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CZECH REPUBLIC |
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CZECH REPUBLIC |
POSITIONING ACADEMIC PROGRAMMES IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IN RELATION TO THE DISCIPLINES TO WHICH THEY ARE MOST CLOSELY RELATED
As apparent from the above overview, the public administration education system in the Czech Republic is very heterogeneous, and therefore, this report concentrates on the most important programmes, particularly those in the first category, rather than attempting to cover all of them. Educational leaders in the Czech Republic are aware of this heterogeneity, and there have been some attempts to introduce a more organised system of public administration curricula (e.g., by introducing a common field in “Public Economics and Administration”) and to capitalise on the strengths of individual institutions. Furthermore, most higher education institutions base programmes on a “credit” system with more or less flexibility given to students in selecting programmes and courses according to the human and physical resources of the institution.
Summaries of the three main types of courses of study can be found below and include the Prague University of Economics’ programmes, the Public Economics and Administration programmes in Brno, Ostrava and Pardubice and the Public and Social Policy programme of Charles University in Prague.
1. University of Economics in Prague
Faculty of the National Economy
This faculty established the Centre of Administrative and Regional Sciences in 1992 with the financial assistance of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. The centre’s staff systematically prepared a curriculum for a public administration and regional economy bachelor's degree program and a master’s degree programme in regional studies and public administration.
Faculty of Finance and Accounting
The Faculty of Finance and Accounting offers a programme in Public Finance, and many members of its Department of Public Finance participated in creating the first PA programme in former Czechoslovakia in the late 1980s.
Faculty of Management, Jindøichuv Hradec
The Faculty of Management is the youngest faculty of the University of Economics, and one of its two main specialisations is public service management.
The system of studies in the University of Economics is the same for all faculties and includes compulsory subjects for all students, including: Informatics, Mathematics, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Statistics, Accounting, Money and Banking, Law, Economics of Enterprise, Public Finance, Management, Marketing and Foreign Languages. University-wide elective courses are also offered. Students must then pursue a series of compulsory and elective courses for both their field of study and their primary specialisation. In addition, students may pursue other elective courses outside their department or faculty and may elect to pursue a secondary specialisation.
The Faculty of the National Economy’s programme consists of public administration and regional topics in conjunction with economics issues. In the bachelor's programme, three of eleven examinations emphasise public administration, regional studies and other mandatory subjects. The master's degree programme ends with state examinations in economics (mandatory for all students of the Institute of Economics), a subsidiary specialisation (optional, students select from courses offered by the institute’s faculties, e.g. Political Science, International Relations, Social Policy, European Economic Integration, International Policy) and public administration and regional studies. The advantage of the five-year programme is the incorporation of the subsidiary discipline in public administration into logical blocks. Table 4 summarises these modules and the number of lecture and seminar hours per semester that are recommended to the students:
Table 4: Faculty of the National Economy: Course Blocks, Lecture and Seminar Hours (Semesters 1-6)
Semester
Disciplines
Lecture Hours
Seminar Hours
Semester One
Social, Economic and Administrative Geography
3
1
Law
2
0
Semester Two
Theory and History of Public Administration
2
1
Commercial Law
2
0
Public Finances
2
0
Regional and Municipal Economy
2
0
Semester Three
Constitutional and Administrative Law
2
1
Demography
2
0
Semester Four
Territorial Administration and Self-Government
1
1
Social Policy
2
0
Fundamentals of Economic Policy
2
0
Regional Sociology, Rural and Urban Sociology
2
1
Semester Five
Territorial Planning
1
1
Regional Analysis, Development and Policy
2
2
Semester Six
Social and Psychological Aspects of Public Administration
2
0
In the fifth and especially sixth semesters, students may choose three out of the following five subjects: Information in Public Administration, Fundamentals of Political Science, Social and Cultural Environment of Seats and Regions, Regional Geography or Municipal Policy. These offerings reflect the faculty’s concept of the discipline as extending beyond public administration, regional studies and economics to social and cultural development and territorial administration.
