PAD 3820 - Foundations of Public Safety Administration

College of Public Safety Administration

Credit(s): 3
Contact Hours: 47
Effective Term Fall 2025 (655)

Requisites

Admission to Public Safety Administration (Bachelor of Applied Science) (PSA-BAS) or
Admission to Paralegal Studies (Bachelor of Applied Science) (LEGAL-BAS)

Course Description

This course is presented as an overview of the primary aspects of public safety administration. Major administrative, managerial and leadership components of public safety organizations will be examined. Also addressed will be administrative concerns for special issues and challenges, such as coordinated public safety approaches, post-9/11 administrative worldviews, ethical foundations, critical thinking and analysis, and innovative solutions for pragmatic public safety problems. The course will also provide the student with a framework for individual progress. This will include an initial supervisor/leadership/management skills assessment; the beginning development of an individualized development plan toward educational and career goals, with a personal portfolio; and preliminary planning to link continuous learning with the Capstone course at the end of the program.

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

  1. The student will produce a personalized goal setting plan by:
    1. completing a personal leadership/management/supervisor skills assessment examining personal strengths, areas needing improvement, and areas of special interest.
    2. developing an individualized development plan toward educational and career goals.
    3. completing a qualifying exam.
  2. The student will analyze administration, leadership, supervision, and management issues by:
    1. defining administration, supervision, leadership and management and their inter-workings and relationships in public safety organizations.
    2. describing primary leadership styles and skills; effective methods of motivating and leading people; empowerment and delegation; and employee job satisfaction and job-related stress issues in public safety professions.
  3. The student will explain special public safety challenges, such as organizational change, meaningful citizen interaction, and leading/managing/supervising for the future by:
    1. discussing current issues presented as case studies and scenarios.
    2. describing proper administration concerns regarding sensitive issues such as the leadership role in investigating criminal activity and maintaining community trust.
  4. The student analyze ethical standards and their importance within the field of public safety by:
    1. researching and explaining public safety trends and predictions, and the impact of change upon organizations and employees.
    2. discussing professional codes of ethics relating to specific ethical issues in public safety.
    3. discussing the ethical implications of all administration issues discussed throughout the course.

Criteria Performance Standard

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will, with a minimum of 70% accuracy, demonstrate mastery of each of the above stated objectives through objective classroom measures developed by individual course instructors.

History of Changes

(Submitted as 3303, State assigned new number) Flex Access 20071 C&I Approval: 02/27/2007, BOT Approval: 03/20/2007, Effective Term: Spring 2007 (375). C&I Approval: , BOT Approval: , Effective Term: Spring 2017 (525).
C&I Approval: , BOT Approval: , Effective Term: Fall 2025 (655)

Related Programs

  1. Public Safety Administration (PSA-BAS) (655) (Active)