility for both the changing developments in business and the educational needs of students. Topic areas may include econometrics, entrepreneurship or organizational architecture. Exact listing of topics and prerequisites may be listed in schedule of classes. prerequisite: ECON 504 or area approval
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ENTR: Entrepreneurship
ENTR 799 INDEPENDENT STUDY (3)
Investigation into a particular subject in more depth than can be accommodated by an existing course. Students work closely with an individual faculty member. Prerequisites: ENTR 605 and approval of instructor, department chair and academic advisor
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IDIA: Interaction Design/Info Arch
IDIA 810 PROSEMINAR (3)
Provides students with the opportunity to build research contexts and refine plans for their degree projects. Engages students in constructive critique of project ideas and in sharing research resources and approaches. Lab fee required. Required of all D.S. doctoral students prior to taking the qualifying examination. Prerequisite: IDIA 842.
IDIA 841 STATISTICS AND QUANT ANALYSIS FOR UX (3)
Prepares students to design valid quantitative studies and to analyze and interpret quantitative research results using common statistical measures. Students study common measures of central tendency, variability, variance, covariance, and multiple regression.
IDIA 842 EXPERIMENTAL METHODS FOR USER RESEARCH (3)
Introduces the fundamentals of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies for applied research in human/computer interaction and user experience design. Lab fee required.
IDIA 898 CONTINUOUS ENROLLMENT (1)
Provides continuing faculty direction, academic support services and enrollment services for students who have completed all course requirements for the degree but have not completed a thesis or final project. Course may be repeated for credit as needed. Grading is pass/fail. Prerequisite: completion of all course requirements for degree program.
IDIA 898X CONTINUOUS ENROLLMENT (1 - 5)
Provides continuing faculty direction, academic support services and enrollment services for students who have completed all course requirements for the degree but have not completed a thesis or final project. Course may be repeated for credit as needed. Grading is pass/fail. Prerequisite: completion of all course requirements for degree program.
IDIA 899 DISSERTATION (1 - 6)
Research and work connected to the doctoral project under the direction of a faculty adviser. A minimum of 12 semester hours is required for the doctoral degree. Eligible for continuing studies (CS) grade. Lab fee required. Prerequisites: Permission of program director.
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PUAD: Public Administration
PUAD 805 D.P.A. SPECIAL TOPICS (3)
Coverage of selected topics of current interest to D.P.A. students or to a special segment of D.P.A. students. Registration is by permission of instructor only.
PUAD 809 D.P.A: INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH (1 - 3)
Individual research on an academically sound project of interest to the D.P.A. student in consultation with a monitoring faculty member. Depending on the scope and depth of research, 1 to 3 credits may be earned for the successful completion of this course. prerequisite: approval of D.P.A. director and monitoring faculty member
PUAD 810 FOUNDATIONS OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (3)
Major questions, answers and concerns that have framed the development of a self-aware study of public administration. The political, social and cultural contexts in which administrative solutions have been sought. The role of preceding theories, or sometimes the rejection of them, in helping to shape modern answers to administrative questions. Prerequisite: DPAD majors only.
PUAD 811 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR (3)
Covers the rise of a customer-based, results-oriented approach to solving public-sector problems. The historical foundations of such an approach and the public-sector initiatives by which it has been introduced. Modern techniques and tools for using strategic management to handle current governmental issues.
PUAD 812 ADVANCED INFORMATION RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (3)
Prepares public- and third-sector managers to deal effectively with issues related to the design and implementation of information systems in their agencies. Examines tools and techniques for identifying and structuring information requirements and needs (e.g., process mapping) and for managing IT implementation projects, including both in-house development and external procurements. Also explores the planning and implementation problems related to the redesign of public organizations and the way they provide services in the information age. prerequisite: PUAD 626 or permission of instructor
PUAD 813 SEMINAR IN DOCTORAL RESEARCH (3)
Overview of both quantitative and qualitative research methods that are applicable to the field of public administration. Emphasis on development of research questions, measurement and sampling, data collection and analysis techniques in both paradigms.
PUAD 814 SEMINAR IN POLICY MAKING AND IMPLEMENTATION (3)
Study of the theory and design of public policies and their implementation. Topics include the stages of the policy process, public policy paradigms, and the formulation and implementation of public programs.
PUAD 815 PUBLIC SECTOR FINANCIAL ANALYSIS (3)
Introduces advanced techniques employed by financial analysts in the public sector. Topics include forecasting techniques, performance measurement construction, Activity-Based Costing and expenditure analysis techniques.
PUAD 816 ADVANCED PUBLIC SECTOR MANAGEMENT AND DECISION TECHNIQUES. (3)
Familiarizes students with various analytical tools to aid in the executive decision-making and management of public-agency operations, including staffing, facility location, future planning and the wise allocation of scarce resources. Although such techniques are commonly used in the private sector, they are less common in the public sector, largely because public-sector objective functions are more difficult to quantify. Thus, an important component of the course is the application of such techniques to public-sector problems and the construction of objective functions that capture the trade-offs among quantitative and qualitative (subjective) “public goods.”