Table 5: Faculty of the National Economy: Course Blocks, Lecture and Seminar Hours (Semesters 7-10)
Semester
Disciplines
Lecture Hours
Seminar Hours
Semester Seven
Constitutional Systems and Systems of Public
Administration
2
2
Sociology and Organisation of Public
Administration
1
1
Economy of Towns and Villages
1
1
Semester Eight
Administrative Proceedings and Administrative Judicial Systems
1
1
Regional Structures and Development of the
Czech Republic
2
2
Regional Structures and Selected Problems of
Europe
2
0
Semester Nine
Practical Economic Policy
2
0
Local and Regional Culture, Protection of
Historical Monuments
2
0
Creation and Application of Legal Regulations
2
0
Semester Ten
Special Seminar in Public Administration
0
2
Special Seminar in Regional and Municipal
Policy
0
2
From the eighth to the tenth semester, students may choose from several blocks of optional subjects such as Fiscal Decentralisation, Labour Market and Employment Policy, Social Policy in Seats and Regions, State Administration in Environmental Protection, Financing of Non-profit Organisations, Local Finances, Theory of Public Selection, etc.
The Faculty of the National Economy of the Institute of Economics also offers a secondary master’s specialisation in the “Development of Towns and Regions.” Obligatory subjects include: Territorial Administration and Self-Government, Information in Public Administration, Social, Economic and Administrative Geography, Regional Sociology, Economy of Towns and Villages, Economy of Regions and Regional Policy. Optional courses include: Local Finances, Social and Psychological Aspects of Public Administration and Municipal Policy Creation, and Application of Legal Regulations).
A new major in “Regional Development and European Integration” seeks to provide students with qualifications for regional development positions involving Czech villages, towns and regions in integration processes. Mandatory subjects for this major include: Economic Analyses of Villages, Towns and Regions; Social Analysis of Villages, Towns And Regions; Regional Policy and Structural Funds of the European Union; Regional Policy in the Czech Republic and Development Programmes of Villages, Towns and Regions; and the Role of State Administration in Bringing the Law of the Czech Republic Closer to the Law of the European Union. Optional subjects include: Systems and Strategies of Stereometric Planning in the European Union, Public Administration and Administrative Law in Europe, International Comparative Social Policy and Legal Institutions in the European Union.
The Faculty of Finance and Accounting offers students public economics and finance-orientated courses. The most public administration courses taught in the faculty are: Public Finance, Local Budgets, Taxation and Social Security, European Budgetary Policy and Public Finance Systems, EU Taxation and Harmonisation, Finance of Public and Non-profit Sectors, Health Care Financing, Finance of Culture and Mass Media, Public Institutions’ Economics, Educational Financing, Finance of Social Transfers, Financial Management of Defence, National Tax Systems, Tax Administration, Social Insurance, Educational Economics, Local Finance, Public Expenditures Programmes, Public Economics, Tax Theory and Policy, Health Economics, Economics of Culture and Environmental Economics.
The Faculty of Management offers the following subjects: Management of Public Administration, Non-profit Sector, Public Economics, Case Studies in Public Economics, Public Administration, Local Finance, Management of Municipalities, Management of Non-Profits, Social Policy, Accounting for Non-profits, Public Choice, Social Protection, Tax Policy and Environmental Economics, among others.
2. Public Economics and Administration Programmes
Masaryk University, Brno
Faculty of Economics and Public Administration
This faculty has offered a master's degree in Public Economy, Regional Development and Administration since 1991. The faculty opened a part-time bachelor's programme in Public Economy and Administration shortly thereafter. Compared to Ostrava and Pardubice, this faculty organises public economics and administration studies in two relatively independent main majors, Public Economics and Regional Development and Administration.
For the first three years, the curriculum is common for all students of the faculty. The public economy major helps prepare graduate to secure employment, especially in the areas of public finances, tax advisory services, labour offices, the non-profit sector, etc. The curriculum stresses the economy of non-profit organisations, public finances and related subjects. The “public economics” major is exceptional in the faculties of economics in the Czech Republic.
The regional development and public administration major prepares graduates for employment in regional and local administration and self-government as well as in firms. Some stress is placed on regional studies, especially economics, public finances and budgets of towns and villages. Administrative law is taught in the eighth semester. From the ninth semester, students pursue the public administration specialisation and focus on civil service institutions, public administrative processes or regional studies.
The structure of these programmes is very similar to the Prague University of Economics, consisting of compulsory faculty subjects, compulsory branch subjects, elective branch subjects and other electives.
The public economy and regional development and public administration majors have the same common compulsory subjects: Microeconomics, Mathematics, Foreign Language, Law, Economic Geography, Informatics, Macroeconomics, Statistics, Law, Accounting, Economics of Enterprise, Monetary Economics, Public Economics, World Economics, Economic Policy, Management, European Union, Management of Social Systems, Public Sector Theory and the History of Twentieth Century Economic Theories.
