Undergraduate Module Descriptor

POC1014: The Public Policy Process

This module descriptor refers to the 2017/8 academic year.

Please note that this module is only delivered on the Penryn Campus.

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following themes:

Introduction to the policy process – policy types and stages, module assessments, reading
Major theories of the policy process – pluralism, neopluralism, structuralism, networks, institutional theory, advocacy coalition framework
Relating theories to a case study
The decisional phase
1. Issues and agenda-setting
2. Policy formulation
3. Policy instruments
4. Decision-making
5. The post-decisional phase
  1. Implementation
  2. Evaluation, succession/termination
  3. Conclusions and new horizons in public policy research

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
27.5	122.5	0

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled learning and teaching activity	16.5 hours	11 Lectures 1.5 hours each
Scheduled learning and teaching activity	11 hours	11 Seminars 1 hour duration
Guided independent study	122.5 hours	Private study. Students will be given directed reading to complete which will support the lectures, seminars and coursework (approximately 50% of the allocated time). Students will be expected to devote the rest of this time to the formative exercise and completing the summative case study. The case study will also require some independent research, although guidance will be given in class and on request.

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).