Public Policy and Administration

Catalog description

The objective of this introductory course in public policy and public administration is to provide students with a basic understanding of the ways that government deals with problems affecting society. We will explore the political tools used to address public policy problems, as well as the political environment in which public policies are formed. Additionally, several specific public policy problems will be discussed during the semester. For each topic, we will try to understand the goals that the government and society seem to be seeking, alternative means for achieving those goals, the costs and benefits of the various alternatives, and the impact of politics on those goals. We will primarily examine policymaking at the national level, but we will also look at some examples at the state and local level.