GRADUATE CENTER FOR PUBLIC POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION Fall Semester 2002

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course is an introductory exploration of policy analysis. It assumes that the student already has some familiarity with the basic concepts and terminology of public policy and public administration. This course will provide you with both rapid and more complex methods of public policy analysis. It will cover important considerations in the process of policy analysis such as identifying data sources and weighing the utility of data; establishing criteria for analyzing policies; assessing policy alternatives; choosing among policies; and monitoring policy implementation.

It will also introduce you to the use of computer resources in policy analysis. Remote servers or networked computers will be used to gain access to campus computing resources, to search electronic repositories of information, such as the internet, and to provide a means of communication with the instructor and other students in the course. Personal, desktop or laptop computers will be used for word processing, statistical data analysis, and creation of presentations.

This course will be valuable for anyone planning a career in public service or who will interact with public agencies in the future. It will also provide an overview of the types of policy issues being confronted by people in the public sector today. By the end of the course, you should know more about opportunities for further study in public policy analysis and for careers in the field.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Identify the basic concepts and techniques of policy issue analysis.

2. Distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate uses of policy analysis in the public sector.

3. Demonstrate competency in the basic techniques of public policy analysis through written and oral communication.

4. Work cooperatively on a team case study policy analysis project.

5. Contribute to your MPA Student Learning Portfolio.

COURSE ORGANIZATION

This graduate seminar will integrate lectures, class discussions, assigned readings, case study analysis, oral and written presentation of assignments, library research, in-class exercises, teamwork, small group presentations, computer exercises, and other activities. All the activities will aid you in attaining the major learning objectives of this course. This combination will allow each person to draw on his or her own experiences and talents to help themselves and others in the course to become competent in the course concepts and skills.

You are expected to come to class prepared to participate in scheduled activities. You will be encouraged to share experiences, knowledge, talents, and skills which are related to the course. You must also participate fully in all case study team activities.

COURSE ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING

The final grade will be determined by the number of points you accumulate during the semester. You can accumulate points by completing assigned readings before each class meeting, by participating in class activities, and by completing oral and written assignments in a timely fashion. A summary of the course assignments and their possible point value is shown below.

In order to obtain an A in this course, you will need to accumulate about 90% of the total possible, or at least 180 points. A grade of B requires about 80% of the total possible, or at least 160 points. Seventy percent of the total possible, at least 140 points, will earn a C, and sixty percent of the total possible, at least 120 points, a D. Below 120 points will be failing.

All written assignments except homework should be typed, double spaced, and follow the conventional rules of grammar, punctuation, spelling, and notation of references. All assignments must conform to the style of the publication manual of the American Psychological Association (APA style). There is a link on the CSULB Library website that outlines the use of APA style. The Political Science Student Writer's Manual by Scott and Garrison, a useful tool for writers, is available through the CSULB bookstore. Assignments may be submitted by e-mail or on disk (IBM format). Always keep a copy of your written assignments for yourself. You can always turn in assignments to the instructor before they are due to get feedback and revise them.

Preparation for class attendance is an essential component of participation, since you must be prepared in order to contribute to the class. Participation also consists of reading the assigned material before class, contributing relevant comments to class discussions, participating in the team case study analysis and presentation, engaging in constructive criticism, assisting other class members, and communicating with the instructor and with other class members. Participation is worth 20 points (10% of grade), divided equally between classroom participation and teamwork. A summary of the criteria used for grading team performance is attached.

Homework will be assigned at the end of each chapter. The homework problems are due on the date indicated on the syllabus for coverage of that chapter. The exercises can be done by hand, with a calculator, or by computer. If you have one, you may bring a calculator or laptop computer to class. Homework will be judged on completeness, correctness, and quality of analysis. It is not enough to simply produce a summary number; the operations to produce the number must be explained, and the number itself must be interpreted and its implications for public policy and administration explained. Homework will be graded and is worth 50 points (25% of grade).

The midterm exam will cover all material presented in the course, the assigned readings, the lectures, in-class exercises and discussions (except for the team case study projects). The questions will be of the same type as the questions presented on the MPA comprehensive exam in the policy area. Rather than asking you to merely restate facts from the text, the questions on the exam will be integrative in nature, that is, they will require you to think about what you have learned and to apply it to novel situations. The midterm will be given on November 21, 2002, at 4:00 pm.

You should select one of the six case studies that will be made available in class.  All students who select the same case will work as a team on the case study project. The case study project has three parts: the rough draft of the team case study analysis; the final draft of the team case study analysis; and the oral presentation. Each team will hand in one copy of the rough draft; one copy of the final draft; and one copy of the presentation notes, handouts, videos, photographs, slides or other presentation materials.

The rough draft of the team case study analysis covers the first three steps in the policy analysis process. It 1) identifies the problem presented in the case study, 2) establishes the criteria important in finding an acceptable solution, and 3) presents one or more possible alternatives. The rough draft of the team case study analysis must be at least five pages in length. It is due on October 24, 2002, by 4:00 pm, and it is worth 15 points (7.5% of grade).

The final draft of the team case study analysis expands on the first three steps in the policy analysis process and adds the final three steps: 4) applies the correct type(s) of policy analysis to the alternatives; 5) chooses among alternatives based on the criteria and presents the result; and 6) makes suggestions for implementing, monitoring, and evaluating the policy. The criteria for grading the team case study analyses is attached to this syllabus. These same criteria will be used to determin whether the team case study analysis is acceptable for inclusion in the student learning outcome portfolio. Additional sources of information may be consulted by the case study team, including academic articles, government data, and interviews with public administrators. The final draft of the team case study analysis is due on December 19, 2002, by 4:00 pm, and is worth 60 points (30% of grade).

For the case study presentation, on the assigned date, each team will make a formal presentation of their analysis and findings to the entire class. The presentation should include a thorough analysis of the case study, complete with findings and recommendations. Teams should use computer programs to do their analyses and to generate output, charts, and other relevant graphical displays. The quality of the presentation will also count, such as team coordination, speaking ability, use of audiovisual or other presentation materials, ability to answer questions, and materials provided to the rest of the class. The presentation is worth 15 points (7.5% of grade). Presentations will be evaluated by the instructor and all class members. A sample evaluation sheet is attached to this syllabus.

SCHEDULE OF CLASSES AND ASSIGNMENTS

Course Objectives: