Politics Of Public Policy Level 7 Sem 2 Module Handbook 2024/25 Student Information | Leeds Beckett University

Introduction from the Module Leader

This module develops conceptual and analytical skills to enable critical and empirically led reflection and evaluation of government’s action and inaction. The module introduces relevant debates as well as theoretical tools to help make sense of how politicians and other policy makers in UK respond to different social and economic pressures and how this compares with other countries. We will explore, in turn, the interests, ideas, and institutions that shape and influence the behaviour of key actors in public policy making. In doing so, we will be examining the potential impact both positive and negative on the quality and effectiveness of policies and their potential for change.

Module Learning Outcomes

LO1: Critically reflect on different theories of the policy process applicable to the UK context and how this compares with other countries.
LO2: Critically reflect on different means of evaluating public policy.
LO3: Locate contemporary developments in public policy in their appropriate theoretical and conceptual contexts.
LO4: Develop oral and written communication skills, and demonstrate effective synthesis and communication of information, idea and analysis.

Module Aims

1. Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge and understanding of public policy informed by current scholarship and research, including a critical awareness of current issues, theories and developments in the subject area.
2. To gain sophistication in critical thinking and independence of thought, through the ability to apply concepts, theories and methods used in the study of public policy to analyse political choices, practices and issues in a professional context.
3. Demonstrate effective teamwork and collaborative skills with colleagues, academics, practitioners and wider stakeholders, and professional standards of appropriate written and oral communication.

Assessment Details

Assessment 1

Assessment on the module is by means of:

Assessment 1: 1000-word policy process report due 26 March 2025 by 16.00 (30%)

Instructions: The aim in this assessment is to demonstrate understanding of the policy process and contextual factors behind the emergence of particular policies. Select a public policy and write a short report on its origins. The report should comprise:

1. A brief statement of the problem (approximately 200 words) the policy was designed to address (if there was one). Bearing in mind that some policy problems can be substantiated with evidence while others are largely discursively constructed, a key focus for you should be to establish the degree to which your problem is a real or constructed one.
2. A statement of the key actors involved in bringing the policy to fruition, and brief summaries of their roles (approximately 500 words). The important thing in this component is to identify the decisive policy actors (as opposed to actors who merely supported a policy that was going to happen anyway) and to, as concisely as possible, explain and evidence their involvement in the policy process. This can be at any stage, from problem definition, to lobbying, to actual policy formulation.
3. A brief reflection on which actors were effectively excluded from the policy process, and why(approximately 300 words). This is in reference to policy actors with an identifiable stake in the outcome, but who were not consulted As the format of this assessment is a report and not an essay, you can dispense with the usual formalities such as an introduction and conclusion. Instead, format individual sections of your report in bullet points or similar. The example and template can be found in the assessment folder.

Assessment 2

Assessment 2: 3000-word essay due 6 May 2024 by 16.00 (70%) 

Instructions: You will be asked to select and answer one essay question. A list of questions will be released closer to the time.

Student Instructionsfor Submission of Coursework

This module requires you to submit your work online. MUST submit your work through MyBeckett using the link set up by the tutor. Receipt of your work will be recorded.

Your "Turnitin assignments" in MyBeckett can be set up so that you can check your assignment yourself as you submit it. This checking is done by creating a "Similarity Report". If this report shows that there are some problems with your work, such as un-cited quotations, you should be able to make corrections and re-submit the work again before the due date. More information about Turnitin is available online here: https://libguides.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/it_support/mybeckett/turnitin

Please note: Tutors will follow up any suspected breach of academic integrity found after the submission date as per University policy. Late penalties will apply as per University Regulations.