The Public Economics programme also requires the following mandatory courses: Public Administration, Social Dimensions of National Economies, Social Policy, Demography, Public Sector Economics, Public Finance, Taxation and Tax Administration, Economics of Non-profits, Labour Markets and Employment Policy, Informatics in the Public Sector, Theory and Politics of Taxation, Decision-Making and Management in the Public Sector, Accounting and Auditing in the Public Sector, Marketing in the Public Sector and Human Resources Management. Several electives are offered as well, e.g., Educational Economics, Health Care Economics, Social Insurance Economics, Economics of Public Administration and Cultural Economics.
The “Regional Development and Administration major has the following additional compulsory subjects: Philosophy, Politology, European Regional Geography, Environmental Economics, Main Streams of Economic Thought, Demography, Regional Economics, Regional and Urban Development, Administrative Law, Regional Informatics, Public Administration Institutions, Administrative Processes, Territorial Information Systems and Development Programs of Regions, Cities and Villages. Electives include Regional Economics, European Law, Economic Aspects of Global Problems and Management of Development Projects, among others.
Pardubice University
Faculty of Economics and Public Administration
The Faculty of Economics and Public Administration in Pardubice has offered a bachelor's degree in economics and public administration since 1993 and a master's degree since its accreditation in 1995. The bachelor’s programme was introduced in the Faculty of Territorial Administration of the Institute of Chemistry and Technology, the predecessor of the current Faculty of Economics and Public Administration. The programme is available both in full- and part-time versions.
The Economics and Public Administration programme is significantly more rigid than in the University of Economics, primarily because of limited resources. The bachelor’s programme in particular is based on a substantial number of compulsory subjects: Microeconomics, Law, Mathematics, Public Administration, Informatics, Sociology, Foreign Languages, Macroeconomics, Psychology, Managerial Economics, Economic Policy, Statistics, Economic and Social Geography, Finance, Taxation, Management of Cities and Regions, Public Sector Economics, Accounting, European Integration, Marketing, Management, Economy of the Public Sector and Informatics in the Public Sector. Only one elective is directly related to public administration (Non-profit Organisations).
The master’s degree segment is more flexible, requiring the following compulsory subjects: Macroeconomics, Regional Economics, Politology, Decision-Making Theory, Microeconomics, Modelling of Social and Economic Processes, History of Economic Theories, Administrative Law, Human Resources Management, European Integration, Economic Policy of the EU and Public Economics. The most important public administration-related electives are Regional Development, Drafting of Legal Documents, Social Policy, Public Administration Systems, Accounting and Auditing in the Public Sector, Constitutional Law, Spatial Informatics and Analysis, EU Law, Management of Services and Environmental Management.
Technical University in Ostrava
Faculty of Economics of the Institute of Mining Technology
This faculty has a pre-1989 tradition in public administration and regional development education. After two years of required coursework, predominantly in economic subjects, students continue for one additional year to finish their bachelor’s degree or enter a master’s programme. There are no special examinations to continue, and this may be used as an example of a homogeneous master’s degree system. In third, fourth and fifth years, mandatory courses include: Mathematics in Economics, Environmental, Non-profit Accounting, Public Administration I and II, the Public Sector, Social Policy, Economics of Social Protection, Public Finance I and II, Values of Assets, Economics, Ecological Policies of Municipalities, Administrative Law, Public Sector Enterprise, Taxation, Territorial and Administrative Information Systems, Economy of the Public Sector, Social Statistics, Public Policy, Public Administration in the EU, and Taxation Theory. Electives include Spatial Economics, Regional Policy, Employment Policy, Ecological Aspects of Decision-Making, Regional Management, Regional Policies of the EU, Economics of the Technical Infrastructure, Economics of Education and Culture, Health Care, and Housing Economics.
One additional programme in the faculty, within the framework of a new branch in “Euro-Administration,” has been introduced, and addresses economics issues related to economic, legal and ecological disciplines, which constitute the basis of management and public administration of the economy in EU-member countries.
Charles University, Faculty of Social Sciences
Institute of Sociological Studies in Prague
The Institute of Sociological Studies offers an independent study option for a master's degree in public and social policy. The programme is designed for the civil service, particularly state administration institutions, non-profit organisations and a range of political areas. The curriculum links social, legal and economic disciplines necessary for political decision-making, and thus the theoretical and methodological approaches tend to dominate. In comparison to economics and legal faculties, the “Public and Social Policy” major of the Institute of Sociological Studies addresses subjects on a higher level, utilising a comparative international approach to social phenomena and processes.
