Module SGIA40L30: Public Policy

Department: Government and International Affairs

SGIA40L30: Public Policy

Prerequisites

• None

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• The module will familiarise students with literature in public policy, public administration and comparative politics, including interdisciplinary literature and literature at the cutting edge of knowledge, that can inform policy making.
• The module will familiarise students with a diverse range of (country) contexts and policy issue areas for policy making, and give students the skills to compare across these contexts
• The module will also advance students’ skills in applying knowledge from literature to a diverse range of policy issue areas and contexts, enable students to do independent research to identify and evaluate policy solutions in a particular context, and advance their communication and argumentation skills.

Content

• Indicative content may include:
• The policy-making cycle and stages of the policy process;
• Macro-structural context of policy making;
• Agenda-setting;
• Policy formulation;
• Decision-making in public policy;
• Legislative decision-making;
• Public opinion and public policy;
• Parties, interest groups and public policy;
• Policy implementation;
• Policy enforcement;
• Policy evaluation.

Learning Outcomes

• Advanced knowledge and understanding of how literature in public policy, public administration, comparative politics, and interdisciplinary literature can inform policy making;
• Advanced knowledge and understanding of (country) contexts for policy making;
• Advanced knowledge and understanding of key public policy issue areas.

• The ability to apply insights from literature to identify policy options to address a specific public policy issue in a specific (country) context;
• The ability to critically weigh the merits of different policy options;
• The ability to communicate and argue in favour of a particular policy option.

• Research skills: the ability to conduct independent research;
• Problem-solving skills: the ability to identify and critically evaluate different solutions for a given problem, both individually and in a team.
• Communication skills: the ability convey conformation or arguments effectively to others

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Teaching and learning are through a series of 2-hour lectures and 1-hour seminars, and a simulation.
• Lectures will introduce students to literature that can inform policy making, to different public policy issues areas, and to different (country) contexts for policy making. Lectures will thus provide key subject-specific knowledge students will need to complete the summative assessments.
• Seminars will allow students to apply insights from the literature to different public policy issue areas and different (country) contexts, and to identify, weigh and discuss different policy options. Seminars will thus allow students to practice skills they will need to complete the summative assessments. Seminars also allow for formative feedback to help student complete the simulation.
• The simulation will allow students to emulate a real-world policy making context, to discuss different policy options and to arrive at a consensus as to which policy option is most suited to a context. The simulation is integral part of the summative assessment.
• Summative assessment is a 1,500-word group policy brief and 12-minute group policy pitch (accounting for 70% of the final grade), and two individually written 1,000-word papers capturing students’ preparation for and reflection on the simulation (accounting for 30% of the final grade).
• Formative assessment is a 750-word outline of the summative group policy pitch and policy brief, allowing students to receive feedback on their plans for the presentation and brief. Formative feedback helping students to complete the simulation paper will be given in seminar(s) dedicated to preparing students for the simulation, and at a debriefing session at the end of the simulation.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Formative assessment is a 750-word outline of the summative Group “Policy Pitch” and Policy Brief. Formative feedback helping students to complete the simulation will be given in seminar(s) dedicated to preparing students for the simulation, and at a debriefing session at the end of the simulation.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University