PA 506
Policy Development and Analysis for Public
Administrators
Summer 2014
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 6:00 to 8:50 PM
Instructor: Gloria Simo, Ph.D.
E-mail: gsimo@uic.edu
Mobile phone: 708-359-5436
(Please don’t call before 9:00 AM or after 9:00 PM)
***PLEASE NOTE: THIS SYLLABUS IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE***
Course Description/Purpose
Examines the process by which public policies are formulated, decided on,
implemented, and evaluated. Techniques of analysis appropriate for various policy
issues, and substantive policy issues facing us today. Prerequisite(s): Grade of C or
better in PA 407 and admission to the MPA program or consent of the instructor.
The purpose of the course is to provide students with knowledge of the public policy
process, from understanding when and why a policy is needed within the various policy
arenas to the development, implementation, evaluation and revision of existing policies.
Course Objectives/Learning Outcomes
By the conclusion of this course students should be able to:





Understand, define and utilize the various steps in the process of developing,
implementing, evaluating and revising public policy;
Distinguish between various policy arenas, the specific policies and actors within
those arenas and identify those most closely related to their own career interests;
Develop model public policies and action steps for implementing them;
Identify appropriate methods for analyzing and evaluating existing public policies;
Utilize appropriate analysis and evaluation methods to make recommendations
for adjustments and changes to existing policies.
Course Reading Material
There are two required texts for this course:
Bardach, Eugene. (2012) A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis. (4th Edition). Thousand
Oaks, California: Sage Publications. ISBN: 978-1-60871-842-9
Kraft, Michael E. and Furlong, Scott R. (2010). Public Policy: Politics, Analysis , and Alternatives.
Washington, D.C.: CQ Press. ISBN-13: 978-0-87289-971-1.
Students are also expected to read a daily newspaper, such as the New York Times,
Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune or other national newspaper
and / or listen to or watch a news program, such as National Public Radio’s Morning
Edition (6:00 to 10:00 AM), All Things Considered (4:00 to 7:00 PM) and or the News
Hour or Washington Week in Review on PBS, in order to stay current on public policy
issues in their area of interest.
Delivery Method
The course shall be delivered through the facilitation of in-class discussion by the
instructor. A short presentation on the agenda of items to be discussed and considered
each week will be presented by the instructor at the beginning of the week, followed by
the opportunity for students to develop and respond to discussion questions and apply
the current readings to current policy issues relative to their own career interests.
Course Requirements
To facilitate the learning process students are expected to participate regularly and
consistently in meaningful class discussions based on the assigned readings and class
exercises, providing examples related to their chosen policy arena in order to share
their experiences and existing knowledge with other members of the class and
contribute to each other’s learning. Students are also expected to ask relevant
questions both through email and Blackboard on the policy arenas as well as their
general questions on the policy process as it evolves over the semester. Students will
be asked to apply the course readings to their individual policy topics, giving regular
reports on their work to date and participate in an iterative process in which they reflect
on the development of policy in their particular policy arena over the semester. Students
will also participate in this process by posing questions to experts in the field of public
policy development and analysis relevant to their own policy interests.
Readings and tasks listed in this syllabus are for the following week. The course week
will run from Monday to Monday to allow for students to post their assignments and the
instructor to review them before that week’s classes. Assignments (or tasks) for the
upcoming week will be posted on Monday morning of each week, marked by (and
enclosed in) a folder designated for that week under the Course Contents tab on
Blackboard. These materials will generally include a PowerPoint presentation and links
to other materials, as well as other relevant assignments and information. Links to each
task for the week, including discussion questions and a place to post class exercises,
will be placed within this folder and postings can take place any time until 9:00 AM on
Monday of the following week. Assignments (or tasks) each week will be to review any
materials posted by the instructor, as well as to post discussion questions relevant to
the readings.
Methods of Evaluation
Students will be evaluated on their attendance and participation, as well as their
completion of three short exercises / memos that will help them to explore a policy
arena and particular policy of their own choosing and help to prepare them for their final
summary / policy analysis paper and a PowerPoint presentation summarizing that
paper. More details for the guidelines of each assignment will be provided as the term
progresses. These various components will be worth the following points and
percentages of the student’s final course grade:
Attendance / participation (2.5 points per week)
=
20 points or 20%
Three Policy Exercises (10 points each)
=
30 points or 30%
PowerPoint Presentation
=
25 points or 25%
Final Policy Analysis Paper
=
25 points or 25%
=
100 points or 100%
TOTAL
Grading
Final grades in the course will be assigned according to the following scale:
90 and above
80 to 89 %
70 to 79 %
60 to 69%
59 and below
=
=
=
=
=
A
B
C
D
F
Instructor Teaching Philosophy
<Please read Dr. Simo’s teaching Philosophy posted on Blackboard under Course
Information tab.>
Academic Integrity Policy
I support the UIC policy on Academic Integrity, which communicates and supports clear
standards of academic integrity. Violations of academic integrity including cheating,
plagiarism and academic dishonesty or misconduct, which will not be tolerated.
