This course examines the major concepts, theoretical frameworks, and substantive dilemmas of the public policymaking process. The aim of this course is to arm students with a myriad of tools to understand, evaluate, and contextualize specific political problems in the public policy arena. SS480 is the capstone course for American Politics majors in the Social Sciences Department. Students will be expected to integrate the concepts of not only "Sosh" basic, toolbox, and elective courses, but knowledge acquired from other courses from other disciplines as well. Public policy spans the disciplines of politics, economics, sociology, philosophy, and psychology, as policymakers wrestle with developing and implementing value-laden decisions in a world of scarcity and uncertainty. As such, the student of public policy must use a variety of social science tools - and increasingly, physical science tools as well as to dissect policy problems, develop viable and feasible alternatives, and fashion methods of adoption and implementation. Consequently, this course is designed to build upon the student's conceptual and analytical base in the quest to establish and refine a systematic approach to public policy analysis, formulation, adoption, and implementation.
Lessons
40 @ 55 min (2.500 Att/wk)
Labs
0 @ 0 min
Special requirements
Analytical writing requirments; compensatory time provided.
