Credit Hours: 3

Law for Public Administration exposes students to the laws they are likely to encounter in public administration. Will you be prepared to (legally) address problems with employee conduct, interpret environmental regulations, or evaluate public demands for access to government records?

Studying law generally improves students’ decision-making ability and encourages consideration of alternative points of view, which can counter our natural tendency to embrace information that confirms already-held positions. Topics include constitutional foundations, due process and equal protection, and First Amendment rights; property, contracts, employment, torts, administrative law, criminal law, and public ethics laws; and basic legal research, managing litigation, and working with lawyers.

Students read cases, consider legal problems, and engage in discussion about fundamental constitutional law questions as well as those likely to occur in their public service career. By becoming familiar with the law and legal process as it arises in practice, graduates will be better able to identify legal issues and take effective action for the benefit of their work and their community. One student currently in the military credits this course with preparing him to “deal with challenging issues in a changing world.”

Get a first-hand introduction to Law for Public Administration from Professor Charles Szypszak.