Outline

Module 1: Introduction to Public Policy
  1. Definition and Scope of Public Policy
  2. Ensuring Public Safety in Amusement Parks
  3. What Is Public Policy?
  4. Defining Basic Concepts
  5. Government
  6. Politics
  7. Policy Analysis
  8. Why Study Public Policy?
  9. Citizens’ Ability to Participate and Make Choices
  10. Citizens’ Ability to Influence Policy Decisions
  11. The Contexts of Public Policy
  12. Economic Context
  13. Political Context
  14. Governing Context
  15. Cultural Context
  16. Historical Perspectives on Public Policy
  17. Types of Public Policy (Social, Economic, Environmental, etc.)
  18. Key Theories and Models of Public Policy
  19. Public vs. Private Policy Approaches
  20. The Role of Governments, NGOs, and International Bodies in Policy Development
  21. The Reasons for Government Involvement
  22. Political Reasons
  23. Moral or Ethical Reasons
  24. Economics and Market Failures
  25. The Practice of Policy Analysis
  26. The Many Uses of Policy Analysis
  27. Citizens’ Use of Policy Analysis
  28. How to Decide Which Policy Is Best: Using Multiple Criteria
  29. Case Studies: Policy Development in Various Nations

Assessment: Short essay on types of public policy and their impacts.

Module 2: Government Institutions and Policy Actors
  1. Growth of Government
  2. Government Institutions and Policy Capacity
  3. Federalism
  4. The Evolution of Federal-State Relations
  5. State Variation in Policy Capacity
  6. Separation of Powers
  7. Legislative Branch
  8. Executive Branch
  9. Judicial Branch
  10. Informal Policy Actors and Policy Capacity
  11. Public Opinion and Policymaking
  12. Interest Groups, Nonprofits, and Public Policy
  13. Media
  14. Policy Subgovernments and Issue Networks
  15. Improving Policy Capacity

Discussion Questions

Module 3:  Understanding Public Policymaking
  1. Theories of Politics and Public Policy
  2. Elite Theory
  3. Group Theory
  4. Institutional Theory
  5. Rational Choice Theory
  6. Political Systems Theory
  7. The Policy Process Model
  8. Problem Definition and Agenda Setting
  9. Policy Formulation
  10. Policy Legitimation
  11. Policy Implementation
  12. Policy Evaluation
  13. Policy Change
  14. Instruments of Public Policy
  15. Regulation
  16. Government Management
  17. Taxing and Spending
  18. Market Mechanisms
  19. Education, Information, and Persuasion
Module 4: Policy-Making Process
  1. Stages of the Policy Cycle (Agenda Setting, Formulation, Adoption, Implementation, Evaluation)
  2. Stakeholder Engagement in the Policy-Making Process
  3. The Role of Political Institutions and Bureaucracies in Policy Development
  4. The Impact of Public Opinion and Media on Policy
  5. Policy Research and Analysis Methods
  6. Policy Advocacy and Lobbying
    Practical Workshop: Policy Formulation Simulation

Assessment: Short on policy analysis of a contemporary issue.

Module 5: Policy Analysis and Evaluation
  1. The Nature of Policy Analysis
  2. Steps in the Policy Analysis Process
  3. Define and Analyze the Problem
  4. Construct Policy Alternatives
  5. Choose Evaluative Criteria
  6. Assess the Alternatives
  7. Draw Conclusions
  8. Types of Policy Analysis
  9. Scientific Approaches
  10. Professional Approaches
  11. Political Approaches
  12. What Kind of Analysis Is Needed?'
  13. Deal with Root Causes or Make Pragmatic Adjustments?
  14. Comprehensive Analysis or Short-Term Policy Relevance?
  15. Consensual or Contentious Analysis?
  16. Reliance on Rational Analysis or Democratic Politics?
  17. Other Aspects of Policy Analysis
  18. Frameworks for Policy Analysis (Cost-Benefit Analysis, SWOT, etc.)
  19. Tools for Policy Evaluation (Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches)
  20. Monitoring Policy Effectiveness and Outcomes
  21. Data Collection and Statistical Techniques for Policy Analysis
  22. Evaluation Reports and Recommendations
  23. Case Study: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Public Health Policies

Assessment: Create an evaluation report for a given public policy.

