Policy Analysis

Course Description

Should we get rid of neighborhood schools and allow a system of full choice? Should higher education be free for all students? Should the government expand access to subsidized housing? These are but a small set of the complex and important questions facing government today. This course is designed to help you learn how to identify underlying causes and explore potential solutions to problems facing public schools, institutes of higher education, and other complex organizations. Using the tools of policy analysis, our focus will be on understanding the problems these policies are trying to solve, the success of existing policies, and the potential alternative policies that might be available to solve them. Throughout the semester you will learn to evaluate the evidence for and against various policies and develop concise reports of your findings and recommendations. While it is impossible to provide an in-depth analysis of such a broad topic as "policy", we will cover many of the major current initiatives including market-based reforms of K-12 education. While the content for the first four sessions is set, specific topics for the remaining sessions will be determined at the beginning of the semester to reflect the interests of enrolled students.

Code

EDUC 8402

Credits

3

Subject

EDUC

Programs That Include This Course

• Doctoral Doctor of Philosophy in Policy and Organizational Studies
• Doctoral Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education and Policy