Introductory description

If you want to change the world, chances are you are going to need to do some public policy. Do you want to end homelessness, increase economic growth, or tackle childhood obesity? These are all policy problems. Public policy is how the values of a democratic society are put into practice. This module introduces the tools humanity has developed to make better, more ‘rational’ public policy; critical perspectives on the very notion of rational policymaking (better for whom?); and central ideas from the study of public management and public administration, including on the use of evidence and evaluation in policy design, analysis, and reform, the organisation of the bureaucracy, and the role of power in policymaking. The final third of the module gives students an opportunity to apply all this knowledge to real policy challenges of their choice. As a class, we will select, analyse, and debate 2 policy challenges and reason through potential solutions to them in terms of both whether those solutions will be effective and how to shepherd them through the political and policymaking process.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Week 1: Introduction to Public Policy
Week 2: Principles of policy design
Week 3: Insights from economics
Week 4: Insights from law & political science
Week 5: Insights from sociology & psychology
Week 6: Reading week
Week 7: Critical perspectives on policy design
Week 8: The policymaking process
Week 9: Actors, institutions, and path dependencies
Week 10: The bureaucracy, public management, and commissioning
Week 11: Evaluation
Week 12: The demand and supply of evidence
Week 13: Policy as politics
Week 14: Challenge 1 - policy elements
Week 15: Challenge 1 - causes and solutions
Week 16: Reading Week
Week 17: Challenge 2 - policy elements
Week 18: Challenge 2 - causes and solutions
Week 19: Challenge 3 - policy elements
Week 20: Challenge 3 - causes and solutions

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate an appreciation of different theoretical and conceptual approaches to public policymaking
• Understand how interests, institutions and ideas influence and constrain public policymaking
• Comprehend and critically assess different interpretations of the policymaking process
• Show an awareness of the key actors, institutions and organisations involved in public policymaking
• Show an appreciation of comparative approaches to public policymaking
• Critically assess the key political challenges to public policymaking
• Show an awareness of the major policy debates with regard to the three policy challenges covered in this module
• Critically analyse policy response to these challenges and develop solutions

Subject specific skills

Demonstrate an understanding of the key stages of the policymaking process and the various political factors that shape policy development and implementation
Interpret and assess current policy challenges facing developed and developing countries
Develop robust and feasible policy solutions for government and NGOs

Transferable skills

Communication skills, including both written and oral presentation skills
Lateral thinking skills
Skills in the distillation and application of complex information and ideas
Critical thinking
Analytical skills
Independent research skills
Problem solving
Time management
Information Technology
Skills in academic practice
Awareness of, and sensitivity to, diversity
Decision making