Messing-Mathie Course Syllabus p. 1
SCHOOL OF PUBLIC SERVICE
International by Design
Course Details
Course Number & Title:
Term:
Course Date and Time:
Instructors:
Office Hours:
Office Location:
E-mail:
MPS 542 Policy Design and Analysis
Winter 2013
Monday 5:45-9:00
Andrea Messing-Mathie, Ph.D.
Monday and Tuesday, 3:00-5:00 pm. I am
also available by appointment as needed.
1618, 14 E. Jackson
amessing@depaul.edu
Course Description
This course is designed to introduce students to the study of public policy and to provide
students with experience in policy analysis and evaluation. Students are introduced to an
analytical way of thinking that includes: defining and modeling policy problems,
designing policy alternatives, evaluating policy alternatives using ethical, legal,
economic, organizational and political criteria, and anticipating problems of policy
implementation.
Course Objectives
By the completion of the course, you should be able to accomplish the following tasks
with a degree of confidence, which matches your mastery of the materials covered during
the term:
1)
2)
3)
4)
Define and understand public policy and its development:
Define, model, and analyze problems;
Design or modify policy alternatives;
Evaluate trade-offs among policy alternatives using a variety of criteria including
economic, political, ethical; and
5) Communicate the analysis in a form which is understandable and useful to others.
Course Reading Material
Required Reading: Articles on the syllabus are considered required reading. There are
3 required texts.
Weimer, D.L. and A.R. Vining. (2011). Policy Analysis: Concepts and Practice 5th
Edition. Prentice-Hall.
School of Public Service
DePaul University, Chicago
Syllabus MPS 542
Messing-Mathie Course Syllabus p. 2
Stone, Deborah. 2011. The Policy Paradox: The Art of Political Decision-Making. W.W.
Norton.
Bardach, E. (2009). A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis: The Eightfold Path to More
Effective Problem Solving (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: CQ Press.
Other assigned readings will be available on the course D2L site or in our Course
Reserves.
Requirements
Note: I reserve the right to alter this syllabus, particularly the reading assignments, after
consulting with students.
This graduate course is not a lecture based course; rather, it is a hands-on course where
participation in and outside the classroom will determine your grade. Assignments must
be completed and submitted on time to avoid a ½ letter grade penalty for each day it
remains late.
Class Participation (15%) (300 points): This course is designed as a workshop and inclass participation is crucial. Come prepared to contribute to class discussion by carefully
reading the assignments and providing thoughtful feedback on the work of other students.
Each student will be assigned specific readings from the syllabus in which they are
required to submit 5 critical questions/comments that address or identify a strength,
weakness, contradiction, or need for clarification in the reading. These questions should
be submitted by 5:00 of the day the student is assigned. Because this class meets only
once a week, missing class or part of a class can ultimately affect your final grade.
Discussion Papers: (2 @ 10% each) (400 points): On weeks #3 and #8 and students are
required to write a 1-2 page (single-spaced) response to a provided topic. It is expected
that your response integrate course readings, external research and professional
experience-if pertinent. In addition to submitting your paper for grade, students will be
asked to provide a short presentation to the class (5-8 minutes) which highlights the
points in your paper. The schedule for these presentations will be decided upon in the
first week of class. Detailed instructions will be discussed early in the quarter and
provided in written form on D2L.
Case Studies (15%) (300 points): Two cases from the Kennedy School of Government
will be examined. Prior to the class meeting, each student will do some library research
and write up a brief literature review (2 pages, single-spaced, with at least 5 citations),
summarizing the scope, causes, and potential solutions to the policy problem being
addressed. Each student will present their findings and recommendations in class as part
of a group project on the particular case.
