Time Schedule:
Robert D. Plotnick
PB AF 570
Seattle Campus
Examines major institutions and programs in the human resources policy area: education, regulation of labor market, health care, income maintenance, social services. Discusses alternative policy instruments, analytic perspectives, intergovernmental issues, and management issues arising across policy areas. Explores challenges of linking services and clients across separate agencies.
Class description
The course covers a set of policy analysis and management issues that cut across all areas of social policy – education, income support, health, social services, etc. The primary course objectives are to further develop your policy analysis and management skills and to demonstrate how these skills can be applied to specific social policy issues. Another important objective is to familiarize you with some of the major current issues and themes within the broad area of social policy.
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
Class sessions emphasize active student participation and extensive discussion of the readings informed, in part, by students' prior work experiences and special interests. The instructor lectures on selected issues. Experts from the Evans Schoollead discussions on several topics.
Recommended preparation
The course is geared for students in Public Affairs who have taken "core" courses in policy analysis, economics, statistics and management. Students not enrolled in the MPA program should have had some study of public policy analysis and management.
Class assignments and grading
Class participation, including preparing discussion questions based on the readings. A major paper and presentation of the paper's main findings to the class.
Participation and questions - 1/3 Paper and presentations - 2/3
