The essays are structured in a way for students to integrate public administration
material and make connections between theory and practice around a selected case study. The
essay will include the analysis of a public issue case study from the perspective of five topics
using the course topics below.
Topics for the Final paper:
1. The Civil Service & Human Capital
2. Decision Making
3. Budgeting
4. Implementation
5. Regulation & Accountability
Students should blend the case study and the five above topics in a critical essay, using each topic as a
lens to provide a thorough assessment of their public issue case. Each topic provides a different
analytical dimension for the case study, which highlights where and how a breakdown or
breakthrough happened as well as lessons that can be learned from it.
Find at least one academic article for each of the five topics that are relevant to your case study from any public
administration academic journals. Use the five articles as references for the analysis of
your case study to discover the root of the problem and/or the reasons for success.
PAPER STRUCTURE AND FORMAT:
a. Introduction – briefly introduce your public issue, five topics, and how they are
connected.
b. The following paragraphs should provide a reflective analysis of the case study
under five different topics (lenses). This critical portion should include the
following components:
1. A clear integration of the selected articles with the public issue and clearly
drawn connections among them.
2. A clear evaluation of each topic as it relates to the case study, highlighting pros
and cons of each article that talks about it.
3. A balanced presentation of solutions/ways to look at the public issue using
each article.
c. Conclusion – provide both a short summary of your essay’s analysis (what you have
covered in the essay) and the conclusions that you have arrived at as a result of
your work