The master’s programme was established in 1993 and requires students to undertake internships in the public sector. Under a TEMPUS project, selected students were involved in the Parliamentary Internship Initiative programme, which enabled them to work with members of the Czech Parliament. The programme is open to students with bachelor’s degrees in economics, sociology, social policy, social science and law from any university.
To be able to apply for the final state examination, students must pass eight examinations in mandatory areas (Public Policy, Public Economics, European Social Policy, Public Administration and Administrative Law, Policy Analysis and Design, Legal Principles, Data Analysis and Diploma Seminary) and five examinations in elective subjects (e.g., Labour Market and Employment Policy, Social Security Politics, Health Policy, Health Economics, Education Policy and Housing Policy). Students without a sufficient background in sociology must also take an examination in introductory sociology, sociological research methods and social policy. A sub-specialisation in social ecology is also offered (additional mandatory courses include Environmental Policy and Sustainable Development).
3. Other Programmes
Other noteworthy approaches to public administration-related disciplines in the Czech Republic include:
West Bohemian University in Plzeò, Faculty of Law
The Faculty of Law of the West Bohemian University offers a special major in public administration, which was introduced in 1995. At present, it is only a bachelor's programme, but accreditation for a master's course is being sought. Until the master’s programme is introduced, graduates of the bachelor's programme may pursue their master's studies in other accredited universities.
The public administration programme is based on law with a significant proportion of other major fields of public administration, especially economics, sociology, geography and (elementary) psychology. The master’s programme will consist of a similar combination of courses, expanded to include additional specialised subjects. Legal and key regional disciplines are represented to the same extent as in specialised faculties (regional sociology, regional economy, etc.). Sociological, economics, social-economic and administrative geography courses are offered as well.
The staff of the faculty has succeeded in avoiding the typical difficulties of many regional faculties, primarily by establishing close cooperation with the Faculty of the National Economy of the Institute of Economics and the Institute of State and Law of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague. The programme is organised and taught by qualified staff from the Institute of Administrative and Regional Sciences, which is also a centre for all teachers of public administration and regional studies. The majority of the institute’s members have academic degrees.
University of Ostrava
Faculty of Natural Sciences
The introduction of a regional development and administration programme at the Faculty of Natural Sciences may seem unusual, but in the Czech context, this considers traditions in regional studies and public administration. The programme is three-years in duration, with the possibility to continue working towards a master's degree in geography, social geography and regional development after completion.
The programme is significantly oriented towards economics and geography with some other subjects providing a limited background for the needs of the civil service (Law, Economic Policy, Practical Experience in Public Administration, Fundamentals of the Organisation of the Public Administration, Administrative Law, Regional Policy). The master's segment includes coursework on the sociology of towns and regions, local and regional development, regional development and administration, etc.
Silesian University in Opava
Faculty of Arts and Natural Sciences
Silesian University’s Faculty of Arts and Natural Sciences was established in 1991, originally as a faculty of arts. It offers full-time and part-time bachelor's programmes in Public Administration and Regional Policy, with course content arranged by the Institute of Social Sciences. The programme is built on and represents, to a certain degree, the continuance of the work of the former Silesian Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences.
The course of study is organised in blocks or modules (General Education, Communication and Psychology of Negotiation, Political Science and Sociology, Economy and Management of Public Administration, Legal Disciplines and Social, Health and Educational Policy). All modules are taught in two or three-year studies. In addition, students may pursue optional subjects in the third year.
Silesian University Opava in Karvina
Faculty of Business and Trade
A new bachelor’s programme in “Public Economics and Administration” was introduced in this faculty in academic year 1999/2000. The programme focuses on the management of public sector institutions and public finance, and courses are similar to those provided in other master’s programmes.
J. E. Purkynì University in Ústí nad Labem
Faculty of Social Economy
Until 1998, this faculty offers two bachelor’s and one master’s program related to public administration. The bachelor’s curricula, focused on economic problems with a specialisation in regional and local development, does not correspond to the theoretical and practical requirements for economic or management of regional and local development programmes. Legal issues of public administration, according to available information, are not classified within the structure of individual major fields of study at either the bachelor’s or master’s level.
