Introductory description

Public policy shapes how societies tackle challenges such as climate change, economic inequality, healthcare, education and AI. This module introduces you to the major theories and traditions that help us understand how policies are made, why some succeed while others fail, and how they can be improved.

But this is not just a module about abstract ideas. Alongside exploring classic and contemporary theories, you will apply them directly to real-world cases. Through discussions, games, debates, and applied tasks, you will see how these frameworks can be used to interpret policy decisions, explain outcomes, and think critically about the future of governance.

Together we will ask: What drives governments to act? How do ideas, institutions, and interests shape policies? Why do some policies persist even when they clearly do not work? And most importantly, how can theory help us better understand and engage with today’s urgent policy debates?

Students in previous years have valued how the module blends theory with practice, giving them both a strong foundation in policy traditions and the tools to analyse cases they care about. If you want to sharpen your theoretical knowledge while developing applied skills for policy analysis, this module is the right place to start.

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.

Term 1 (Foundational theoretical underpinnings, traditions and concepts)

Week 1: Introduction and contested public policy
Weeks 2 - 5: Foundations and Main Theoretical Perspectives
Weeks 7 - 9: Critical approaches: interpretivism, feminism and the study of framing
Week 10: Organised interests

Term 2 (modes of policy-making; policy cycle; international/global public policy)

Weeks 11 - 12: Modes of Policy-making: principal-agent dynamics, governance networks and multi-level governance
Weeks 13 - 17: Policy cycle: policy change, implementation, evaluation and complexity
Weeks 18 - 19: International/global public policy
Week 20: Conclusion

Learning outcomes

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

• Demonstrate in depth knowledge concerning different theoretical debates and their importance for thinking about public policy and governance
• Identify and comprehend and analyse different structures of governance and modes of policy making
• Analyse, compare and critically evaluate fundamental assumptions and arguments in the literature on governance and public policy

Indicative reading list

Reading lists can be found in Talis

Subject specific skills

(c) Cognitive Skills

• Construct and substantiate an argument
• The ability to devise a viable research
  essay topic in areas relevant to the module

(d) Subject-Specific/Professional Skills · Proficiency in using web-based documentation and databases · Students will improve their capacity to undertake further postgraduate study in political science and international relations

Transferable skills

(b) Key Skills · Written communication skills · Oral communication skills · Working with others · Problem solving · Information technology