The course unit introduces key elements of public policy, examining how policies are developed, implemented, and shaped by institutions and political actors. Students will learn to use policy analysis tools to compare different approaches and assess the trade-offs involved in addressing specific public problems. The UC explores the stages of the policy cycle and connects public policy theory to real-world issues.
By the end, students should be able to: explain how institutions and stakeholders influence policy processes; identify and describe policy cycle stages; apply analytical tools to compare policy options; interpret and communicate policy analysis  effectively; locate relevant literature on agenda-setting, policy formulation and policy choice; and understand how Social Work can influence social policy across the
different phases of the policy cycle.