Module 6:  Public Problems and Policy Alternatives
  1. Problem Analysis
  2. The Nature of the Problem
  3. Thinking about Causes and Solutions
  4. How to Find Information
  5. Constructing Alternatives
  6. What Governments Can Do
  7. Policy Typologies as Analytic Tools
  8. Thinking Creatively about Policy Action
  9. Assessments: essay questions
Module 7: Assessing Policy Alternatives
  1. Evaluative Criteria for Judging Policy Proposals
  2. Effectiveness
  3. Efficiency
  4. Equity
  5. Ethics and Political Values
  6. Using the Methods of Policy Analysis
  7. Economic Approaches
  8. Cost-Benefit Analysis
  9. Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
  10. Risk Assessment
  11. Decision Making and Impacts
  12. Forecasting
  13. Impact Assessment
  14. Political and Institutional Approaches
  15. Political Feasibility Analysis
  16. Implementation Analysis and Program Evaluation
  17. Ethical Analysis
  18. Discussion Questions
Module 8: Economic Dimensions of Public Policy

Duration: 20 hours

  1. Economic Theories in Policy-Making
  2. Public Finance and Budgeting Processes
  3. Taxation and Fiscal Policy
  4. Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs)
  5. Regulatory Frameworks for Economic Policies
  6. Policy and Globalization: The Economics of International Policy
  7. Case Study: Analyzing Fiscal Policies in Developing Economies

Assessment: Short essy on the economic implications of a recent fiscal policy.

Module 9: Economic and Budgetary Policy
  1. Background
  2. Goals of Economic Policy
  3. Economic Growth
  4. Low Levels of Unemployment
  5. Low Levels of Inflation
  6. Positive Balance of Trade
  7. Managing Deficits and Debt
  8. Interrelationships of Economic Goals
  9. Tools of Economic Policy
  10. Fiscal Policy
  11. Monetary Policy
  12. Regulation
  13. Incentives, Subsidies, and Support
  14. Tax Policy
  15. The Budget Process and Its Effect on Economic Policy
  16. Assumptions and Planning
  17. Agency Budget Development
  18. OMB Budget Review
  19. Congressional Review
  20. Budget Execution and Control
  21. Economic Policy: Successes and Failures
  22. Significant Income Tax Cuts
  23. Responses to the Deficit
  24. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
  25. Economic Issues and Challenges
  26. Maintaining Economic Growth
  27. Growth of Entitlements
  28. Income Inequality
  29. Focused Discussion: How to Address the Budgetary Shortfall
  30. Economic Issues
  31. Political Issues
  32. Equity and Other Ethical Issues
  33. Discussion Questions
Module 10: Social Policy and Welfare
  1. Principles of Social Justice in Public Policy
  2. Policies on Education, Healthcare, and Social Security
  3. Addressing Inequality through Social Policy
  4. Gender, Race, and Diversity Considerations in Public Policy
  5. Policy Responses to Social Issues (Poverty, Housing, etc.)
  6. Human Rights and Public Policy
    Case Study: Social Welfare Policies in Scandinavian Countries

Assessment: Essay on the role of public policy in reducing social inequality.

Module 11:  Welfare and Social Security Policy
  1. Background
  2. Poverty
  3. Social Security
  4. Social Security’s Changing Demographics
  5. Problems with Social Security
  6. Financing Social Security
  7. Welfare
  8. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
  9. Aid to Families with Dependent Children
  10. The Earned Income Tax Credit
  11. Welfare Reform Options
  12. Welfare Reform Law
  13. Analysis of the Welfare Reform Law
  14. Focused Discussion: Can We Do Better? Addressing Poverty
  15. Economic and Effectiveness Issues
  16. Political Issues
  17. Ethics and Equity Issues
  18. Discussion Questions
Module 12: Environmental Policy and Sustainability
  1. Environmental Policy Frameworks and International Agreements
  2. Climate Change and Global Environmental Governance
  3. Renewable Energy and Sustainability Policies
  4. Policy Approaches to Natural Resource Management
  5. Sustainable Urban Development and Planning
  6. The Role of Civil Society in Environmental Advocacy
  7. Developing Environmental Policies for Urban Areas

Assessment: Policy proposal for implementing a local sustainability initiative.