Public Policy Analysis Group Project (50%) (1000 points):
This is a five-part project (two project memos (20% of grade); one final report (20% of
grade); one group presentation, a peer evaluation and group reaction memo (10% of
School of Public Service
DePaul University, Chicago
Syllabus MPS 542
Messing-Mathie Course Syllabus p. 3
grade). A variety of tools and concepts will be presented in this course with the intention
of having you develop necessary skills in the area of policy analysis. This assignment is
designed to demonstrate this particular skill development by requiring you to work with
other student “analysts” to develop proposed policy solutions to problems affecting a
specific constituency. Topic choices and detailed project instructions will be discussed
early in the quarter and provided in written form on D2L.
Instructor Policies
Guidelines: Additional content and style guidelines for specific assignments are
available on D2L. I will also review and expand on these guidelines in class. Please ask
for clarification of instructions you do not understand.
Written Work: To help students meet graduate-level and SPS standards, we pay morethan-usual attention to writing as an academic and managerial skill. We judge papers on
the understanding they reflect as well as on their organization, clarity and use of
language. We value clarity and an economy of words. If you need help on this matter,
please ask for it. We also recommend an old standard, Strunk and White, Elements of
Style available online: http://www.bartelby.net/141/ .
I strongly encourage students to consider seeking help from the DePaul University
Writing Centers (available in person at Loop and Lincoln Park Campuses and at
http://140.192.1.66/~writing/). I will recommend you do so if I notice that you are
struggling with a) basic grammatical structure and organization b) inadequate use of
sources or c) a tendency to produce descriptive rather than analytical content.
The writing assignments for this course, with the exception of your final paper or project,
require a more professional and less academic style of writing than you may be familiar
with. I have included a list of writing resources in the D2L site, under External Links.
Grading Criteria
Written assignments are to be turned in on the due date. Assignments must be completed
and submitted on time to avoid a ½ letter grade penalty for each day it remains late.
Papers will be graded on the following criteria: clarity of purpose and focus,
understanding of content, quality of writing (including structure and organizations),
analytical development of ideas, critical analysis and use of appropriate conventions.
Public Services has adopted the Turabian Styles (6th edition). Other styles (MLA, APA,
etc.) could be accepted as long as they are used consistently. The grading scale for the
course is as follows:
Grading Scale
A
94-100
A90-93
B+
87-89
B
84-86
BC+
C
CD+
80-83
77-79
74-76
70-73
67-69
D
DF
64-66
60-63
Below 60
Academic Integrity:
School of Public Service
DePaul University, Chicago
Syllabus MPS 542
Messing-Mathie Course Syllabus p. 4
Students in this course, as well as in all courses in which independent research and
writing play a vital part in the requirements, should be aware of the strong sanctions
against plagiarism as stated in the DePaul University’s Code of Student Responsibility
(http://studentaffairs.depaul.edu/handbook). The instructor may check your papers with
Turn-It-In: Plagiarism Detection Software. If proven, a charge of plagiarism could result
in an automatic “F” in the course and possible expulsion from the program. If you have
any questions or doubts about what counts as plagiarism or how to properly acknowledge
source materials, please consult with the instructor and/or the DePaul writing center.
Universal Design for Learning
SPS is committed to helping students achieve to their full potential by removing barriers
to learning and making reasonable accommodation when appropriate. Please help us by
identifying barriers and suggesting ways we can diminish or remove them.Students with
special learning needs or who are in circumstances which necessitate special
consideration, must contact the instructor at the beginning of the course or earlier.
Students with a documented disability who wish to discuss academic accommodations
should contact the instructor as soon as possible and immediately contact the DePaul
University’s
Office
of
Students
with
Disability
at
http://studentaffairs.depaul.edu/studentswithdisabilities/
Course Outline
Week 1: Monday, January 7
Introduction to the course and review of requirements and assignments
Introduction to Public Policy
Required Reading: (Please read before the 1st class)
 Weimer and Vining. 2002. “Introducing Policy Analysis Craft: The Sheltered
Workshop,” Journal of Policy Analysis and Management. [Course Reserves]
 Romero, Francine Sanders. 2001. “The Policy Analysis Course: Toward a
Discipline of Consensus,” Journal of Policy Analysis and Management 20 (4):
771-779. [Course Reserves]
 Williams, David G., Max O. Stephenson Jr. and David J. Webber. 1991.
