Public Budgeting and Financial Management Graduate Credit Certificate Program

Person-in-ChargeOdd Stalebrink
Program CodeCLPFIN
Campus(es)

Harrisburg

World Campus

The primary goal of this graduate certificate is to educate administrators and professionals in government and not-for-profit organizations who need to acquire additional knowledge and skills in the following areas:

  1. fiscal and governmental aspects of budgeting and financial management;
  2. development of organizational budgets; and
  3. governmental and not-for-profit accounting.

At the end of the program students will be able to: 

  • Explain the significance of key topics in government financial management (governmental accounting, auditing, financial reporting, internal controls and budgeting at the federal, state and local levels) as they relate to public sector organizations.
  • Describe how government financial management can contribute toward more efficient use of public resources, increased transparency and improved accountability.
  • Identify and describe the role of key actors in the government financial management process.
  • Apply key financial management planning, management, and control tools to addressing resource constraints, and meeting transparency and accountability demands. 

Effective Semester: Summer 2022
Expiration Semester: Summer 2027

Admission Requirements

Applicants apply for admission to the program via the Graduate School application for admission. Requirements listed here are in addition to Graduate Council policies listed under GCAC-300 Admissions Policies. International applicants may be required to satisfy an English proficiency requirement; see GCAC-305 Admission Requirements for International Students for more information.

Certificate Requirements

Requirements listed here are in addition to requirements listed in Graduate Council policy GCAC-212 Postbaccalaureate Credit Certificate Programs.

To complete the program students need to successfully complete 9 credits. Successful completion of a course is defined as a grade of B- or better.

Prescribed Courses
PADM 502Governmental Fiscal Decision Making3
PADM 522Government Financial Management3
PADM 523Governmental and Nonprofit Accounting3
Total Credits9

Courses

Graduate courses carry numbers from 500 to 699 and 800 to 899. Advanced undergraduate courses numbered between 400 and 499 may be used to meet some graduate degree requirements when taken by graduate students. Courses below the 400 level may not. A graduate student may register for or audit these courses in order to make up deficiencies or to fill in gaps in previous education but not to meet requirements for an advanced degree.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Explain, clearly articulate and communicate the significance of key topics in government financial management(governmental accounting, auditing, financial reporting, internal controls and budgeting at the federal, state and local levels) as they relate to public sector organizations.
  2. Describe how government financial management can contribute toward more efficient use of public resources, increased transparency and improved accountability.
  3. Identify and describe the role of key actors in the government financial management process.
  4. Apply key financial management planning, management, and control tools to addressing resource constraints, and meeting transparency and accountability demands.

Contact

Campus Harrisburg
Graduate Program Head Odd Jonas Stalebrink
Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) or Professor-in-Charge (PIC) Younhee Kim
Program Contact

Autumn D Wise
777 West Harrisburg Pike
Middletown PA 17057
adw5533@psu.edu
(717) 948-6773

Program Website View
Campus World Campus
Graduate Program Head Odd Jonas Stalebrink
Program Contact

Autumn D Wise
777 West Harrisburg Pike
Penn State Harrisburg
Middletown PA 17057
adw5533@psu.edu
(717) 948-6773

Program Website View