PUAD 817 SEMINAR IN PROGRAM AND POLICY EVALUATION (3)
Provides doctoral students with an introduction to program and policy evaluation in the public and nonprofit sectors. Students understand and are able to design the major components of evaluation: needs assessment, implementation evaluation, impact evaluation (formative and summative), and assessment of merit and worth. Students design evaluations that are sensitive to the requirements and constraints of particular evaluation settings.
PUAD 824 DOCTORAL SEMINAR IN ORGANIZATIONAL THEORY (3)
Deals with public-sector organization systems as they relate to democratic forms of governance.
PUAD 830 SURVEY RESEARCH (3)
In-depth exposure to survey sampling, questionnaire construction, different means of collecting survey data (mail, phone, Web) and analysis of data developed from surveys. Students develop survey instruments and perform extensive analysis of data from surveys. Prerequisite: PUAD 813.
PUAD 831 CASE STUDY AND QUALITATIVE METHODS (3)
In-depth exposure to different types of case studies (single case and multiple cases), sampling for cases, data collection methods frequently used for case studies and methods of analysis for qualitative data. prerequisite: PUAD 813
PUAD 832 QUANTITATIVE METHODS (3)
In-depth exposure to issues in using administrative data and research data sets collected by other entities. Also use of advanced statistical analyses including an in-depth exposure to multiple regression and its assumptions, logistic regression, factor analysis, discriminant function analysis and time series analysis. prerequisite: PUAD 813; statistical understanding as demonstrated by a passing grade in PUAD 628 (or equivalent graduate statistics course) or permission of program director.
PUAD 834 ADVANCED SEMINAR IN EVALUATION: THEORIES AND TECHNIQUES (3)
Helps doctoral students in public administration wishing to specialize in program and policy evaluation to achieve mastery of the basic concepts and theories of evaluation and also the recent literature of the field. Prepares students to contribute as professionals to the field of evaluation. prerequisite: PUAD 817
PUAD 835 PRACTICUM IN PROGRAM EVALUATION (3)
Provides doctoral students in public administration with the opportunity to be team members conducting an actual program or policy evaluation. Working with the evaluation sponsors and other stakeholders while also reading and discussing practical books and articles on evaluation methods, students develop their own integrations of evaluation theory and practice that provide guiding frameworks for practicing evaluators. prerequisite: PUAD 817
PUAD 875 DOCTORAL SEMINAR IN FEDERALISM AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS (3)
Examines the ways in which various aspects of intergovernmental relations and federalism affect the adoption and implementation of public policy.
PUAD 890 THEORY AND PRACTICE OF PUBLIC SCHOLARSHIP (3)
This course provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the principles, theories, and practical skills necessary for effective public scholarship. In this course, students will explore the foundations of public scholarship and engage with various strategies and considerations associated with communicating their research, knowledge, and expertise to broader, non-academic audiences. By delving into the theoretical underpinnings and hands-on practice, this course equips students to become adept public scholars who can contribute meaningfully to the public discourse.
PUAD 895 APPLIED PUBLIC SCHOLARSHIP (3)
This course equips students with the tools and strategies necessary to effectively engage in public scholarship. This course will explore a diverse range of methods for communicating research and expertise to wider audiences, bridging the gap between academia and the broader public. Students will be introduced to a variety of methods and platforms for engaging with public audiences, including but not limited to writing for the general public, social media, podcasts, video, public events, and community outreach.
PUAD 898 CONTINUOUS ENROLLMENT (1)
Provides continuing faculty direction, academic support services and enrollment services for students who have completed all course requirements for the degree but have not completed a thesis or final project. Students continue the independent work leading to finishing the thesis or final project that is significantly under way. Course may be repeated for credit as needed. Eligible for continuing studies (CS) grade; otherwise grading is pass/fail. prerequisite: completion of all course requirements for degree program
PUAD 898X CONTINUOUS ENROLLMENT (1 - 5)
Provides continuing faculty direction, academic support services and enrollment services for students who have completed all course requirements for the degree but have not completed a thesis or final project. Students continue the independent work leading to finishing the thesis or final project that is significantly under way. Course may be repeated for credit as needed. Eligible for continuing studies (CS) grade; otherwise grading is pass/fail. prerequisite: completion of all course requirements for degree program
PUAD 899 DISSERTATION RESEARCH (3 - 12)
A written descriptive and prescriptive evaluation of the management practices of an existing agency to determine the efficacy of its structure and/or procedures. The project is directed by a faculty adviser and results in a written product for which there is an oral defense before a committee of three faculty members. Eligible for continuing studies (CS) grade; otherwise grading is pass/fail.