Misconduct shall include, but not be limited to, disruption of classes, threatening an
instructor or fellow student in an academic setting, giving or receiving unauthorized aid
on examinations or in the preparation of notebooks, themes, reports, or other
assignments; knowingly misrepresenting the source of any academic work;
unauthorized changing of grades; unauthorized use of university approvals or forging of
signatures; falsification of research results; plagiarizing of another’s work; violation of
regulations or of ethical codes for the treatment of human and animal subjects; or
otherwise acting dishonestly in research.
Academic sanctions range from a warning to expulsion from the university, depending
on the severity of your violation and your history of violations. Whatever the sanction, I
am required to file a report of academic dishonesty to the Office of the Provost in the
case of any violation. You are responsible for understanding and complying with the
UIC Academic Integrity Policy.
Accommodations
Reasonable accommodations are available for students who have a documented
disability. A documented disability can include: physical, psychological, chronic health,
vision, hearing, learning, traumatic brain injury, Asperger’s Syndrome and/or autism,
cognitive, and A.D./H.D.D. Please notify the instructor during the first week of class of
any accommodations needed for the course. While O.D.S. does accept late
applications, accommodations are not retroactive. All accommodations must be
approved through the Office of Disability Services (ODS).
Course Calendar or Schedule
Week
Topic
Assignment
FOR THE FOLLOWING WEEK
1
6/17/14
&
6/19/14
2
6/24/14
&
6/26/14
3
7/1/14
&
7/3/14
4
7/8/14
&
7/10/14
Course Introduction and Overview,
Review of the Syllabus and Class
Schedule.
Introduction to the Process of
Policy Analysis, Parallels to
Planning.
The Study of Public Policy, the
Relationship between: Public
Policy and Politics.
Government Institutions and Policy
Actors, Understanding Public
Policy Making.
Review, discuss and analyze
Policy Exercise / Memo 1.
Analyzing Public Policy: An
Introduction to Policy Analysis,
Public Problems and Policy
Alternatives, Assessing Policy
Alternatives.
Economic and Budgetary Policy:
Background, Goals, Tools and
Process Effects, Successes and
Failures, Issues and Challenges.
Health Care Policy: Background,
Major Government Health Care
Programs, Rising costs, Managed
Care, Quality of Care, Prevention
or Recovery?
Read Bardach, Parts I through III.
Read Kraft and Furlong, Part I.,
Chapters 1-3. Prepare and post
discussion questions.
Read Kraft and Furlong, Part IIChapters 4-6. Prepare and post
discussion questions. Complete and
submit Policy Exercise / Memo 1:
Problem Definition.
Read Kraft and Furlong, Part III,
Chapters 7 & 8; Prepare and post
discussion questions.
Read Kraft and Furlong, Part III,
Chapters 9 & 10; Prepare and post
discussion questions. Complete and
submit Policy Exercise / Memo 2:
Policy Objectives and Alternatives.
Week
Topic
Assignment
FOR THE FOLLOWING WEEK
5
7/15/13
&
7/17/14
Review, discuss and analyze
Policy Exercise / Memo 2.
Read Kraft and Furlong, Part III,
Chapters 11 & 12. Prepare and post
Welfare and Social Security Policy: discussion questions.
Background, Social Security,
Welfare, Reform, Conclusions.
Education Policy: Background,
Problems, issues, Reforms,
Discussion, Conclusions.
6
7/22/14
&
7/24/14
7
7/29/14
&
7/31/14
8
8/5/14
&
8/7/14
Environmental Energy Policy:
Background, Evolution, Consensus
and Conflict, Energy, Discussion,
Conclusions.
Foreign Policy and Homeland
Security: Background, Evolution,
Homeland Security, Discussion,
Conclusions.
Review, discuss and analyze
Policy Exercise / Memo 3.
Class Discussion and Analysis of
Exercise 7. Policy Analysis
Specimens, Things Government
Do, Understanding Institutions,
Politics, Analysis and Policy
Choice.
Class Presentations
Read Kraft and Furlong, Part IV,
Chapter 13 and Bardach, Appendices
A-D. Prepare and post discussion
questions. Complete and submit Policy
Exercise / Memo 3: Evaluating Current
Policies.
Prepare individual PowerPoint
presentation on final Policy Analysis
Paper.
Complete and submit final Policy
Analysis Paper.