“Teaching the Missing Pieces of Policy Analysis,” PS: Political Science and
Politics 24 (2): 218-220. [Course Reserves]
Week 2: Monday, January 14
Problem Definition
The Eightfold Path for Policy Analysis
Required Reading:
 Bardach, Introduction, Part I, Appendix A
 Weimer and Vining, Chapters 1, 2 and 3
School of Public Service
DePaul University, Chicago
Syllabus MPS 542
Messing-Mathie Course Syllabus p. 5
Week 3: Monday, January 21
Policy Objectives and Criteria
Conceptual Foundations for Problem Analysis
Required Reading:
 Bardach, Part II
 Weimer and Vining, Part II
Assignment Due:
 Discussion Paper #1 due
Week 4: Monday, January 28
Case Study #1, “Sound Move: The Debate over Seattle’s Regional Transit System.”
Required Reading:
 “Sound Move: The Debate over Seattle’s Regional Transit System.” [Course
Reserves]
 Suggested Reading: Button, Kenneth. 2006. “Transportation and Infrastructure,”
in Peters, B. Guy and Jon Pierre (eds.). 2006. Handbook of Public Policy, Sage
Publications: London. Pgs.323-338.
Assignment Due:
 Brief Literature Review due
Week 5: Monday, February 4
Policy Options
Conceptual Foundations for Solution Analysis
Required Reading:
 Bardach, Part III and Appendix B
 Weimer and Vining, Part III
Assignment Due:
 Project Memo #1
Week 6: Monday, February 11
Evaluating and Identifying Tradeoffs
Making Policy Under Uncertainty
Required Reading:
 Weimer and Vining, Part IV
School of Public Service
DePaul University, Chicago
Syllabus MPS 542
Messing-Mathie Course Syllabus p. 6
Week 7: Monday, February 18
Policy Adoption and Implementation
Feasibility of Policy
Factors affecting success
Costs, bargaining costs, and opportunity costs
Case Study #2: Pension Reform in California
Required Reading:
 #C16-06-1837.0 2006. “Pension Reform in California.”
 Suggested Reading: Fawcett, Helen. 2006.” Social Policy: Pensions,” in Peters, B.
Guy and Jon Pierre (eds.). 2006. Handbook of Public Policy, Sage Publications:
London. Pgs.323-338.
Assignment due: Brief Literature Review
Week 8: Monday, February 25
The Politics of Policy Analysis
Required Reading:
 Stone, Deborah. 2011. The Policy Paradox: The Art of Political Decision Making.
Assignment due:
 Discussion Paper #2
Week 9: Monday, March 4
In class writing workshop (in groups)
Comparative Approaches
Required Reading:
 Campbell, Heather. 2010. “A Comparative Framework for Analyzing Urban
Environmental Policy,” Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and
Practice Vol 12 (4): 373-394.
 Stone, Diane. 2001. “Learning lessons, policy transfer and the international
diffusion of policy ideas,” CSGR Working Paper No. 69/01.
 Frank Baumgartner, Christoff Green-Pedersen, and Bryan Jones. 2006.
“Comparative Studies of Policy Agendas,” Journal of European Public Policy,
Vol. 13, no. 7 (September): 959-974. [Course Reserves]
 McDonagh, Eileen. 2010. “It takes a State: A Policy Feedback Model of
Women’s Political Representation,” Perspectives on Politics. [Course Reserves]
School of Public Service
DePaul University, Chicago
Syllabus MPS 542
Messing-Mathie Course Syllabus p. 7
Week 10: Monday, March 11
Course conclusions
Doing well and doing good
Student Presentations of Group Projects
Required Reading:
 Weimar and Vining, Chapter 19
Assignment due:
 Final Project Report
Week 11: Monday, March 18 (Finals Week)
Assignment Due: Group Reaction Paper and Peer Evaluations due via D2L by 5:00 pm.
School of Public Service
DePaul University, Chicago
Syllabus MPS 542