PADM 7363- 02: Public Policy Analysis
Course Syllabus
Fall, 2014
Professor:
Dianne Lux Wigand, Ph.D.
Institute of Government
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Phone: 501.569.3565
Office: 640 Ross Hall
fdwigand@ualr.edu
COURSE TIME AND LOCATION:
Thursday: (6-8:40 P.M.)
Ross Hall 313
OFFICE HOURS:
Thursday (4-6 p.m.) or by appointment
MPA Program Goals:
MPA program strives to provide a strong knowledge base about public and non-profit organizations, the
political process, policy issues, public service values and professional ethics that are grounded in public
administration theory. These theories are coupled with the practical applications to solve organizational,
managerial, human resource, informational, ethical, financial, budgeting, and policy issues in the
public and non-profit sectors. A secondary goal is to develop specific skills needed by governmental and
nonprofit managers, analysts, and policy-makers.
MPA Program Objectives:
There are four main program objectives in the MPA program and they are linked to the competencies
recognized by the National Association of Schools of Public Administration and Public Affairs:
Knowledge: Demonstrate substantive knowledge about public and non-profit organizations,
public policy, the political process, public service values and professional ethics.
Research Skills: Use quantitative, analytical, and diagnostic capabilities ((statistical analysis,
decision-making, and problem-solving), and apply these skills to organizational and managerial
issues.
Professional Skills: Identify best practices used to perform managerial and technical tasks.
Communication Skills: Written and oral communication skills are essential for effective public
administrators.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The purpose of this course is to identify and evaluate public policy issues by using quantitative and
qualitative research techniques to determine the success and appropriateness of public policies and
programs. This requires understanding the policy analysis process, the full context of the policy issue,
identifying all stakeholders and identifying appropriate alternatives. This course builds upon the
knowledge and skills acquired in the prerequisite course, PADM 7315 – Research Methods.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
This course is designed to meet the following objectives:
1. Define public policy and program evaluation
2. Identify the steps of the public policy process and apply this process to solving policy
issues and for developing future public policies
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3.
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Identify and diagnose policy issues
Evaluate possible alternatives
Identify appropriate implementation strategies
Define the role of markets and relationship to public policy and decision making
Identify individual and group behaviors and the impact on policy outcomes
Examine the political process and the relationship for successful implementation
Apply qualitative and quantitative research methods and analysis to determine
appropriate solutions
10. Identify and formulate alternative policies to address social and economic issues
11. Evaluate the impact of public policies on individuals, social groups, and society
Required Textbooks:
Wheelan, C. (2011). Introduction to public policy. New York: W.W. Norton & Co, Inc.
Bardach, E. (2012). A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis: The Eightfold Path to More Effective
Problem Solving (4th edition). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage/CQPress. ISBN: 978-1-60871-842-9.
Schroeder, L. D. et al (1986). Understanding Regression Analysis: An Introductory Guide. Newbury
Park, CA: Sage Publications.
W.K. Kellogg Foundation Evaluation Handbook (2010). Available:
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/evaluation/links/WK-Kellogg-Foundation.pdf
W.K. Kellogg Foundation Logic Model Development Guide:
http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/PED/Resources/documents/LogicModelGuide.pdf
Recommended:
Salkind, Neil. (2007). Statistics for people who (they think) hate statistics (2nd ed./ Excel 2007). Thousand
Oaks,CA: Sage.
Software:
You must have access to a computer installed with statistical analysis software that will allow
you to run multiple regression analysis, such as Microsoft Excel (with Analysis ToolPak
installed), SPSS, R, or Stata. We will not use this software in class sessions, but you will be
expected to incorporate statistical analysis into your policy analysis paper.
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COURSE EXPECTATIONS
Read all assignments and all special readings provided in BlackBoard
Class Participation: Attend class on time and be prepared to discuss all readings and answer in
class questions/exercises. Attendance and active class participation comprises 10 percent of your
grade.
Complete all written assignments on time and in accordance with guidelines; a deduction of ten
points will be taken for each day the assignment is late.
Maintain weekly your Policy Analysis journal and submit at the end of the semester.
Oral presentations of assignments and/or exercises
Complete final paper
COURSE FORMAT
Class activities will be comprised of limited lecture that supplements your reading assignments, extensive
class discussion of assigned readings, individual presentations, small-group discussions and presentations,
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case analysis, various group exercises and assignments. Students are expected to be prepared to discuss
the reading assignments and fully participate in all in-class exercises. Specific formatting guidelines will
be provided for assignments, exercises and the final paper.
EVALUATION OF PARTICIPANT’S PERFORMANCE
 Attendance, Active Class Participation,
10%
 Homework Exercises and Policy Journal
20%
 Assignments (2)
30%
 Final Paper
40%
Course grades will be assigned using the following scale: 90-100 = A; 80-89 = B; 70-79 = C; 60-69 =
D; Below 60 = F
CLASS ATTENDANCE:
Full attendance in all classes is required. For special circumstances and with prior approval a student may
have two absences. The final grade will be lowered by 10% for each absence beyond those approved. All
e-mail communication will be sent to your UALR e-mail address.
Make-up and Late Submissions: The student is responsible for submitting all exercises and assignments
on time.
A Note on Incompletes: An incomplete grade is granted only in those circumstances in which a student
is unable to complete the final required project on time. To receive an incomplete grade a student must
have completed a majority of the required course work with a passing grade; have legitimate reason(s) for
requesting an extension, and submitted to me prior to the end of the semester a written plan with a
specific timeline for completing the required work.
SPECIAL NOTES
Students with Disabilities: It is the policy of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock to create
inclusive learning environments. If there are aspects of the instruction or design of this course that
result in barriers to your inclusion or to accurate assessment of achievement–such as time-limited
exams, inaccessible web content, or the use of non-captioned videos–please notify the instructor
as soon as possible. Students are also welcome to contact the Disability Resource Center,
telephone 501-569-3143 (v/tty). For more information, visit the DRC website at
http://ualr.edu/disability/.
Plagiarism Policy Anyone caught plagiarizing will be disciplined according the UALR Student
Handbook regulations. A slideshow on academic integrity (of which plagiarism is a part) is available at
http://www.ualr.edu/deanstu/. The definition of plagiarism is" To adopt and reproduce as one’s own, to
appropriate for one’s own use and incorporate in one’s own work without acknowledgement, the ideas of
others or passages from their writings and works."
Membership in American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) is highly recommended and
attendance at local ASPA meetings is encouraged. This is a professional organization that provides you
with excellent publications, newsletters, career opportunities, and an opportunity to create networks with
other public administrators. Applications will be distributed in class or may be obtained from the MPA
administrative assistant in Ross Hall 628. The Arkansas Chapter of ASPA meets monthly and provides
regular opportunities for professional and social networking.
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MPA List Serve and e-mail: All MPA students should sign up for the MPA list serve where important
program announcements are posted regularly. To subscribe to the list serve follow these instructions:
1. Send an e-mail message to listserv@ualr.edu
2. Leave the subject line blank
3. Enter the text message as shown below:
Subscribe UAMPA-L Your full name
4. In a short period of time you should receive a mail message saying that you have
been subscribed to the UAMPA-L list
5. E-Mail addresses: All students must use their ualr.edu e-mail address and
check it frequently.
Cell Phones & Pagers: Turn them off. Do not interrupt the class. No texting in class.
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