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LATVIA |
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LATVIA |
POSITIONING ACADEMIC PROGRAMMES IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IN RELATION TO THE DISCIPLINES TO WHICH THEY ARE MOST CLOSELY RELATED
University of Latvia
Bachelor’s Sub-Programme in Organisation of Local Government
This programme was established on an interdisciplinary basis. The subject (course) structure is based on that of a bachelor’s program: each course consists of sixty-four academic hours (four hours per week) of lectures, seminars and practical work, and the academic year consists of two semesters, each lasting sixteen weeks.
Compulsory subjects may be divided into four groups: The first group consists of subjects providing general education – philosophy and foreign languages (English, German) for business and management students, mathematics for economists. The second group consists of economics courses – microeconomics, macroeconomics, statistics, optimisation theory, accounting, marketing, finance, accounting, state and local government budgeting, the economy of natural resources and international economic relations. The third group consists of subjects in the field of management science-management theory, management sociology, management of economic processes, strategic management, management psychology, personnel management, local government, project management, economic informatics and territorial information systems. The fourth group includes law and political science subjects – law, business law, and politics.
Optional courses include a European and comparative dimension and include international economics, European economic integration, the economies of northern countries, international business and international marketing.
Generally, management is the dominant discipline and currently includes courses specifically concerned with issues of governance and local government, state and local government budgeting and territorial information systems. Approximately twenty percent of all courses fall into this category.
University of Latvia
Master’s Programme in Public Administration
This programme was established on an interdisciplinary basis. The requirements for obtaining a master’s degree are the successful completion of twelve theoretical courses. In addition, students must write and defend a master’s thesis.
The programme combines the experience of West European countries and the United States. Input important for the development of the Latvian MA programme was provided by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration’s (NASPAA) Standards for Professional Master’s Degree Programmes. Courses can be divided into three groups: economics (macroeconomics, budget and finance), management science (principles of public administration, communication and ethics, management information systems, management theory, organisation of state administration and local governments, project management, personnel management) and law and political science (public law, policy analysis, foreign political systems and governments).
The dominant discipline in the programme is management, including courses connected specifically with issues of governance such as principles of public administration, organisation of state administration and local governments, project management, personnel management, management information systems, management theory, etc. The relative weight of this discipline is approximately sixty percent of all courses.
Latvian University of Agriculture
Bachelor’s and Master’s Programmes in Regional Development and Administration (RDA)
The RDA programmes were derived from the entrepreneurship and management disciplines. There are two dominant disciplines in the bachelor’s sub-programme: local government organisation and legislation and rural planning.
The relative weight of courses concerned specifically with PA issues, which has not changed since the program, is approximately fifty percent as opposed to courses of other disciplines.
Latvian University of Agriculture
Bachelor’s and Master’s Programmes in the Sociology of Organisations and Public Administration
These programmes were developed on the basis of existing sociology programmes, and the dominant disciplines remain related to that field: general theory of sociology, research methodology, social statistics social policy, public administration, management theory and psychology and local government.
The relative weight of courses concerned with issues of the sociology of organisations and public administration is approximately fifty percent as opposed to courses of other disciplines.
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