PADM 5949

Systems Thinking, Mapping, and Leadership Practicum I

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2023-2024.

This engaged learning course will connect students to real-world problems in systems thinking, mapping, and leadership.  Students will learn about how to apply a range of cutting-edge tools in systems thinking to a complex problem presented by a public affairs client organization (topics change annually).  Note that this course requires a one-week field component held over winter break that represents .5 credit of the overall course grade.

When Offered Fall, Spring.

Permission Note Enrollment limited to Master of Public Administration (MPA) students participating in the Systems Thinking, Modeling, and Leadership (STML) Fellows Program.  

• Students will apply quantitative and qualitative mixed research methods to an on-the-ground experience utilizing a SysEval tool and the Knowledge Methods Matrix (KMM).
• Students will apply systems thinking (ST-DSRP) modeling and leadership concepts to observing, understanding, and analyzing a complex systemic problem set.
• Students will work with a team to develop and propose a comprehensive 10 year plan for policy and action recommendations to be submitted to local stakeholders and authorities.
• Students will work with a team to deliver a professional conference presentation (recorded) and publish the results of fieldwork in a journal. Fellows have been accepted to present their findings at the 2020 Cornell Systems Thinking Symposium in April 18-20, 2020 and publish their findings in the Cornell Policy Review.

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