6 ECTS credits
150 h study time
Offer 1 with catalog number 1021443CER for all students in the 2nd semester
at
a (C) Bachelor - specialised level.
- Semester
- 2nd semester
- Enrollment based on exam contract
- Possible
- Grading method
- Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
- Can retake in second session
- Yes
- Taught in
- English
- Partnership Agreement
- Under interuniversity agreement for degree program
- Faculty
- Faculty of Social Sciences & SolvayBusinessSchool
- Department
- Communication Sciences
- External partners
- Universiteit Gent
- Educational team
- Ilse Marien
(course titular)
- Activities and contact hours
- 18 contact hours Lecture
21 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
107 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study
- Course Content
This course sheds light on the most used methods in policy analysis. It touches upon the concepts of policy and public policy, but its focus is on the methods that can be used to analyze policies and make prescriptions for new policies. The course does not provide an exhaustive overview of all policy analysis methods. It discusses a selection of methods that are particularly useful to analyze aspects of European and national policymaking. Such methods are expert interviews, document analysis, case studies, stakeholder assessments, cost-benefit analysis, brainstorm, Delphi, problem structuring, etc. The course adopts a hands-on approach, meaning students will actively experiment with a diversity of methods and apply these to a concrete use case.
- Course material
- Digital course material (Required) : Slides Policy Analysis
Digital course material (Recommended) : Complementary Readings Policy Analysis
- Additional info
Not Applicable.
- Learning Outcomes
-
General Competences
- Students have knowledge and insight regarding applicable research methods in policy analysis.
- Students demonstrate insight in the diversity of methodological sources and techniques.
- Students show a critical attitude with regard to methodological sources and techniques.
- Students can develop their own scientifically grounded judgement and act in the spirit of free inquiry – i.e. with an open, critical-constructive and a-dogmatic attitude. Students do not seek ‘ultimate truths’, yet respond to scientific debate and the relative uncertainty of insights from an open position.
- Students develop an attitude of willingness to listen and respect to one another in order to engage in debates on the basis of scientifically and empirically grounded arguments.
- Students can – with guidance – learn and act independently, creatively, critically and entrepreneurially.
- Students apply, under supervision and on a general and junior level, knowledge and insights regarding diverse research methods of policy analysis. They can communicate their findings.
- Grading
-
The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Written Exam determines 100% of the final mark.
Within the Written Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:
- Written Exam
with a relative weight of 50
which comprises 50% of the final mark.
- Group Assignment
with a relative weight of 50
which comprises 50% of the final mark.
- Additional info regarding evaluation
Students are evaluated on the basis of:
- A group assignment in which they are asked (in group) to apply a diversity of policy analysis methods to a concrete use case.
- A written examen in which they are asked to develop an argumented methodological approach to conduct a policy analysis on a given case study;
The evaluation is twofolded. The students are evaluated in group based upon a professional file that is accomplished in group and individually via a written exam. Students can register for the group assignment ultimately 4 weeks after the start of the first lecture. After this moment, students are no longer allowed to register for the group assignment and cannot participate in the group work. They are still permitted to participate in the written exam and to execute the group assignment according to the specifications of second session made available in the assignment description on Canvas.
- Allowed unsatisfactory mark
- The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.
Academic context
This offer is part of the following study plans:
Bachelor of Social Sciences: Communication Studies
Bachelor of Social Sciences: Political Sciences
Bachelor of Social Sciences: Sociology