Course Summary:

Public administration is the implementation of government policy and prepares civil servants for working in National Government, Provincial Government and Local Government. Within the government as context, the Public Administration course seeks to create a theoretical understanding of underlying concepts of public administration and the role of effective public administration in government. Students will understand the inter-relationship between public administration function and other related functions, including financial management and ethical aspects of government. 

The course will provide an overview of the field of public administration by focusing on its development and importance in modern government operations at the local, state, and federal levels. You should think of this course as an opportunity to familiarize yourself with the basic principles, concerns, and methods of public administration. These will appear in the other courses you take in public administration, though often in greater depth. Here, your objective should be to take a bird's eye view of the entire terrain of PA: a view to which you will periodically return in order to place your other classes in a broader context.

Course Objectives:

• Understand and apply public sector principles, policies and ethics to own public sector work context
• Understand administrative principles and the role of African legislation in public administration
• Insight into the organisational structure of a Public Sector Department with specific reference to the levels of authority and protocols relating to the resolution of problems
• Understanding the application of sound communication principles and good customer service to achieve public sector objectives
• Demonstrate knowledge and insight into the role of supply chain management in the public sector environment

Course Outline

• Introduction to Public Administration
• Public Administrative Principles
• Public Financial Management Legislation
• Public Sector Department Structures
• Public Sector Customer Service and Communication
• Public Financial Management
• Supply Chain Management in the Public Sector