The Policy Process and Democracy
PAD 5005/Fall 2009
School of Public Affairs
University of Colorado at Denver
Instructor:
Office:
Email:
Telephone:
Office Hours:
Dr. Malcolm Goggin
1380 Lawrence Street, Denver, CO 500MM
malcolm.goggin@ucdenver.edu
303-315-2132 (office); 719-207-2751 (cell)
By Appointment
Course Overview and Objectives:
The course offers an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the process by which public
policy is created and implemented at all levels of government in U.S. society. The lectures
present a six-stage model of that process involving policy initiation, estimation, selection,
implementation, evaluation, and termination. Democracy as a political system and market
capitalism as an economic system are emphasized, although other systems might be included in
the discussions. The emphasis is on process rather than substantive policy issues. The class
prepares students to recognize, understand, and work with that process in their future work. The
texts used in this course include some of the classics in the field, but case studies will also be
used to help students understand how the theoretical concepts relate to ‘real world’ public
policies.
Students who complete this course successfully will be able to:
 Understand how the policy process works in a democracy
 Work on real world problems in the context of the process and politics
 Analyze legislative policies and alternatives
 Understand the barriers to successful implementation and how to overcome them
 Prepare an in-depth Review a Segment of the Policy Literature for Academics and
Practitioners
 Think critically and engage in intelligent discussion of contemporary policy issues
Required Readings:
Dahl, Robert. On Democracy.
Dutton, Diana with Thomas Preston and Nancy Pfund, Worse than the Disease: Pitfalls of
Medical Progress.
Janis, Irving, Groupthink.
Pressman, Jeffrey, and Aaron Wildavsky, Implementation.
1
The Policy Process and Democracy (Summer 2008)
Each of these books should be read in their entirety. We will also use journal articles and links to
news stories. These resources will be available on e-reserves through the Auraria Library
(http://docuserv.auraria.edu).
Assignments
The expectations for this course include active class participation in threaded discussions, a
policy analysis memo, a literature review, and a final exam or term paper.
Detailed instructions on each of these assignments, including format, due dates, and subject will
be distributed during the course of the semester.
Class Participation (25 %): As with any graduate level course, you are expected to read the
assigned material before the unit begins, and be prepared to discuss during unit threaded
discussions the concepts, theories, and findings in that material. Your participation in threaded
discussions and group work will be evaluated by the instructor at the end of each unit.
Literature Review (20%): You will be asked to write a comprehensive review of a portion of the
policy literature in order to understand how to develop a review that meets professional and
academic standards.
Policy Analysis Memo (20%): You will be expected to select a legislative policy in the Colorado
General Assembly from 2008 or 2009, and conduct a policy analysis of the proposed legislation
and alternatives to that legislation. Your analysis will be presented in a policy memo format.
Final Exam (35%): A comprehensive final exam will be given in an open-book open-notes threehour essay exam.
Term Paper: In lieu of the comprehensive final exam, you may write a research paper. The
research paper is due the same day as the final exam. Details will be handed out via an
announcement on the course eCollege site.
Assignment
% Final Grade
Class Participation
25%
Literature Review
20%
Policy Analysis Memo
20%
Final Exam or Term Paper 35%
TOTAL
100%
Course Outline
This class is written lecture/threaded discussion format, which means that weekly lectures
covering the tentative topics listed in the Course Schedule in this syllabus will be given, followed
by a previously assigned topic for group threaded discussion. The readings listed in this syllabus
are the readings that you should have done prior to the unit for which each is assigned.
2
The Policy Process and Democracy (Summer 2008)
COURSE SCHEDULE
The schedule for the semester is as follows:
Unit 1: Aug 17-24
Course Introduction
Unit 2: Aug 25-Sept 4
Overview of the Policy Process
Labor Day Holiday: Sept 7
Unit 3: Sept 8-20
Policy Initiation and Agenda Setting
Unit 4: Sept 21-Oct 4
Policy Estimation
Literature Review Assignment due in class: Oct 5
Unit 5: Oct 5-18
Policy Selection
Unit 6: Oct 19-Nov 1
Policy Implementation
Unit 7: Nov 2-19
Policy Evaluation
Policy Memo due in class: Nov 20
Fall Break: Nov 23-29
Unit 8: Nov 30 - Dec 6
Policy Termination
3
The Policy Process and Democracy (Summer 2008)
Unit 9: Dec 5-10
Review for the Final Exam
Final Exam or Term Paper due: Dec 10
Course Policies
This class should be a venue where students can discuss and present ideas and receive
constructive feedback. To that end, it is vital that students participate in thoughtful dialogue and
discourse and respect a diversity of opinions and experiences.
Attendance:
I understand that there may be times when you need to miss a unit’s threaded discussion
for a business trip, illness, or emergency. You do not need to contact me for these
reasons, but if you miss more than two threaded discussions for other than documented
medical reasons, you will be urged to drop the course or will receive a C in the course
(which will require you to retake the course since it is a core requirement).
