COURSE INFORMATION Course Title: PUBLIC POLICY MAKING AND ANALYSIS

Code	Course Type	Regular Semester	Theory	Practice	Lab	Credits	ECTS
PIR 361	B	5	3	0	0	3	5

Academic staff member responsible for the design of the course syllabus (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature)	Dr. Dea Haxhiu dbashkurti@epoka.edu.al
Main Course Lecturer (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours:	Dr. Dea Haxhiu dbashkurti@epoka.edu.al
Second Course Lecturer(s) (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) 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:
Teaching Assistant(s) and Office Hours:	NA
Code of Ethics:	Code of Ethics of EPOKA University Regulation of EPOKA University "On Student Discipline"
Attendance Requirement:
Course Description:	The course aims to introduce students to theories, politics and methods of public policy making and analysis, public policy issues, processes and actors, as well as environment on which public policy takes place. Its main focus is the public policy making and analysis cycle. It covers each step of policy making accompanied by policy analysis pertaining to produce better policies: agenda setting and problem structuring, policy formulation and forecasting, decision making and recommendations, policy implementation and monitoring, policy evaluation.
Course Objectives:	The goals of this course are to provide students with an understanding of the role that analysis plays in the policymaking process, to make students critical consumers of policy analysis, and to equip students with the basic skills necessary to write and present a professional policy analysis paper. We will consider some fundamental questions: What are the rationales for collective action in private affairs? What are the limitations to collective action? What are the generic instruments of public policy? What are the appropriate roles for policy analysts in democratic societies? Answering these questions builds the conceptual foundations for policy making and analysis.

BASIC CONCEPTS OF THE COURSE

1	Policy Outputs: The formal actions that governments take to pursue their goals.
2	Policy Outcomes: The effects that policy outputs, such as the passing of a law, have on society.
3	Policy legitimation: A step in the policy process that gives legal force to decisions or authorizes or justifies policy action.
4	Policy Implementation: The actual development of a program’s details to ensure that policy goals and objectives will be attained; it is during this part of the policy process when one sees actual government intervention and real consequences for society.

COURSE OUTLINE

Week	Topics
1	Introduction of the Course and its Objectives
2	The Study of Public Policy. The chapter explains that Public policy is what public officials within government, and by extension the citizens they represent, choose to do or not to do about public problems. Public problems refer to conditions the public widely perceives to be unacceptable and that therefore require intervention. Pg. 55-110. Kraft, M. E., & Furlong, S. R. (2021). Public policy: Politics, analysis, and alternatives. Cq Press
3	Government Institutions and Policy Actors. The chapter explains that most people recognize that government today is much larger than it was at the nation’s founding, and that it is also much more likely to affect their lives, from regulation of broadcast media to provision of loans for college education. Pg. 118-185. Kraft, M. E., & Furlong, S. R. (2021). Public policy: Politics, analysis, and alternatives. Cq Press; Clemons, R., & McBeth, M. K.
4	Understanding Public Policymaking. The chapter describes different theories of public policy and how they help to explain the decisions made. Discuss the policy process model, from the steps associated with making public policy to the role of policy analysis in the design and formulation of policy actions and the evaluation of policies. Pg. 187-250.Kraft, M. E., & Furlong, S. R. (2021). Public policy: Politics, analysis, and alternatives. Cq Press; Clemons, R., & McBeth, M. K.
5	Policy Analysis. The chapter explains the nature of policy analysis and shows how policy analysis is used in the policymaking process. As well as, compare and contrast the different types of policy analysis. Pg. 258-308. Kraft, M. E., & Furlong, S. R. (2021). Public policy: Politics, analysis, and alternatives. Cq Press; Clemons, R., & McBeth, M. K.
6	Public Problems and Policy Alternatives. The chapter dives into explaining how to describe, measure, and analyze public problems, and how to think about their causes and possible solutions. As well, to describe how to find pertinent information about problems and governmental actions. Assessing the policy tools that governments have available to address problems. Pg. 310-411.Kraft, M. E., & Furlong, S. R. (2021). Public policy: Politics, analysis, and alternatives. Cq Press; Clemons, R., & McBeth, M. K.
7	Economic and Budgetary Policy. The chapter describes the role of economic policymaking and its challenges. Explaining the major goals associated with economic policy. Pg.432- 510. Kraft, M. E., & Furlong, S. R. (2021). Public policy: Politics, analysis, and alternatives. Cq Press; Clemons, R., & McBeth, M. K.
8	Health Care Policy. The chapter focuses on understanding the history and evolution of government involvement in health care and explaining major government health care programs. Identifies important health care policy issues. Pg. 523-587. Kraft, M. E., & Furlong, S. R. (2021). Public policy: Politics, analysis, and alternatives. Cq Press
9	Midterm exam
10	Welfare and Social Security Policy. The chapter describes issues related to poverty and different perspectives about why it occurs. As well, understand the basics of the Social Security program and different policy options offered to improve it. Kraft, M. E., & Furlong, S. R. (2021). Public policy: Politics, analysis, and alternatives. Cq Press. Pg. 603- 657
11	Education Policy. Discuss the issues surrounding various policy choices that could be used to address problems in higher education. Assess policy reforms that have been suggested to address school quality issues. Kraft, M. E., & Furlong, S. R. (2021). Public policy: Politics, analysis, and alternatives. Cq Press. Pg. 671- 730
12	Foreign Policy and Homeland Security. The chapter explains the nature of foreign policy and homeland security and the key concepts associated with them. Describing major issues in foreign policy and homeland security. Kraft, M. E., & Furlong, S. R. (2021). Public policy: Politics, analysis, and alternatives. Cq Press. Pg. 828-881
13	Politics, Analysis, and Policy Choice. Describe how policy analysis can clarify the problems and policy alternatives that citizens and policymakers face. Evaluate policy proposals and actions for their effectiveness, efficiency, and equity, among other concerns. Kraft, M. E., & Furlong, S. R. (2021). Public policy: Politics, analysis, and alternatives. Cq Press. Pg. 900-941
14	Presentation of the students project, revision of the course

Prerequisite(s):
Textbook(s):	Kraft, M. E., & Furlong, S. R. (2021). Public policy: Politics, analysis, and alternatives. Cq Press; Clemons, R., & McBeth, M. K. (2020). Public policy praxis: A case approach for understanding policy and analysis. Routledge.
Additional Literature:	Thomas, M., & Bojicic-Dzelilovic, V. (2014). Public Policy Making in the Western Balkans. London: Springer.
Laboratory Work:
Computer Usage:
Others:	No

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

1	Conduct basic policy analysis for real-world problems
2	Prepare well-organized, clear, and understandable policy documents
3	Plan and present policy arguments and briefings
4	Understand the political context of policy analysis—remember that politics govern the exercise of authority, power, and privilege to determine who gets what, when, and how
5	Read and understand policy research

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.	4
9	Knowing any foreign language enough to communicate with colleagues and understand actual researches and articles.	2
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.	4
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	30
Presentation	1	5
Project	1	15
Final Exam	1	35
Attendance		15
	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)	16	3	48
Hours for off-the-classroom study (Pre-study, practice)	14	3	42
Mid-terms			0
Assignments	1	10	10
Final examination	1	20	20
Other	1	5	5
Total Work Load:			125
Total Work Load/25(h):			5
ECTS Credit of the Course:			5

CONCLUDING REMARKS BY THE COURSE LECTURER