PAF Courses that Develop Skills for a Great Career
Drawing on the professional development tradition of the Maxwell School (the #1 Public Affairs School in the United States According to U.S. News and World Reports) and the general skills approach of the College of Arts and Sciences, these courses will help you develop the skills all employers want. Stop by 102 Maxwell for more information on the courses.
General Skills Courses
PAF 101: Introduction to the Analysis of Public Policy (3 credits) Taught by Bill Coplin, this course is structured so that students practice the full set of skills employers want.
PAF 110: Public Service Practicum (1 credit)
Meets five times and requires 35 hours community service. Taught by Michelle Walker, this course provides students the opportunity to develop problem-solving and human relations skills while serving the Syracuse community.
PAF 121: Leadership (1 Credit)
Meets in different sections and taught by the staff of ORL, this course help students develop problem-solving and human relations skills while serving Syracuse University.
PAF 200.1: Professional Success (1 credit)
Taught by Gregg Victory of Career Services, this course is designed for freshman and sophomores who want a plan that will give them the essential skills by the time they graduate.
PAF 400: Skills for Success (3 Credits)
Taught by Michelle Walker and Bill Coplin, this course plans a program for skills competition among city youth.
PAF 410.2 Non-Profits and Government (3 Credit)
Policy Studies majors and minors only. Taught by Frank Lazarski, this course requires a 90 hour internship in a local agency and provides students with practice in most of the skills employers want.
Specific Skills Courses
PAF 200.3 Access (1 Credit)
Independent work primarily to get students started on a high demand skill in the workforce. A 3 credit internship is available as a follow up.
PAF 315: Only open to majors, students serve as consultants to a government or non-profit agency to produce a professional report using quantitative data.
PAF 410.1 Benchmarking (3 Credit)
Policy Studies majors, minors or by permission only. Taught by Carol Dwyer, this class helps students develop information gathering and evaluation skills through team projects.
PAF 410.5 Grants Writing (3 Credits)
Policy Studies majors only. Taught by Stephanie Pasquale who has written and reviewed many grants, this course has students prepare grants for local nonprofits. A 3 credit internship is available as a follow up.
PAF 410.6 Intro to Web Design (3 Credits)
Policy Studies majors or intended majors only. Students learn web design by creating a web site for a non-profit. A 3 credit internship available as a follow up.
PAF 416 Community Problem Solving (3 Credits)
Taught by Bill Coplin, this course supports students who run educational programs at local community centers and schools. It helps students develop management, problem solving and human relations skills.
Public Service in the Community
The Maxwell School’s Public Affairs Program provides many opportunities to serve the local community while building professionally relevant skills. These skills make public service in the Public Affairs program different from other types of service learning. These skills transform your acts of kindness now into a potential for professional success later. Here is what is unique about the PAF community-based learning programs:
· All of our placements are worthy of academic credit. You can volunteer in our programs without taking the credit, but you will always have the option of getting the credit.
· You will be placed in situations where the organizations have a clear set of guidelines for your work, and we will check to make sure they follow them.
· You will be held to high standards in performing your work.
· You can start out as a basic volunteer and end up running a program of your own.
· Public service through our program may generate credit for a Policy Studies Major or Minor if you choose to pursue either.
Credit Options
PAF 110: Practicum in Public Service 1 Credit
This is the best place to start because you are given an opportunity to work in an agency that has worked with Public Affairs in the past and you will have the staff support of Michelle Walker. This class takes you off the SU campus and into the Syracuse community. Students interested in completing 35 hours of service with various agencies in the City of Syracuse and learning more about public service should join PAF 110. For more information about PAF 110, please contact Michelle Walker at mawalker@maxwell.syr.edu.
PAF 121: Leadership Practicum
Offered by professional staff members if the Office of Residential Life (ORL) who are adjunct instructors in the Public Affairs program, requires service on campus as well as an overnight retreat. Much can be learned from the Syracuse University community especially if it is supplemented by off-campus experience through PAF 110.
PAF 416: Community Problem Solving
This three-credit course is only open to students who have completed PAF 110 or a PAF managed community service program. Students manage a semester-long program, preferably in the program where they volunteered the previous semester, and help to develop the program, recruit volunteers, set goals, keep records, lead team meetings, research other programs and conduct program evaluation. At least 100 hours of service is required, of which 25 must be community contact.