Course coordinator
Dr Alastair Stark
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Politic Sc & Internat Studies
This course is designed to give students an advanced introduction to public policy research. Students will learn about the landmark contributions that define the field of public policy and the cutting-edge perspectives that are driving it forward today. These perspectives illuminate knowledge about the politics of policy, the processes through which it is produced, the methodologies used to analyse it, and the paradigms, landscape and institutions that envelop it. Absorbing this knowledge leads to learning outcomes that are both scholarly and applicable to the real world of policy and public service (and the large job market that surrounds it).
This course is built around 'classic' and 'cutting edge' policy research. It is orientated towards giving students an understanding of the fundamentals of the field of public policy and an introduction to the most contemporary work that characterises the frontier of policy thinking. Please see the course Learning Guide, which provides aﾠcomprehensive outline of the assessments and course content, for more information. This can be accessed via the assessment section of this Course Profile, the course Blackboard site, or via the course co-ordinator (please email alastair.stark@uq.edu.au).
Course requirements
Assumed background
You don't need to have any knowledge about public policy per se but you will need to have a capacity to engage with advanced texts and a willingness to take charge of a variety of learning activities.
ﾠ
Recommended prerequisites
We recommend completing the following courses before enrolling in this one:
4 units POLS-coded courses
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
GT231, POLS2102
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Alastair Stark
Tutor
Mr Tom Watson
Miss Jacinta Zylstra
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
In addition to the lecture programme, POLS3102 offers a 9-week tutorial program, starting in Week 3. Tutorials will be student led, include student presentations and student-led learning exercises, and provide an opportunity to consolidate and develop your understanding of the themes and ideas introduced at the previous week's lecture (and in the associated readings).
Aims and outcomes
The aims of this course are to:
- Provide students with an advanced understanding of the key perspectives in public policy and governance.
- Encourage students to critically analyse public policy and governance research.ﾠ
- Equip students with an understanding of how research can be used to analyse public policy practice.ﾠ
A graduate of Political Science understands the complexity of democratic systems in terms of the ideas, institutions, and policies that define them. They are capable of synthesizing diverse types of evidence and assessing it independently of their own beliefs and interests, communicating their judgements persuasively in written and oral forms. These skills are essential to policy and political leadership that addresses the challenges facing the world’s democracies.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
understand and comment upon perspectives about the nature of public policy
LO2.
comment upon and understand how the policy process operates in Australian and other countries
LO3.
understand the nature and limits of various forms of policy analysis
LO4.
understand how the governance landscape shapes policy processes
LO5.
apply concepts and ideas that help diagnose how to address real world policy problems
LO6.
digest and summarise complex theoretical material relating to governance and public policy
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participation/ Student contribution | Tutorial Participation | 10% |
5/08/2024 - 14/10/2024 |
| Presentation, Tutorial/ Problem Set |
Presentation and Tutorial Management
|
30% |
5/08/2024 - 14/10/2024
Students are allocated a specific tutorial slot during the semester. Each student will do one presentation/tutorial exercise. |
| Essay/ Critique | Critical Analysis of a Classic Text (1500 words) | 20% |
2/09/2024 9:00 am |
| Essay/ Critique |
Cutting-Edge Essay (3000 words)
|
40% |
18/10/2024 5:00 pm |
Assessment details
Tutorial Participation
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance
- Category
- Participation/ Student contribution
- Weight
- 10%
- Due date
5/08/2024 - 14/10/2024
Task description
Students will be awarded 10% of their overall mark based on their level of participation in tutorial discussions and activities. This is an essential feature of the course because in POLS3102 tutorials are run by students who are assessed on this capacity (see tutorial exercise assessment below). What that means is that you will need your classmates to engage. In order to facilitate this we offer ten marks. As we have an odd number of tutes you will get 2 marks for participation in the last tutorial and one mark per tute for the remainder of the semester.
Assessment tasks are intended to evaluate a student’s abilities, skills, and knowledge. Unless explicitly stated otherwise in the assessment instructions, assessments are to be completed without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT). Failure to comply with this direction may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
It is not possible to extend this assessment it is in-class but students who have Student Access Plans can arrange an alternative via the course coordinator.
Presentation and Tutorial Management
- Identity Verified
- Team or group-based
- In-person
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance, Oral
- Category
- Presentation, Tutorial/ Problem Set
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
5/08/2024 - 14/10/2024
Students are allocated a specific tutorial slot during the semester. Each student will do one presentation/tutorial exercise.
- Other conditions
- Time limited.
Task description
Students in POLS3102 are required to run a 50 minute tutorial on their own with minimal (in class) assistance from the course staff (but lots of help out of class in terms of preparing). All of the details are again in the learning guide. However, the basics:
Typically, two students will be allocated this responsibility each week and they need to perform two tasks: 1) deliver a presentation on that week’s topic; and, 2) manage the remainder of the tutorial in a way that facilitates an understanding of public policy and governance research amongst their classmates.
Students will receive 30 marks for this tutorial exercise. The high percentage of total course marks allocated to tutorials demands students take these tasks seriously.
