COURSE INFORMATION Course Title: GOVERNMENT, POLITICS AND PUBLIC POLICY IN ALBANIA

Code	Course Type	Regular Semester	Theory	Practice	Lab	Credits	ECTS
PIR 261	B	3	4	0	0	4	5

Academic staff member responsible for the design of the course syllabus (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature)	NA
Main Course Lecturer (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours:	Assoc.Prof.Dr. Lisen Bashkurti lbashkurti@epoka.edu.al , Monday, at 14:30-17:30 hours
Second Course Lecturer(s) (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours:	NA
Teaching Assistant(s) and Office Hours:	NA
Language:	English
Compulsory/Elective:	Compulsory
Study program: (the study for which this course is offered)	Bachelor in Political Science and International Relations (3 years)
Classroom and Meeting Time:	Monday and Wednesday, at 12:30-14:30 time intervals
Code of Ethics:	Code of Ethics of EPOKA University Regulation of EPOKA University "On Student Discipline"
Attendance Requirement:	N/A
Course Description:	The primary goal of this course is to obtain an understanding of the basic principles, functions and foundations of the Albanian system of government and politics. It aims to study the methods in which major and transformative changes take place in Albanian public policy. What makes some reforms succeed and other fail? Overall, this course explores the major political institutions and organizations in the Albanian policy process.
Course Objectives:	The primary goal of this course is to obtain an understanding of the basic principles, functions and foundations of the Albanian system of government and politics. It aims to study the methods in which major and trans-formative changes take place in Albanian public policy. Why at makes some reforms succeed and other fail? Overall, this course explores the major political institutions and organizations in the Albanian policy process.

BASIC CONCEPTS OF THE COURSE

1	Meaning of public policy, its characteristics, its steps and the areas
2	Government politics in Albania
3	The main areas of public policy in Albania

COURSE OUTLINE

Week	Topics
1	Introduction on political concepts, terms and definitions
2	The Constitution of Albania: Analysis; Sovereignty , Strengths and Weaknesses
3	The Parliament, the Prime Minister and the President
4	Political Parties: Structure, Policies and Ideas
5	Local Government
6	Elections and Voting: Electoral System, Electoral reform and Voting Behavior
7	Midterm Week
8	Democracy and Participation in Albania
9	Policy Analysis, Implementation and Evaluation System in Albania
10	Foreign Policy
11	Economic and Budgetary Policy
12	Environmental and Energy Policy
13	Health Care and Social Policy
14	EU Cohesion Policy and Accession: Important Issue for Albania

Prerequisite(s):	N/A
Textbook(s):	Albanian Journal of Politics, http://ajp.alpsa.org/ Beshku, K.; Malltezi, O. (2013), Albania and Europe in a Political Regard, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, New Castle: UK Albanian Institute for International Studies, http://www.aiis-albania.org/publications.html Politics of Albania, https://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Politics_of_Albania.html Albanian Center for Economics Research, http://www.acer.org.al/
Additional Literature:	-Kushtetuta e Republikes se Shqiperise, 2016 - Albanian Journal of Politics, http://ajp.alpsa.org/ -L. Bashkurti, “National and European Identity of Albania”, ADSh, Tirane, 2006
Laboratory Work:	N/A
Computer Usage:	N/A
Others:	No

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

1	To understand the basic theoretical concepts, systems, developments, events that characterized the Balkan region from 1600 to 1900 century, by using comparative analysis between Habsburg and Ottoman Empires.
2	To have foundation knowledge and necessary analytical capacity to clearly understand how the geography and the history has impacted the Balkan Peninsula and what were the main differences in two parts of the Balkans.
3	To be able to use theoretical concepts and historical knowledge to find out why the Balkans has so many challenges in know a time.
4	To develop their critical approach about the lesson learned from the Balkan political history and its impact in current and future development of the Region on the way of their integration in UE and NATO.

COURSE CONTRIBUTION TO... PROGRAM COMPETENCIES (Blank : no contribution, 1: least contribution ... 5: highest contribution)

No	Program Competencies	Cont.
Bachelor in Political Science and International Relations (3 years) Program
1	Having and using advanced knowledge and comprehension supported by textbooks including actual knowledge in political sciences and international relations literature, materials and the other scientific resources.	5
2	Analyzing data, ideas and concepts of current political issues and international relations, determining complex events and topics, making discussions and developing new suggestions in accordance with researches.	5
3	Having knowledge and thought about actual topics and problems together with their historical, social and cultural aspects.	5
4	Introducing those who are interested in politics and international events with the topics of Political Science and IR and teaching clearly the problems and the types of solutions.	5
5	Improving skills of working together with the main social science disciplines and other disciplines which are related to Political Science and International Relations.	5
6	Improving critical thinking and skills in making research independently.	5
7	Developing solutions about the problems and conflicts which are common in national and international arena.	5
8	Improving skills for leadership and research and analyze capacity of those who is responsible with national and international ones.	5
9	Knowing any foreign language enough to communicate with colleagues and understand actual researches and articles.	5
10	Gaining IT skills to use computer and technology) in order to reach actual knowledge.	3
11	Gaining skills to follow societal, scientific and ethic values during collecting, interpreting, conducting of data related to social and political developments.	3
12	Having consciousness about human rights and environment.	5
13	Gaining the skills to follow actual developments and pursue long-life learning.	5

COURSE EVALUATION METHOD

Method	Quantity	Percentage
Midterm Exam(s)	1	40
Final Exam	1	50
Other	1	10
	Total Percent:	100%

ECTS (ALLOCATED BASED ON STUDENT WORKLOAD)

Activities	Quantity	Duration(Hours)	Total Workload(Hours)
Course Duration (Including the exam week: 16x Total course hours)	15	4	60
Hours for off-the-classroom study (Pre-study, practice)			0
Mid-terms	1	13	13
Assignments	2	11	22
Final examination	1	30	30
Other			0
Total Work Load:			125
Total Work Load/25(h):			5
ECTS Credit of the Course:			5

CONCLUDING REMARKS BY THE COURSE LECTURER

The understanding of government policy and its main areas and characteristics as the public policy that concerns the entire people and its interests.