FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 2005

CONTACT: Steve Dolan
(619) 594-5664
sdolan@mail.sdsu.edu

SAN DIEGO, Thursday, January 27, 2005 - It becomes an international accomplishment when someone earns a Graduate Certificate in Transborder Governance and Public Administration.

San Diego State University and the Autonomous University of Baja California offer the joint graduate program designed for government, private, and not-for-profit sector professionals who wish to learn about the governing and administrative systems on both sides of the border. Graduates will understand the structure and function of public administration and governance in California and Baja California, how the two systems interact, and transborder cooperation and governance.

The program is bilingual and students are expected to have a working knowledge of both languages as well as a bachelor's degree (or licenciatura). Faculty members are from SDSU and Autonomous University of Baja California, and students have been recruited from Southern California and Baja California. Each student takes courses in both the United States and Mexico during the program.

In addition, SDSU's College of Extended Studies offers a Bachelor's Degree of Applied Arts in Public Administration that may lead to great things for those seeking a position in the field.

The College of Extended Studies provides individuals the opportunity to receive such a degree through intensive 6- to 10-week sessions offered year-round through evening and weekend courses. An accelerated program can be completed in as little as two years, and financial aid is available.

The following classes are part of the degree program in public administration:

The course on Public Personnel Administration offers analysis of personnel problems. It covers supervision and management of public employees and public organizations in an age of change.

Budget and Financial Administration in the Public Sector looks at management trends in public sector financial administration; budgetary procedures and techniques; control and monitoring systems. Also covered are: cash management, capital projects management, debt administration, disbursement, funds management, and auditing.

A program on Administrative Management includes management and operations in public organizations including forecasting, resource allocation, planning and administration of programs, preparation of administrative reports, and quantitative models of managerial decision-making.

The Media, Crime, and Criminal Justice portion examines the portrayal of crime and justice in the news and the popular entertainment industries and the media's effects on attitudes, perceptions, politics, and society at large.

The Impact of Forensic Science on the American Criminal Justice System examines the scope of modern forensic science and its practical applications in crime scene investigations and in the courtroom through practical demonstrations of fingerprint evidence and graphic illustrations of trace and DNA evidence.

Understanding and Addressing Youth Gangs is designed to provide students with a theoretical and practical understanding of contemporary youth gangs in America. Topics include: problems in defining gangs; the nature and extent of gangs in the U.S.; theoretical explanations for gang formation and proliferation; variations in gang structure, function, and activities; relationships between gangs, drugs, and violence; gender, ethnic/racial, community distinctions in gangs, and policies and programs addressing gangs.

SDSU's College of Extended Studies offers a wide variety of lifelong learning classes, seminars, and certificate programs. Career advancement courses are offered in many areas of management, leadership, and quality improvement while self-enrichment courses range from astronomy to web design. Additionally, the College offers over 30 certificate programs, online courses, and many other learning opportunities. For more information on the cutting-edge opportunities offered in administration, or other programs, visit the College's Web site at www.NeverStopLearning.net.