HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOL
PED-402Y
Second Year Case Workshop
Course Syllabus for 2012/13
Thursday 4:10 – 6:00 PM
Faculty:
Section A: Littauer 332
Faculty: Ishac Diwan
Office:
Rubenstein 406
E-mail: ishac_diwan@hks.harvard.edu
Phone:
617-840-3200
Office hours: Friday 10:00a.m.-12:00p.m.
Assistant:
Marija Tesla
Office:
Rubenstein 301
E-mail: marija_tesla@hks.harvard.edu
Phone:
617-495-2133
Section B: Littauer 382
Faculty: Petia Topalova
Office:
Rubenstein 119
E-mail: petia_topalova@hks.harvard.edu
Phone:
617-388-7494
Office hours: Wednesday 10:00a.m.-12:00p.m.
Assistant:
Alison Barron
Office:
Littauer-211A
E-mail: alison_barron@hks.harvard.edu
Phone:
617-495-9455
Section C: Littauer 140
Faculty: Michael Walton
Office:
Littauer 108
E-mail:
michael_walton@harvard.edu
Phone:
202-251-8702
Assistant:
Sarah Doyle
Office:
Littauer 207A
E-mail: sarah_doyle@hks.harvard.edu
Phone:
617-495-5994
Office hours: Wednesday 2:00-5:00p.m. or check on
https://www.timetrade.com/book/PV7XP.
1. Course Description and Objectives of the Second Year Case Workshop
The objectives of the second year case workshop can best be introduced with two
analogies. Early medical training is made up of foundational courses like biology,
anatomy, chemistry. The next stage of training is clinical practice. In clinical practice
students engage with specific patients presenting with specific conditions and apply the
foundational skills to the problems at hand. Or, if one were learning to be a carpenter
one has to master the use of specific tools—hammer, saw, drill, etc.—and exercises are
chosen to emphasize mastery of the tool. The next stage is a project in which one uses
the tools to produce something, and which tools are used, in what order, is integrated
by what needs to be produced.
The first year case workshop was intended to supplement the rest of the first year
curriculum, which is mainly about foundational courses and tools, and the cases were
chosen to illustrate the use of the tools (with some emphasis on the problem, but more
on using the case as a way of grounding understanding of the course material).
In professional practice problems present themselves as problems and do not come
with labels like “use game theory here” or “think about the problems of causal
identification in interpreting existing evidence” or “this is a problem with institutions
not policy.” Rather, they present themselves as goals to be accomplished, problems to
be overcome, new opportunities that lead to positive movement. The practitioner has to
select from their array of skills and tools and apply those to the context at hand.
The second year case workshop does two cases in the fall. The objective of these cases is
to help apply the skills/knowledge/tools from the core curriculum to a complex
problem. These are also like a “mini-SYPA” that also helps students work through a
structured approach to policy problems that they are tackling in their own SYPA topic.
In addition the course design and assignments present opportunities to develop
professional skills, including giving oral presentations (including handling questions),
preparing persuasive policy presentations, writing memos, and working in teams.
3. Enrollment
All second-year students in the MPA/ID Program must enroll in the PED-250 and PED402 combination. Each of these courses is worth one credit. These courses are
restricted to MPA/ID students.
3. Course Design
The Second Year Case Workshop runs parallel with PED 250 (SYPA seminar). In the fall
semester the students will undertake two self-standing cases, working in teams. After
the completion of the SYPA in the Spring term, a third task will comprise the
preparation of a “policy brief”, based on their SYPA. This will be an individual activity
(or, in the case of joint SYPAs, prepared with the same partner.)
The two fall cases will each involve two sessions.
The first session of each case introduces a specific development problem, with
background material and gives an assignment. The materials will be provided at the
first session and are intended to give a minimal background for the group to get started
on the assignment, but are expected to be supplemented by the group’s work.
The second session consists of student presentations of their work fulfilling the
assignment.
The assignments will be given to small groups (which will also be assigned) of around
six students. Each assignment has two parts to be prepared as a group product: (a)
preparing and giving a presentation; and (b) a short (3-5 page) policy memo.
In the second session of each case students will present their work and
recommendations in a “role play” situation in which a faculty member will represent
the “client” for the work and students from other groups will be assigned to represent
various stakeholders. The presentation will be 10 minutes, followed by 10-20 minutes
of Q&A (as effective management of questions is part of the assignment), followed by
de-brief and comments.
Each group will also submit a written policy memo (specific guidelines on this will be
provided in the course).
For each group the student who will give the presentation will be chosen by drawing
names just before the presentation (so each group member has to be ready to give the
group’s presentation).
All groups will also submit their powerpoint and policy memo via the drop box, by
9am on the morning of the second session. The drop boxes are on the second floor of
Littauer behind the Forum Screen. Assignments will be returned via mail folders in
the MPA/ID office area.