Module 13: Environmental and Energy Policy
  1. Background
  2. The Evolution of Environmental and Energy Policy
  3. Early Environmental and Energy Policies
  4. The Modern Environmental Movement and Policy Developments
  5. From Consensus to Conflict in Environmental Policy
  6. Major Federal Environmental Policies
  7. The National Environmental Policy Act
  8. Environmental Protection Statutes and the EPA
  9. Natural Resource Policies
  10. Energy Policy
  11. Focused Discussion: Climate Change and Energy Policy Alternatives
  12. Economic Issues
  13. Political Feasibility
  14. Ethical Issues
  15. Discussion Questions
Module 14: Health Care Policy
  1. Background
  2. Evolution of Health Care Policy
  3. A Hybrid System of Public and Private Health Care
  4. The Perils of Being Uninsured
  5. Strengths and Weaknesses of the U.S. Health Care System
  6. A Pluralistic Health Care System
  7. Major Government Health Care Programs
  8. Medicare
  9. Medicaid
  10. Veterans’ Health Care
  11. Other Health Care Policy Issues
  12. Portability
  13. Patients’ Rights
  14. Rising Health Care Costs
  15. State Policy Innovations
  16. Regulation of Prescription Drugs
  17. Managed Care Organizations
  18. Reducing Health Care Costs
  19. Quality of Care
  20. Medical Errors
  21. Focused Discussion: Should There Be Greater Emphasis on Preventive
  22. Health Care
  23. Effectiveness
  24. Economic Efficiency Issues
  25. Equity and Other Ethical Issues
  26. Discussion Questions
Module 15: Education Policy
  1. Background
  2. Problems Facing Education
  3. Funding
  4. Separation of Church and State
  5. Quality
  6. Education Policy Reforms
  7. Merit Pay
  8. Teacher Standards, Certification, and Salaries
  9. School Vouchers, School Choice, and Charter Schools
  10. School Testing
  11. Higher Education Issues
  12. Affirmative Action
  13. Costs of Higher Education
  14. Focused Discussion: Higher Education Affordability, Cost, and Value
  15. Economic Issues
  16. Political Issues
  17. Equity and Ethical Issues
  18. Discussion Questions
Module 16: Governance and Institutional Policy
  1. The Role of Governance in Public Policy
  2. Institutional Policies: Transparency, Accountability, and Ethics
  3. Managing Public Institutions and Services
  4. Policy Responses to Corruption and Governance Failures
  5. Comparative Governance Systems and Public Policy Impact
  6. Case Study: Governance Models in Developing vs. Developed Nations
  7. Assessment: Analysis of governance policies in a chosen country.
Module 17: Foreign Policy and Homeland Security
  1. Background and Policy Evolution
  2. The Marshall Plan, NATO, and the Cold War
  3. The United Nations and Globalization
  4. Military Buildup and Nuclear Weapons
  5. The Intelligence Agencies and the War in Iraq
  6. Economic and Military Assistance: Foreign Aid
  7. Selected Issues in Homeland Security
  8. Comparing Homeland Security Threats: How Vulnerable Are We?
  9. The Case of Transportation Security
  10. Focused Discussion: Civil Liberties in an Age of Terrorism
  11. Effectiveness and Efficiency
  12. Legal and Ethical Concerns
  13. Assessment Questions
Module 18: Global Public Policy and International Relations
  1. Globalization and its Impact on Public Policy
  2. International Relations Theories and Public Policy
  3. The Role of International Organizations (UN, WTO, WHO, etc.)
  4. Cross-Border Issues: Trade, Security, and Migration
  5. Policy Coordination Among Nations: Multilateralism vs. Unilateralism
  6. Case Study: International Public Policy Responses to Global Crises
  7. Assessment: Essay on the role of international organizations in policy-making.
Module 19: Ethics and Public Policy
  1. Ethical Theories in Public Policy
  2. Dilemmas in Policy-Making: Balancing Public and Private Interests
  3. The Role of Integrity and Transparency in Governance
  4. Legal and Moral Accountability in Policy Implementation
  5. Ethical Policy Frameworks in Practice
  6. Addressing Ethical Challenges in Policy Implementation
  7. Assessment: Write essay on ethical issues in contemporary policy-making.
Module 20: Policy Leadership and Communication
  1. Leadership Skills for Policy Professionals
  2. Strategic Communication and Public Policy Advocacy
  3. Engaging Stakeholders and Managing Public Perceptions
  4. The Role of Leadership in Crisis Policy Responses
  5. Public Speaking and Media Relations for Policy Leaders
  6. Crisis Communication Simulation
  7. Assessment: Presentation on communicating a public policy change to the public.
Module 21:  Politics, Analysis, and Policy Choice
  1. Policy Analysis, Citizen Participation, and Policy Change
  2. Public Policies and Their Impacts
  3. Policy Conflicts and Incremental Decision Making
  4. Policy Strategies with No Crystal Ball
  5. Policy Analysis and Policy Choices
  6. Evaluating Public Policy
  7. Improving Policy Capacity
  8. Citizen Participation in Decision Making
  9. Citizen Capacity and Policy Engagement
  10. New Forms of Citizen Participation
  11. Conclusions
  12. Assessment

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