GV4F4      Half Unit
Policy Advice in Theory and Practice

This information is for the 2019/20 session.

Teacher responsible

Dr Charlotte Haberstroh

Availability

This course is available on the MSc in International Migration and Public Policy, MSc in Public Administration and Government (LSE and Peking University) and MSc in Public Policy and Administration. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

This course is capped at 2 groups. The deadline for applications is 17:00 on Tuesday 1 October 2019. You will be informed of the outcome by 17:00 on Wednesday 2 October 2019

Course content

Many masters graduates in public policy and administration go on to work in organizations that produce or consume policy advice. With this in mind, this course will look at how policy advice is produced and used. It has three objectives: to introduce students to a range of theoretical and empirical scholarship on the issues involved in producing and using policy advice; to develop practical policy analysis and communication skills required of policy advisors; and to expose students to practitioners who produce and use policy advice. Students will develop their policy analysis and communication skills by critically analysing the theoretical scholarship around policy advice and research impact. Moreover, we will apply this analysis to real-world cases during the seminars, in group presentations and exercises, and in the formative and assessed coursework.

Teaching

10 hours of lectures and 15 hours of seminars in the LT.

 

Seven of the lecture sessions will be delivered in lecture format, and three will be additional seminars with participation of students from both seminar groups. 

In addition to these lectures and seminars, there will also be between two and five guest speaker sessions.

There will be a reading week in Week 6.

Formative coursework

Two formative essays (2,000 and 1,000 words), one group presentation designed to help students in developing their project work, and a mock examination.

Indicative reading

Bardach, Eugene (2009) A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis, Third Edition. Washington, DC: CQ Press.

Stone, D.A., (2002). Policy paradox: The art of political decision making, New York: Norton.

Scott, C. and Baehler, K. (2010) Adding Value to Policy Analysis and Advice, Sydney: University of New South Wales Press

Weimer, David L. and Vining, Aidan R. (2005) Policy Analysis: Concepts and Practice, Fourth Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Assessment

Exam (50%, duration: 2 hours) in the summer exam period.
Project (50%, 2000 words).

Student performance results

(2015/16 - 2017/18 combined)

Classification % of students
Distinction 3
Merit 86.1
Pass 10.9
Fail 0

Key facts

Department: Government

Total students 2018/19: 29

Average class size 2018/19: 15

Controlled access 2018/19: No

Value: Half Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Personal development skills

  • Self-management
  • Team working
  • Problem solving
  • Communication
  • Specialist skills