The third task, in the Spring term, will involve the development of a policy brief (of
about 4 pages, with selected graphs and figures to make it effective), that is explicitly
designed to engage with the structure of interests and ideas in which the policy debate
would (hypothetically or really) occur. Students will also prepare a note describing this
structure.
4. Grading
PED-402Y is worth one credit and will be graded on the usual HKS grade distribution.
Each case will receive 30 percent of the overall grade and within each case the grading
will be based on (a) the group memo, (b) the group’s presentation (both the “hard copy
and the presentation and Q&A itself).
In addition, to avoid “free-riding” (which a training in economics teaches you the
private advantages of) 10 percent of the grade will be based on the student’s
contribution to the group, based on anonymous feedback from other group members, so
not every person in the group will necessarily get the same grade, to realign incentives.
CLASS SCHEDULE Thursdays 4:10-6pm (SAME AS PED 250Y AS THE COURSES ARE
INTEGRATED)
Thursday, September 6th, 2012
PLENARY SESSION IN LITTAUER 140
Analyzing Policy Change and Elements of the SYPA: Michael Walton
This session will also include an introduction to the SYPA process and the links to PED402
All students must submit a draft topic at this plenary session in a complete
information form (that will be e-mailed to you before class) briefly stating your
initial SYPA topic, identifying your putative client as well as the key policy issues
to be addressed. Section assignments will be based on the topic you indicate and
will be given to you by the next week’s plenary session.
Thursday, September 13th, 2012
INDIVIDUAL SECTION MEETINGS
The basic ingredients of a SYPA—guidelines on doing your terms of reference
Read two SYPAs to be discussed in your section. Be prepared to discuss the following
questions:
on reserve at Kennedy School Library and on the MPA/ID web page.
Past SYPAs will be discussed in the three sections. Section leaders will post these
SYPAs on their class web sites after the first class.
Thursday, September 20th, 2012
PED-402 First part of first case
Friday, September 20th, 2012
Adviser selection. You have to submit your preference for an adviser, preferably with a
mutually agreed deal.
Thursday, September 27th, 2012
INDIVIDUAL SECTION MEETINGS
Small group discussions on policy design for their SYPA topics
Thursday, October 4th, 2012
PLENARY SESSION IN LITTAUER 140
Analyzing the political economy of policies: Ishac Diwan
Thursday, October 11th, 2012
PED-402 Second part of first case
Tuesday, October 16th, 2012: Terms of reference/human subjects forms due. All
students must submit a draft terms of reference for their SYPA with a formal research
question, explanation of methodology, ideas about data resource, etc., as well as the
Human Subjects Forms (by Tuesday, October 16th). These should be submitted by email
to your section leader.
Thursday, October 18th, 2012
INDIVIDUAL SECTION MEETINGS
Presentations of SYPA TORs.
Thursday, October 25th, 2012
INDIVIDUAL SECTION MEETINGS
Presentations of SYPA TORs.
Thursday, November 1st, 2012
PED-402: First session of second case
Thursday, November 8th, 2012
INDIVIDUAL SECTION MEETINGS
Extended office hours may substitute for meeting.
Thursday, November 15th, 2012
INDIVIDUAL SECTION MEETINGS
Extended office hours may substitute for meeting.
Thursday, November 22nd, 2012 -- Thanksgiving – No Class
Monday, November 26th, 2012: SYPA outline due!
Thursday, November 29th, 2012
PED-402: Second session of second case
Thursday, December 6th, 2012
INDIVIDUAL SECTION MEETINGS
Extended office hours may substitute for meeting.
WINTER BREAK
Thursday, January 31st, 2013: FIRST SYPA DRAFT DUE!
Thursday, January 31st, 2013
PLENARY SESSION IN LITTAUER 140
Presentation on making effective presentations, plus discussion of expectations and
plans for the final push to produce SYPA!
Individual Section Arrangements for the Oral Presentations Using Class and Extra
Time
In order to give students time to present their SYPA recommendations and incorporate
feedback, the section leaders will make arrangements for sessions using both the
usually scheduled Thursday classes and additional class times. The goal is to allow us to
complete all presentations by the third week of February, giving you a minimum of
three weeks, and generally significantly more, to prepare your final SYPA. All students
should attend all presentations, unless explicitly released, so this will require additional
time commitments for this period.
Monday, March 18th, 2013: Final SYPA due, no later than 5pm!
Note that you must hand in ONE hard copy to your section leader; ONE hard copy
to your adviser; and ONE hard copy (as well as electronic copy) to Carol Finney in
the MPA/ID office. Of course you may turn in your final SYPA earlier than the
deadline and take full advantage of the spring break.
15 Thursday, April 11th, 2013
PED-402 PLENARY SESSION IN LITTAUER 140
Preparing policy briefs aligned to prevailing interests and ideas.
16 Thursday, April 25th, 2013
PED-402. Deadline for submission of policy briefs