Late Work:
Late work will be penalized one half of a letter grade per day it is late (for example, your
90% assignment would become an 85%). If you cannot turn in an assignment by the
deadline posted, you must notify the instructor prior to the deadline. Excuses for late
work will be accepted at the discretion of the instructor and only prior to the assignment
deadline.
Course Communication:
Changes to the syllabus and details regarding assignments will be made as an
announcement on the course eCollege site and occasionally by email. It is your
responsibility to provide and maintain a current email account and check it regularly for
course updates.
Students with Disabilities:
If you need special accommodations for a disability, please notify me and we will work
to ensure that you are provided with the accommodations that you need, based on
University policies.
Writing Standards.
Student papers and examination should evidence familiarity and critical appreciation of
both required readings, lectures, workshops, case studies, and class discussion. Written
work must reflect independent thought and be well-written and logically persuasive, in
addition to being well-informed. All papers must meet academic and professional
standards for form and substance. Note: plagiarism represents grounds for a failing
grade in the class; see the University of Colorado Honor Code below for details. All
exams and papers must be submitted in class and on time.
Academic Honesty:
You are responsible for adhering to the Student Code of Conduct for the University of
Colorado at Denver. If you have any questions regarding plagiarism and attribution of
work, please see the University policy or ask your instructor. All work for this course is
expected to be fully cited in accordance with guidelines given with each assignment.
4
The Policy Process and Democracy (Summer 2008)
Academic Honor Code – From the University of Colorado Denver Course Catalog, 20072008*
A university’s reputation is built on a standing tradition of excellence and scholastic integrity.
As members of the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center academic
community, faculty and students accept the responsibility to maintain the highest standards of
intellectual honesty and ethical conduct in completing all forms of academic work at the
university.
Forms of Academic Dishonesty
Students are expected to know, understand, and comply with the ethical standards of the
university. . . . Academic dishonesty is defined as a student’s use of unauthorized assistance with
intent to deceive an instructor or other such person who may be assigned to evaluate the
student’s work in meeting course and degree requirements. Examples of academic dishonesty
include, but are not limited to, the following:
 Plagiarism – Plagiarism is the use of another person’s distinctive ideas or words without
acknowledgement. . . . .
 Cheating – Cheating involves the possession, communication, or use of information,
materials, notes, study aids, or other devices not authorized by the instructor in any
academic exercise, or communication with another person during such an exercise. . . . .
 Fabrication and Falsification – Fabrication involves inventing or counterfeiting
information, i.e., creating results not obtained in a study or laboratory experiment.
Falsification, on the other hand, involves the deliberate alteration or changing of results
to suit one’s needs in an experiment or other academic exercise.
 Multiple Submission – This is the submission of academic work for which academic
credit has already been earned, when such submission is made without instructor
authorization.
 Misuse of Academic Materials – The misuse of academic materials includes but is not
limited to the following:
 stealing or destroying library or reference materials or computer programs
 stealing or destroying another student’s notes or materials or having such
materials in one’s possession without the owner’s permission
 receiving assistance in locating or using sources of information in an
assignment when such assistance has been forbidden by the instructor
 illegitimate possession, disposition or use of examinations or answer keys
to examinations
 unauthorized alteration, forgery or falsification of academic records
 unauthorized sale or purchase of examinations, papers or assignment
 Complicity in Academic Dishonesty – Complicity involves knowingly contributing to
another’s acts of academic dishonesty.
*From the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center Undergraduate and
Graduate 2007-2008 Catalog, p. 47.
Grading:
To earn an A in this course, you must complete superior work in all aspects of course
material. To earn a B+, your work must be deemed above average. Students who receive
a B or B- will be those whose work is considered average. Assignments and expectations
5
The Policy Process and Democracy (Summer 2008)
for this course will be rigorous and you will be expected to complete work based on these
expectations. Below is the grading scale that will be used in this course.
Grading Scale
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD
F
%
93-100
90-92
87-89
83-86
80-82
77-79
73-76
70-72
60-69
< 59
I hope you enjoy this course, and I look forward to working with you!
ABOUT THE PROFESSOR:
Professor Malcolm Goggin is a Clinical Professor at the University of Colorado Denver. He
earned his doctorate in political science in 1981 from Stanford University and has taught in the
Stanford University political science department and the department of family, community and
preventive medicine at the Stanford University Medical School. He was also a tenured professor
in the department of political science at the University of Houston’s Central Campus and taught
public policy and administration in the MPA and Ph.D. programs there and at Michigan State
University. He is the author or editor of five books and scores of articles and monographs. Dr.
Goggin has been a Fulbright Scholar (University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland), a Guest
Scholar at the Brookings Institution, and a Senior Fellow at the Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of
Government at SUNY, Albany. He has been teaching graduate courses at the University of
Colorado Graduate School of Public Affairs since 2005.
6
The Policy Process and Democracy (Summer 2008)