PUBPOL-815
PUBLIC MANAGEMENT I
Not in Fall 2026
Term
Overview
Feedback is mostly positive. The strongest signal is that students say they actually learn something useful. Best for students who want substance, not a disposable elective. The sample is still thin, so treat this as directional rather than definitive.
DepartmentPPS
Terms offeredSpring
Typical enrollment10–10
Semesters of data1
5.0
Hrs / week
6
Responses
10
Enrollment
60%
Response Rate
Evaluation Scores
Overall quality
Teaching, content, and experience combined.
4.3
Intellectually stimulating
Challenges students to think deeply.
4.2
Instructor effectiveness
Explains concepts and facilitates learning.
4.2
Difficulty
Higher means harder.
3.0
Feedback Analysis
Feedback Analysislow
Analysis based on student evaluations
Based on 18 comments across 1 sections
Feedback is mostly positive. The strongest signal is that students say they actually learn something useful. Best for students who want substance, not a disposable elective. The sample is still thin, so treat this as directional rather than definitive.
Student Reports
How hard is the A?
A is doable but not automatic
The signal here is more do-the-work-and-you-should-be-fine than easy-A chatter. Students do not describe the A as automatic, but the evidence also does not paint grading as punishing.
Homework Load
Moderate homework load
Homework load looks moderate. The recurring signal is steady weekly work, but not a course that turns every assignment into a grind.
Lecture Load
Lighter lecture burden
Student comments describe this as more discussion-, seminar-, or workshop-driven than lecture-dependent. The lecture burden itself does not sound like the main source of friction.
Strengths
• Students repeatedly say the course teaches something concrete, whether that is content mastery, research skill, or a strong foundation.
• Discussion is a clear strength; students repeatedly describe the class conversation as engaging and useful.
Tradeoffs
• There is no single dominant complaint theme, but the feedback is not uniformly glowing either.
Best fit for
Best for students who want substance, not a disposable elective.
Watch out for
• Most of the signal comes from a limited sample, so be careful about over-generalizing.
• A large share of the evidence comes from one instructor's version of the course, so this may not generalize cleanly.
Student Responses
I developed how to address the various issues that arise when in a public management positions.
Spring 2024 · Holmes, Lynn
Leadership and public service management
Spring 2024 · Holmes, Lynn
Public management skills: Can-do attitude Managing in a crisis Political sensitivity
Spring 2024 · Holmes, Lynn
This course really got into the nitty gritty of the theory behind what is good management and good public administration. It was not something I had dived into too deeply, and I appreciated the chance to do so in example cases.
Spring 2024 · Holmes, Lynn
This course brought a lot of knowledge about different frameworks to consider when looking into public management issues. These numerous frameworks will be helpful in a future career.
Spring 2024 · Holmes, Lynn
Rating History
Rating history
Error bars show \u00B11 std dev
| Term | Instructor | Overall | Difficulty | Hrs/wk | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2024 | Holmes, Lynn | 4.3 | 3.0 | 5.0 | 10 |