PIM49: Politics of Public Policy

Module code: PIM49

Module provider: Graduate Institute for Politics and International Studies

Credits: 20

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you’ll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Dr David Marshall, email: d.j.marshall@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 23 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

Public policies permeate our everyday lives, with important aspects regulated because of decisions taken by policymakers. This graduate level module is designed to introduce students to the nature of the processes through which policy decisions are made and implemented. It is designed to provide understanding of the making, application, and effects of public actions, with a consideration of how these vary across policy areas and policy-making venues.Ìý

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:Ìý

1. Analyse how various actors, institutions, ideas, and interests can affect policy-making processes and how their roles may differ at different stages of the policy process;Ìý
2. Analyse how policy-making may differ across different policy areas and different policy-making venues;Ìý
3. Appraise and critically assess different understandings of policy-making processes through engagement with both theory and empirical evidence;Ìý
4. Locate, assemble, and analyse relevant information through their own research, using a variety of sources;Ìý
5. Apply theoretical and empirical insights to public policy decisions;Ìý
6. Organise material and articulate arguments effectively, both orally and in writing.Ìý

Module content

Topics likely to be covered:Ìý

• Is Policy-Making Rational?ÌýÌý
• Problem Definition and Agenda-SettingÌý
• Policy Formulation and AdoptionÌý
• Implementation and EvaluationÌýÌý
• The Effects of Policy AreaÌý
• The Effects of Institutions: Executives and LegislaturesÌý
• The Effects of DemocracyÌý
• The Effects of Agency: Leaders, Advocates, ExpertsÌý
• The Effects of organised interests: venue shopping and influenceÌý

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module will be delivered in 11,Ìý2-hour seminars. There are no lectures on this module with students expected to come to class having read the essential readings given on the reading list, and ready to engage with them.Ìý

Study hours

At least 22 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 50% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three wo