Kris Norman

Kris Norman teaches several courses in both the Master in Public Administration (MPA) and Doctorate in Management and Public Service (DMPS) programs, but her emphasis is on public policy and social policy. She received her PhD in Political Science from Vanderbilt University, her MA in Public Affairs from the Humphrey School at the University of Minnesota, and her BA in Political Science and Business Administration from Hamline University.

Professor Norman has public sector experience working for the MN Public Utilities Commission, the St. Paul Public Works Department and Minnesota Department of Education. Her current research examines issues of cultural competency and social equity in public administration and includes the publication of several articles as well as co-editing (with Susan Gooden of Virginia Commonwealth University) the book Cultural Competency for Public Administrators.

All of Professor Norman's courses emphasize theory-to-practice learning, which includes both the academic and practical sides of public administration. She believes students should leave every class session with information they can immediately use in their work. Her philosophy is that students should always play an active role in their own learning. Developing students' critical thinking and analytical skills is especially important in all of her classes.