Applied Computing for Public Management and Policy

Public sector and urban planning decisions increasingly rely on data, yet many professionals struggle to transition from basic administrative tasks to robust computational analysis. This text-based course bridges that gap by introducing practical computing concepts tailored specifically for public management. You will progress from understanding foundational public sector data structures to performing analytical tasks that directly inform policy decisions, urban planning initiatives, and resource allocation. What you'll learn: - Understand foundational computer science and data concepts applied to public administration and urban planning. - Organize and clean complex public datasets using modern Excel techniques and formulas. - Query relational databases using SQL to extract actionable insights from public records and census data. - Analyze spatial data concepts and understand how geographic information systems (GIS) inform public policy. - Practice data visualization principles to communicate policy findings clearly to stakeholders and the public. - Apply structured problem-solving methodologies to real-world public management case studies. The course begins with core definitions and the role of technology in modern governance, then guides you through step-by-step written explanations of data manipulation, database querying, and policy analysis workflows. Designed for beginners, public sector professionals, urban planners, and policy analysts, this course requires no prior programming experience. Start building your technical public management skills today.