PLEASE READ THE APPROPRIATE SECTION OF THE LEARNING GUIDE CLOSELY SO THAT YOU ARE AWARE OF THE MARKING CRITERIA AND EXPECTATIONS AROUND THIS ASSESSMENT.
Assessment tasks are intended to evaluate a student’s abilities, skills, and knowledge. Unless explicitly stated otherwise in the assessment instructions, assessments are to be completed without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT). Failure to comply with this direction may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
The tutor assesses presentation and tutorial exercise in-class and an assessment sheet is sent to each student.
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
It is not possible to extend the assessment as it is in-class. However students with Student Access Plans can arrange an alternative via the course coordinator.
Critical Analysis of a Classic Text (1500 words)
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
2/09/2024 9:00 am
Task description
For this assessment you will need to provide a critical analysis of a classic public policy text. There are more details in the Learning Guide but essentially this task requires you to show: 1) an understanding of the text itself; 2) an awareness of its impact on the field of policy research; 3) an analysis of its value as a means of understanding public policy today. To address 1 you obviously have to go to the text itself but to address 2 and 3 you will need to engage with a variety of secondary literatures that have commented upon the original.
Assessment tasks are intended to evaluate a student’s abilities, skills, and knowledge. Unless explicitly stated otherwise in the assessment instructions, assessments are to be completed without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT). Failure to comply with this direction may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Submission:
Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using Turnitin.
In uploading an assignment via Turnitin you are certifying that it is your original work, that it has not been copied in whole or part from another person or source except where this is properly acknowledged, and that it has not in whole or part been previously submitted for assessment in any other course at this or any other university.
When you successfully submit your assessment to Turnitin after previewing the uploaded document (to make sure that you have chosen the correct file), you should see the “Submission Complete!” message. After this, a downloadable Digital Receipt will display on your Assignment Dashboard. It is your responsibility to download the Digital Receipt as proof of submission. Turnitin will not send this receipt to you automatically.
If you don’t see the downloadable receipt on your assignment dashboard, you should regard your submission as unsuccessful.
If the submission was not successful:
- Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot).
- Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again.
- If you cannot submit again, then email your course coordinator immediately.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Unless an extension is granted, penalties for late submission apply. Students are penalised 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item for every calendar day that an assessment item is late.
Marks will be deducted each day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point the submitted item will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is triggered from the time the submission is due.
Cutting-Edge Essay (3000 words)
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
18/10/2024 5:00 pm
- Other conditions
- Student specific.
Task description
This assessment should reflect the accumulation of knowledge across the semester. The topic is at the discretion of the student but should be signed off by a member of the teaching team. Students are free to define their own essay question, puzzle or focus but the only stipulation in terms of content is that the focus must reflect the 'cutting-edge' content from the course. The classics can of course appear in the essay - it would be difficult not to have them cited and even discussed if need be - but they cannot be the central feature. The marking criteria are below and as always more info can be found in the Learning Guide.
Assessment tasks are intended to evaluate a student’s abilities, skills, and knowledge. Unless explicitly stated otherwise in the assessment instructions, assessments are to be completed without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT). Failure to comply with this direction may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Submission:
Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using Turnitin.
In uploading an assignment via Turnitin you are certifying that it is your original work, that it has not been copied in whole or part from another person or source except where this is properly acknowledged, and that it has not in whole or part been previously submitted for assessment in any other course at this or any other university.
When you successfully submit your assessment to Turnitin after previewing the uploaded document (to make sure that you have chosen the correct file), you should see the “Submission Complete!” message. After this, a downloadable Digital Receipt will display on your Assignment Dashboard. It is your responsibility to download the Digital Receipt as proof of submission. Turnitin will not send this receipt to you automatically.
If you don’t see the downloadable receipt on your assignment dashboard, you should regard your submission as unsuccessful.
If the submission was not successful:
- Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot).
- Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again.
- If you cannot submit again, then email your course coordinator immediately.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Unless an extension is granted, penalties for late submission apply. Students are penalised 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item for every calendar day that an assessment item is late.