The bachelor's programme, oriented towards social policy, and the master's programme, oriented towards social work, correspond to majors containing a prevalence of coursework in psychology, sociology, pedagogy, etc. In both bachelor’s programmes more courses are devoted to legal problems. However, the conceptualisation and structure of these programmes indicate that both have all the prerequisites for further development and expansion.
Charles University, Faculty of Arts
Institute of the Fundamentals of Education
The Institute of the Fundamentals of Education is not an independent faculty of Charles University. This bachelor's degree in arts and humanities with a concentration on ethnic minorities and social administration has a social sciences character.
The master's programme in general anthropology, with a concentration on state administration and international and cultural relations of the Czech Republic and Southeastern Europe, was accredited only in academic year 1998/1999. Geographic studies and the philosophical study of languages enrich the structure of the programme.
Graduates have the possibility to establish themselves in selected spheres of the civil service, e.g., national minorities, commercial representation, tourism, etc.
J. E. Purkynì University in Ústí nad Labem
Faculty of the Environment
The Faculty of the Environment offers bachelor’s and master’s programmes. For purposes of this report, only the bachelor’s curriculum is important as it addresses the organisation and administration of the environment. This is the result of an interdisciplinary approach and a combination of natural and technical sciences courses with economic disciplines and the humanities. The programme teaches a complex approach to the protection and control of the environment. In terms of providing employees for the civil service, the curriculum would need to be expanded, particularly with regards to legal subjects.
Czech University of Agriculture in Prague
Faculty of Business and Economics
The Faculty of Business and Economics offers a bachelor's degree in business and public administration with special emphasis on territorial administration and a master's degree in business and economics focused on sociology and social policy. The latter is also offered as an external programme. The major fields of study emphasise the education of qualified staff for the agricultural and food production sector.
The “territorial administration” specialisation includes courses in which agricultural issues are dominant. From the point of view of the integration processes in Europe and the present problems in agriculture, the curriculum would need to be revised to include more arts and humanities so that agricultural and rural problems could be approached from a broader perspective.
Charles University
Faculty of Natural Science
The geography program of this faculty has some features of interest to the civil service. The master's programme in social geography and regional development emphasises political and economic problems, stereo-planning and regional development. The curriculum does not include “public administration” or any similar subject. Some courses, however, provide students with the basics of public administration-related problems, e.g. Housing Policy, Geographical Features of National Minority Problems, the Real Estate Market and Local and Regional Development. Graduates are employed in the regional development offices, the Ministry for Local Development, etc.
Technical University in Ostrava
Faculty of Mining and Geology of the Institute of Mining Technology
The Technical University offers a bachelor's degree in economy, management and information science in the sphere of public administration. The programme takes place in Most, with a limited number of students admitted, especially for civil service employees. After the current students complete their degrees, the programme will most likely be closed.
Faculty of Economics in Cheb
The “Economics of Tertiary Sphere” and master’s degree programme “Economics of Enterprise” contain public administration elements. Both curricula include economic and administrative features, which represents both an advantage and a limitation to the programme. The curricula are not specialised to any large extent, therefore making it difficult for students to obtain a broader education in economics, public administration or legal disciplines.
4. Other Faculties of Law
Currently, faculties of law (with the exception of the bachelor’s degree in Plzen) do not offer specialised studies in public administration, even though academic staff teach PA-related subjects. Faculties of law, however, are still of exceptional importance in educating public administration experts as a result of several factors. First, of all traditional subjects, legal studies are closest to the needs of the civil service. Therefore, if the faculties elect to offer public administration programmes, the curricula will be built on a well-established foundation in some key subjects (especially the theory of law, political science, constitutional, administrative and financial law). In addition, basic courses in other relevant fields, particularly economics, sociology and the history of public administration, already exist. At the same time, it is possible to offer students a concentration in other legal disciplines that may also be used in the civil service (labour law, civil law, etc.).
The second factor, also resulting from similarities between the conceptualisation of the study of public administration and law, is that legal programmes generally provide better qualifications for employment in the civil service than some excessively specialised or unsuitable public administration subjects. In addition, an unsuitable programme is sometimes connected with poor teaching quality. In the law and political science disciplines, the teaching quality in faculties of law and in specialised faculties of public administration is not comparable, with some exceptions.
Third, there are a large range of public administration issues for which, in the future, law graduates will establish themselves very well or even better than those qualified in public administration (e.g. when criminal administrative law or private law relations are applied between the entities of the civil service).
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