Public Administration
Code: 106189 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Contemporary History, Politics and Economics | OB | 2 |
Contact
- Name:
- Nuria Suero Comellas
- Email:
- nuria.suero@uab.cat
Teaching groups languages
You can view this information at the end of this document.
Prerequisites
Most of the subjects are taught in English. A B2 level of English of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages is required, although no specific test of English proficiency level is held to access the degree.
Objectives and Contextualisation
This subject is compulsory in the second year of the Degree in Contemporary History, Politics and Economics. The aim is to offer a general view of the main concepts and models that currently dominate the panorama in the analysis of public administration.
Competences
- Describe and analyse the functioning of public administrations on different territorial scales.
- Innovate in the methods and processes of this area of knowledge in response to the needs and wishes of society.
- Manage and apply data to solve problems.
- Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
- Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
- Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
- Work cooperatively in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams implementing new projects.
Learning Outcomes
- Analysing and explaining the economic dimensions behind public policies.
- Analysing public policies, both in their elaboration and implementation processes.
- Collect and process data to critically analyse the process of formulating the public agenda.
- Collectively analyse public policies from a multidisciplinary perspective both in the process of production and implementation.
- Describing and understanding the functioning of the Public Administration on a state, sub-state and supranational level.
- Identify situations in which a change or improvement is needed.
- Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
- Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
- Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
- Using different tools for the analysis and explanation of the formulation, decision, implementation and evaluation processes in public policies.
Content
Introduction
1. Historical origins of current administration
2. Reforms of State administration and European Union administration
3. Governance today
Administration and democracy
4. Accountability: the administration responsibility
5. Transparency, open government and anticorruption policies
6. Communication and public administration
7. Public administration equality plans
8. Interest groups, conflicts of interest and public ethics
Regulation and service provision
9. The regulatory function of public administration
10. The service provider role of administrations: the welfare state
Spanish and Catalan public administration
11. The General Administration of the State
12. The Administration of the “Generalitat of Catalonia”
13. Local government
Human resources and public administrations
14. Human resource management in public administration
15. Motivation in public administration
Activities and Methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Lectures, debates | 29 | 1.16 | 2, 5, 6, 9, 7, 8 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Tutorials | 15 | 0.6 | 5, 6, 9, 7, 8 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Reading, study and preparation | 70 | 2.8 | 5, 9, 7, 8 |
The course will consist of:
- Presentations and discussions in the classroom, led by the lecturer in interaction with students.
- The writing and presentation of one paper.
- Sessions of practical application of the theoretical contents in the classroom. These sessions will involve group discussions and presentations.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Assessment
Continous Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exam 1 | 25% | 1 | 0.04 | 5, 6, 9, 7, 8 |
| Exam 2 | 25% | 1 | 0.04 | 5, 6, 9, 7, 8 |
| Preparation of an essay and oral presentation | 30% | 20 | 0.8 | 4, 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 7, 8, 3, 10 |
| Seminars | 20% | 14 | 0.56 | 5, 6, 9, 7, 8 |
Continuous evaluation:
Continuous evaluation of this course consists of the following parts:
-25%: Exam 1.
-25%: Exam 2.
-20%: Classroom exercises and written commentaries. Attendance and participation in debates. This activity is not recoverable in any case.
-30%: Paper and short oral presentation. This activity is not recoverable in any case.
Single evaluation:
Single evaluation of this course consists of the following parts:
-50%: Exam.
-20%: Classroom exercises and written commentaries. Attendance and participation in debates. This activity is not recoverable in any case.
-30%: Paper and short oral presentation. This activity is not recoverable in any case.
Additional information:
-The reassessment qualification is always 5 regardless of the qualification obtained in the exam.
-Students will need a 3,5 minimum and have presented two thirds of evaluation activities to participate in the reassessment
-On carrying out each evaluation activity, lecturers will inform students (on Moodle) of the procedures to be followed for reviewing all grades awarded, and the date on which such a review will take place.
-The same assessment method as continuous assessment will be used.
-Students will obtain a “Not assessed/Not submitted” course grade unless they have submitted more than 30% of the assessment items.
-Plagiarism: In the event of a student committing any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade awarded to an assessment activity, the student will be given a zero for this activity, regardless of any disciplinary process that may take place. In the event of several irregularities in assessment activitiesof the same subject, the student will be given a zero as the final grade for this subject.
-This subject entirely prohibits the use of AI technologies in all of its activities. Any submitted work that contains content generated using AI will be considered academic dishonesty; the corresponding grade will be awarded a zero, withoutthe possibility of reassessment. In cases of greater infringement, more serious action may be taken.
-There is no official exams calendar, only recovery calendar.
-Exam recuperation consists of a synthesis exam. It cannot replace papers or other assessment activities.
Bibliography
Ballart, X. i C. Ramió, 2000. Ciencia de la Administración, Valencia, Tirant lo Blanch.
Ballart, X., G. Rico, G. Ripoll, 2016. La motivación en los servicios públicos: análisis empírico de sus antecedentes y de sus efectos. Madrid: Instituto Nacional de Administración Pública.
Bossaert, D., C. Demmke, K. Nomden y R. Polet, 2001, Civil Services in the Europe of Fifteen. Trends and New Developments. Maastricht, European Institute of Public Administration.
Colino, C. 2013. Gobiernos y Administraciones Públicas en Perspectiva Comparada. Valencia, Tirant lo Blanch.
Colino, C, S. Parrado, J.A. Olmeda, 2015. Las Administraciones Públicas en España, Valencia, Tirant lo Blanch
Del Pino, E. M. Villoria. 2009. Dirección y Gestión de Recursos Humanos en las Administraciones Públicas. Madrid, Tecnos.
Ferlie, E., Lynn, L.E. Jr and Pollitt, Ch. 2005. The Oxford Handbook of Public Management, New York: Oxford University Press.
Kuhlmann, S. and Wollmann, H. 2014. Introduction to Comparative Public Administrations. Administrative Systems and Reform in Europe. Cheltenham and Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar
Longo, F. 2004. Mérito y flexibilidad. La gestión de las personas en las organizaciones del sector público. Barcelona: Paidós.
Moran, Rein and Goodin. 2006. The Oxford Handbook of Public Policy, Oxford University Press
OCDE, Government at a Glance
Ongaro, E. 2009. Public Management Reform: Trajectories of Administrative Change in Italy, France, Greece, Portugal and Spain. London: Edward Elgar.
Perry, J., Christensen, R.K. 2015. Handbook of Public Administration, London: Routledge.
Pollitt, C. and Bouckaert, G. 2004 Public Management Reform. A Comparative Analysis, Oxford: Oxford University Press
Journals
Governance, an International Journal of Policy, Administration and Institutions
International Journal of Public Administration
International Journal of Public Sector Management
International Public Management Journal
Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis
Journal of European Public Policy
Journal of European Social Policy
Journal of South European Society and Politics
Journal of Policy Analysis and Management
Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory
Journal of Public Policy
Local Government Studies
Public Administration -An international quarterly
Public Management Review
Software
None.
Groups and Languages
Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.
| Name | Group | Language | Semester | Turn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (PAUL) Classroom practices | 50 | English | first semester | afternoon |
| (TE) Theory | 50 | English | first semester | afternoon |