Marks will be deducted each day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point the submitted item will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is triggered from the time the submission is due.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student does not address the question, shows no evidence of reading and minimal comprehension of the issues at hand. |
| 2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student addresses the question poorly and shows very little evidence of reading. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: The student makes an effort to establish a single major argument for the essay and employs some research which is correlated with the argument. Makes a visible effort to achieve adequate grammar, spelling and punctuation. Evidence of attempting to achieve a recognisable narrative flow appears throughout the assignment. The student addresses the question and shows evidence of required research and a basic grasp of the issues at hand. However, falls short of satisfying all basic requirements for a Pass. |
| 4 (Pass) |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student makes a reasonable effort to provide evidence to support a visible argument and employs an adequate research base to support the argument. Achieves a reasonable, if not completely coherent standard of grammar, spelling, and punctuation. A recognisable narrative flow is sustained throughout the essay. The student answers the question and shows evidence of adequate research and a degree of understanding of the issues at hand. |
| 5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student provides suitable evidence to support an argument and employs a comprehensive research base that directly relates to the topic, though it may not completely support the argument. Achieves decent levels of competence in grammar, spelling, punctuation and narrative flow. The student answers the question in a direct, well supported fashion and shows evidence of some wide reading and a reasonable understanding of the issues at hand. |
| 6 (Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student demonstrates a very good grasp of the chosen topic and provides a considerable amount of evidence to support a clearly stated argument. The student employs a reasonably extensive and well-organised research base to structure evidence in support of the argument and achieves a high level of competence in grammar, spelling, punctuation and narrative flow. The student answers the question in a direct, reasonably sophisticated fashion, employs wide research and shows a sound understanding of the issues at hand. |
| 7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student demonstrates a highly sophisticated grasp of the topic and succeeds in addressing the question by providing a high level of evidence to support a clearly stated argument. The student employs an extensive and well organised research base to structure evidence in support of the argument and achieves impeccable levels of grammar, spelling, punctuation and narrative flow. The student answers the question in a direct and elegant fashion, employs significant research and shows a deep understanding of the issues at hand. |
Additional course grading information
Grades will be awarded on the following basis:
1.ﾠFailﾠ 1 - 19%
2. Failﾠ 20 - 44%
3. Failﾠ 45 ﾖ 49%
4. Passﾠ 50 - 64 %
5. Creditﾠ 65 - 74 %
6. Distinctionﾠ 75 - 84 %
7. High Distinctionﾠ 85 - 100 %
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Word Length Penalty
Unless otherwise indicated, in the case of written submissions with a specified word count, you are given a +10% leeway on the upper word limit. If your written submission is over this leeway limit, it will attract a 10 percentage point penalty. For example, if your essay is 1,500 words, you may write up to 1,650 before attracting a word count penalty. If your essay exceeds the upper word limit, it will attract a 10% word count penalty. Therefore, if your essay is worth 40 marks, you will lose 4 marks from your allotted grade. Unless specified, penalties only apply to exceeding the word length, not for failure to write a sufficient amount.
Students should note:
• The Author-date in-text referencing system will count toward the word length;
• References in the Footnote referencing system will not count toward the word length. If you are using footnotes, any content included in footnotes beyond the specific text reference will count towards the word length.
Marking Criteria/Rubric
Marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the ‘Assessment’ folder in Blackboard for this course.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Essay Guide
The School of Political Science and International Studies Essay Guide can be downloaded from the School’s Student Support webpage.
The Guide sets out guidelines you should follow in preparing written assignments.
Essay Writing Assistance
The School of Political Science and International Studies schedules regular “drop-in” sessions designed to provide one-on-one advice and assistance in essay planning and writing.
There is no need to make an appointment and you are encouraged to bring your essay with you.
The day and time of these sessions will be finalized at the beginning of each semester and published on the Student Support webpage.
Student Services
Student services offer a variety of short courses during the semester which will help you improve your study, research and writing skills and thus your academic performance in this course.
Library Resources
UQ Library offers training in software, assignment writing, research skills, and publishing and research management.
The University’s library holdings for Political Science and International Studies are primarily located in the Central Library.
There is a help desk in the Library. Students are also welcome to contact the BEL/HASS Librarians for assistance.
Email: librarians@library.uq.edu.au
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (22 Jul - 28 Jul) |
Lecture |
1. Introduction |
Week 2 (29 Jul - 04 Aug) |
Lecture |
2. Agenda-Setting |
Week 3 (05 Aug - 11 Aug) |
Lecture |
3. Decision-Making |
Tutorial |
Tutorial (1) Agenda-Setting |
|
Week 4 (12 Aug - 18 Aug) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
No lectures or tutorials due to Ekka Public holiday |
Week 5 (19 Aug - 25 Aug) |
Lecture |
4. Implementation |
Tutorial |
Tutorial (2) Decision-Making |
|
Week 6 (26 Aug - 01 Sep) |
Lecture |
5. Evaluation 1 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial (3) Implementation |
|
Week 7 (02 Sep - 08 Sep) |
Lecture |
6. Evaluation 2 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial (4) Evaluation 1 |
|
Week 8 (09 Sep - 15 Sep) |
Lecture |
7. Termination |
Tutorial |
Tutorial (5) Evaluation 2 |
|
Week 9 (16 Sep - 22 Sep) |
Lecture |
8. Stages |
Tutorial |
Tutorial (6) Termination |
|
Mid Sem break (23 Sep - 29 Sep) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Mid Semester Break (No Class) |
Week 10 (30 Sep - 06 Oct) |
Lecture |
9. Paradigms |
Tutorial |
Tutorial (7) Stages |
|
Week 11 (07 Oct - 13 Oct) |
Lecture |
10. Landscape |
Tutorial |
Tutorial (8) Paradigms |
|
Week 12 (14 Oct - 20 Oct) |
Lecture |
11. Institutions |
Tutorial |
Tutorial (9) Landscape |
|
Week 13 (21 Oct - 27 Oct) |
Lecture |
12. Review |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.