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Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2005 Associate Degree Programs of Public Administration in United States Public Community Colleges and Junior Colleges Steven Robert Maxwell Follow this and additional works at the FSU Digital Library. For more information, please contact [email protected] THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF EDUCATION ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAMS OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IN UNITED STATES PUBLIC COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND JUNIOR COLLEGES By STEVEN ROBERT MAXWELL A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education Degree Awarded: Fall Semester, 2005 The members of the committee approve the dissertation of Steven Robert Maxwell defended on September 16, 2005. ________________________________ Barbara A. Mann Professor Directing Dissertation ________________________________ W. Earle Klay Outside Committee Member ________________________________ Beverly L. Bower Committee Member ________________________________ Gary W. Peterson Committee Member _______________________________ Joseph C. Beckham, Department Chair, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies The Office of Graduate Studies has verified and approved the above named committee members. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Tables ............................................................................................... vi List of Figures .............................................................................................. vii Abstract........................................................................................................ viii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................... 1 Purpose of the Study Research Questions Significance of the Study Definitions Assumptions Limitations Related Literature Implications for Practice CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ................................... 8 History Ideological Constructs Study and Practice Academic and Organizational Responsibility Curriculum Degrees Offered Summary Foremost Issues of the Field Other Issues U.S. Public Community Colleges and Junior Colleges iii CHAPTER 3 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK............................................... 46 Division of Labor Articulation Accreditation CHAPTER 4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY............................................... 55 Design of the Study Population Survey Instrument Validity and Reliability Data Collection Procedures Human Subjects Committee Approval Data Treatment Procedures CHAPTER 5 RESULTS ............................................................................... 61 Demographics Research Questions Additional Survey Questions CHAPTER 6 DISCUSSION, RECOMMENDATIONS and CONCLUSIONS................................................................................ 75 Research Questions Design of the Study Data Collection Discussion Additional Research Questions Implications and Conclusions Recommendations for Future Research iv APPENDICES: Appendix A – Survey Questionnaire ................................................. 97 Appendix B – List of Community and Junior Colleges....................... 101 Appendix C – Niches and Groups Questionnaire.............................. 102 Appendix D – Human Subjects Committee Approval ........................ 103 REFERENCES ............................................................................................ 104 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH .......................................................................... 108 v LIST OF TABLES 1. Mean %, range % and standard deviation of niches and groups .........64 2. Niches and groups questionnaire (Appendix C)...................................102 3. Curriculum subject area emphasis for 19 of 20 programs....................66 4. Occupational areas ..............................................................................68 5. Program change factors.......................................................................69 vi LIST OF FIGURES 1. Fifteen states offering associate degree programs in public administration.................................................................................... 61 2. Niches or groups primarily served by associate degree programs in public administration...................................................................... 63 vii ABSTRACT This study focused on associate degree programs in public administration offered by U.S. public community and junior colleges. Public administration has been defined as the study of the process, policies and programs of government. According to Mosher (1978), the study and teaching of public administration has taken place since 1888 in U.S. higher education. From the 1920s to date, graduate and undergraduate degree programs in public administration have been in operation in United States colleges and universities. According to the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA), public community and junior colleges in the U.S. have been offering associate degrees and certificates in public administration since 1972. Peterson’s Two Year Colleges (2002) reported in the 2000-2001 academic year, 42 public community and junior colleges in 22 states offered associate degree programs in public administration. However, during inquiries made for this study in December of 2002, only 20 public community and junior colleges in 15 states reported that they offered an associate degree program in public administration. This study provided new empirical data about U.S. public community and junior college public administration associate degree programs based on results of a telephone survey that was administered to 20 program directors of the associate degree programs in public administration in U.S. public community and junior colleges. The data indicated that certain curriculum subject areas are being emphasized in associate degree programs in public administration. The research from this study revealed that graduates with an associate degree in public administration are working in various kinds of positions in private and public sectors of the U.S. labor economy; i.e. federal, state and local government organizations. The data also suggested that there are a number of changes that are positively and negatively affecting associate degree programs in public viii administration that are offered by U.S. public community and junior colleges; i.e. demographic changes in student population and increases in student enrollment. This study’s conceptual framework’s aspects of the division of labor, articulation and accreditation is discussed as to how those aspects relate to and are affected by the offering of associate degree programming in public administration by U.S. public community and junior colleges. This study concludes by offering recommendations on how U.S. community and junior colleges can utilize this study and its results for informational and evaluative purposes to institute a new program in public administration or to assess their current associate degree program in public administration. Recommendations have been made for NASPAA about the results of this study, and how they can use those results for their own research and reference purposes. Lastly, several recommendations for further research have been made based on the data that were derived from this study about associate degree programs in public administration that are offered by U.S. public community colleges and junior colleges. ix CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Mosher (1978) said that, “public administration traditionally defined, comprises those activities involved in carrying out the policies and programs of government” (p. 4). Public administration has been recognized as an ancient activity. According to Mosher, the earliest records on the activities of civilized organizations in China, Egypt, and India make reference to what is now known as public administration. Mosher (1978) stated that the study and practice of public administration have taken place since 1888 in U.S. higher education and government settings. From the 1920s to date, graduate and undergraduate degree programs in public administration have been in operation in U.S. colleges and universities. According to the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA), public community and junior colleges in the U.S., since 1972, have been offering associate degrees and certificates in public administration. Peterson’s Two-Year Colleges (2002) reported that during the 2000-2001 academic year, 42 public community and junior colleges in 22 states offered associate degree programs in public administration. During the 1995-2005 decade, The Chronicle of Higher Education has reported changes in student enrollments due to demographic trends that caused both two-year and four-year colleges to seek new ways and means to attract students. Diversification of program offerings has been one of the strategies and approaches that two-year colleges have used to attract new students. With respect to enrollment increases, leveling off or reductions in public administration programs, several questions come to mind: What is the current state of associate degree programs in public administration? How is the associate degree in public administration being used in the public service sector? And, what changes are affecting associate degree programs in public administration? 1 Purpose of the Study The purposes

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