MPA Capstone PUAD 692

Instructor Dr. Jennifer A. Taylor Phone 361-779-2392

Office & Hours Miller Hall 2183, T/Th 1230-230 pm E-mail Taylo2ja@jmu.edu

Course # 11335; Miller 2109 Some Tuesdays 230-5 pm; 3 credit hours

1/9/2017-4/27/2017

Text: 1. Career by Design: Communicating Your Way to Success (4th Edition) 4th Edition by Sharon L. Hanna, Doug

Radtke, Rose Suggett

2. Guide to Portfolios: Creating and Using Portfolios for Academic, Career, and Personal Success 1st Edition by Mary Robins

3. Gallup Strength Finder

Description: This capstone course, a requirement for all public administration graduate students, emphasizes professional and ethical application of core public administration competencies. In the past and in other countries, the Capstone means the highest point of achievement in your professional training. Many programs still require a Master’s Thesis, but our program requires you to complete a professional portfolio, demonstrating your expertise through artifacts and rational thought. Coursework includes structured, individualized and group projects demonstrating technical knowledge and understanding of organizational, political, and social contexts. Careers in public service are discussed and students will develop and implement a strategic plan for your career.

Learning Outcomes: • Document and produce a portfolio of MPA work that demonstrates the JMU MPA competencies in established

academic and professional areas. • Reflect on student development over the course of study in the MPA program. • Encourage conscious public service through reflexivity and self-assessment. • Demonstrate knowledge, skills, and abilities to prospective employers. • Develop and refine personal and professional development goals. • Reflect on self-awareness of personal leadership style, strengths and skills, and how these impact others in an

organization. • Practice and demonstrate job search skills such as preparing a resume and cover letter, interviewing,

identifying current and future opportunities, and developing a strategic plan for your career.

P a g e 2

Policies:

• You cannot participate in this interactive seminar, if you do not attend. Your grade will reflect your participation and engagement with the course material.

• I adhere to the standard JMU policies regarding academic honesty, add/drop, disability services, inclement weather, & religious observances. You can find them here at: jmu.edu/syllabus.

• This classroom welcomes ALL people and ideas. • The information contained in this syllabus is subject to change. Students are expected to be aware of changes.

Methods of Evaluation: 1. Class Preparation, Attendance, & Engagement 10% There are a lot of opportunities for you to succeed in this class. If you earn a D or an F, it is well deserved. There are basically four ways to take this class: drowning (not attending class, not doing the reading, not participating in class); wading (sometimes coming to class, cramming for exams, doing the bare minimum to pass); snorkeling (possess a grasp of the basics and ready to think strategically and explore what’s below the surface); and scuba diving (you want to go deeper into the issues, using the cognitive equipment and tools of management and leadership as a focused critical thinker). Professional presentation, ethos, and participation in the dress code is a part of this grading component. 2. Career Exploration 15% You will use online self-exploration tools and additional resources provided to you on Canvas to explore and develop skills for a successful job search including: finding current jobs and future jobs, drafting a resume and cover letter, informational interviews, mock interviews, and reflecting on a series of quizzes about the workplace. This will culminate in a Career Exploration Presentation (Prezi or Video) that you will share with the class via Canvas. More details on Canvas. 3. Professional Development 15% Through a series of reflective assignments and class activities, you will clarify who you are, what you want to do, and what you have to offer the world of public service. You will also actively reflect on the MPA Program and participate in an exit MPA focus group. 4. Online Presence 10% Deliverables for an online presence include developing a LinkedIn profile, making at least 10 posts over the semester to your profile that engages a network of professionals in your area of interest. 5. Portfolio 50% You will put together a finished professional portfolio of your work that actively demonstrates the competencies that you have developed during your time in the MPA program. Detailed guidance and mentorship will be provided by your peers in the class and through one on one meetings with me during the weeks that the class is not meeting. Components include: competency definition, a competency matrix, philosophy of professional practice, resume, professional goals, and artifacts with justifications.

Resources:

• The JMU Writing Center • Carrier Library, Howard Carrier is our

departmental librarian. • Myperfectresume.com

• APA Style • https://www.jmu.edu/cap/ • Gallup Strength Finder

ALL WORK IN THIS CLASS

MUST BE ORIGINAL!

Course Schedule:

Week Date Topics Assignments 1 T 1/10/2017 Introduction to Capstone

Getting to Know Yourself and Others Competency Definition Self-Assessments Personal SWOT Analysis Goal Setting

2 T 1/17/2017 No Class Meeting Self Reflection Essay #1 3 T 1/24/2017 Settle Competency Definitions

Starting a Job Search

Professional Goals Draft Philosophy of Professional Practice Identify Informational Interviews

4 T 1/31/2017 Professional Branding Letters of Reference

Peer Review of Resumes & Cover Letters 5 Now Jobs

5 T 2/7/2017 No Class Meeting Self Reflection Essay #2 Unique Value Proposition

6 T 2/14/2017 Interview Preparation

Competency Matrix

Identify References Finalize Resumes Finalize Competency Matrix 5 Future Jobs

7 T 2/21/2017 Mock Interviews Headshots

Dress in Interview Attire #1

8 T 2/28/2017 No Class Meeting Required Meeting with Dr. Taylor 9 T 3/7/2017 No Class Spring Break 10 T 3/14/2017

Gallup Strength Finder Workshop Must have completed the Gallup Strength Finder Assessment prior to attending class this week. Dress in Interview Attire #2

11 T 3/21/2017 Job Offers and Negotiations

Professional Environments

Raises & Promotions

LinkedIn Profile Fully Developed

12 T 3/28/2017 No Class Meeting Draft Portfolio Review with Dr. Taylor 13 T 4/4/2017 Peer Review of Portfolios 14 T 4/11/2017 No Class Meeting 15 T 4/18/2017 No Class Meeting Portfolios are Due! 16 T 4/23/2017 Dinner at Dr. Taylor’s house T 4/25/2017 MPA Focus Group Mandatory Participation

3 Information Interviews Complete and Summaries turned in

* All assignments are due by 11:59 pm on the date listed via Canvas, except for those items required for discussion in class. Hard copies are not accepted, no late work either. All written assignments are sent through plagiarism detection software and compared against your previous submissions in other courses, and the rest of the world, and Google.

Grading Policy:

Outstanding Performance A 100% to 94% A- < 94% to 90%

Above Average B+ < 90% to 87% B < 87% to 84% B- < 84% to 80%

Average C+ < 80% to 77% C < 77% to 74% C- < 74% to 70%

Below Average D+ < 70% to 67% D < 67% to 64% D- < 64% to 61%

Woefully Inadequate F < 61% to 0