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Course profile

Dynamics of Public Policy (POLS7111)

Study period
Sem 1 2025
Location
St Lucia
Attendance mode
In Person

Course overview

Study period
Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
Study level
Postgraduate Coursework
Location
St Lucia
Attendance mode
In Person
Units
2
Administrative campus
St Lucia
Coordinating unit
Politic Sc & Internat Studies

The course provides an introduction to the basic processes and principles of public policy. This includes the making of policies and the implementation of agreed programs. The quality of decisions and the effectiveness of policy programs are vital in every country. The course examines the main components of the policy process – such as problem identification, debates about policy options, the involvement of non-government stakeholders, decision-making processes, implementation challenges, and the evaluation of program effectiveness. Relevant policy literature from Australia and internationally are considered.

The course starts by considering the basic nature of political activity relevant to public policy-making inside and outsideᅠgovernmental institutions.

The key actors or organisations involved are considered -- such as government ministers, their policy advisors, public servants in various governmental agencies,ᅠprivate corporations, the media, lobby groups, not-for-profit community organisations, charities, think tanks, and research institutes.ᅠ

The focus of the course is to familiarise students with the main ways to analyse public policies, as formulated in strategy documents, laws and regulations. Thus we deal with the theory and practice of policymaking, looking at the differences arising in specific policy issues and their institutional contexts. We discuss the role of leaders, ideologies, bureaucracies, expert evidence and the mass media.ᅠStudents with experience outside Australia will be encouraged to report on that experience as a basis of comparison.ᅠ

We examine someᅠof the main scholarly approaches to the study of public policy. We do this by analysing the main dimensions (or stages)ᅠidentified in the policy literature --- these includeᅠagenda setting, choosing policy instruments, consultation, co-ordination, implementation and evaluation. Attention will also be givenᅠto well-knownᅠframeworks for assessing policy success/failure, and for explaining policy reform, policy transfer,ᅠand usingᅠevidence in complex problem-solving.

At every point in the course, students will be invited to consider the relevance of their own work experience, as well as the analytical literature focussed on specific areas of policy analysis and debate.ᅠ

Course requirements

Assumed background

No previous familiarity with Policy literature is assumed. However some background reading is suggested for students who have no familiarity with political science and policy debates.

The weekly Topic Guides provide specific reading suggestions. A selection of readings for each week areᅠposted in PDF files on the Blackboard site for this course.

Course contact

Course staff

Lecturer

Timetable

The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.

Additional timetable information

Provision is made for weekly lecture-seminars, and regular attendance is highly recommended. Lecture materials (but not seminar discussion) are recorded and available through Blackboard.

Classes are offered at 6pm to allow part-time students to attend and to facilitate visits by senior practitioners. Provision is also made for informal interaction.

Aims and outcomes

POLS7111 is intended as an introduction to the UQ Graduate Program in Governance and Public Policy. The course also provides an introduction to policy and regulation issues for students in other program areas. The courseᅠprovidesᅠbasic knowledge about the contribution of political science perspectives to the study of public policy and regulation. Itᅠgives students many opportunities to apply key concepts and frameworks in order to understandᅠand explainᅠpolicy choices and to explore case studies. Selection ofᅠrelevant policy case studies for the major essay may be informedᅠby previous work experience. Research tasks may includeᅠreviewing and evaluating policies and programs in a specific area of government activity.ᅠ

Learning outcomes

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

LO1.

Explain how debates about ‘problems’ give rise to discussion of policy responses.

LO2.

Analyse how policy decisions are made in relation to complex or controversial problems.

LO3.

Map the influence of various actors/stakeholders in the shaping of problems and policies.

LO4.

Write a professional research-based report on a policy issue drawing upon relevant policy literature.

Assessment

Assessment summary

Category Assessment task Weight Due date
Essay/ Critique Review A (1000 words) 20%

21/03/2025 5:00 pm

Essay/ Critique Review B (1000 words) 20%

17/04/2025 5:00 pm

Essay/ Critique Major Essay (4000 words plus references) 50%

30/05/2025 5:00 pm

Participation/ Student contribution Participation and discussion
  • In-person
  • Online
10%

24/02/2025 - 26/05/2025

Assessment details

Review A (1000 words)

Mode
Written
Category
Essay/ Critique
Weight
20%
Due date

21/03/2025 5:00 pm

Learning outcomes
L01, L03

Task description

There are two short writing tasks (known as Review A and Review B), each valued at 20%.

For Review A, students should write answers to TWO questions, which are based on material in Topics 1-4.

These questions, which will be posted on Blackboard, will be similar to the study discussion questions included in each weekly Topic. 

Answers are required to be around 500 words each, with a 10% tolerance allowed.

You MUST relate your answers to the policy literature discussed in the course. Do not simply give your opinions or use internet summaries.

Your answers should include several relevant references. (For advice on referencing style, see the POLSIS Essay Guide). References will not be counted within the word limit. 

Turnitin software to detect plagiarism is automatically employed in the submission process to help examiners assess the originality of all written material. 

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

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:

  1. Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot).
  2. Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again.
  3. 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.

Review B (1000 words)

Mode
Written
Category
Essay/ Critique
Weight
20%
Due date

17/04/2025 5:00 pm

Learning outcomes
L01, L02, L03

Task description

There are two short writing tasks (known as Review A and Review B), each valued at 20%.

For Review B, students should write answers to TWO questions, which are based on material in Topics 5-7.

These questions, which will be posted on Blackboard, will be similar to the study discussion questions included in each weekly Topic. 

Answers are required to be around 500 words each, with a 10% tolerance allowed.

You MUST relate your answers to the policy literature discussed in the course. Do not simply give your opinions or use internet summaries.

Your answers should include several relevant references. (For advice on referencing style, see the POLSIS Essay Guide). References will not be counted within the word limit. 

Turnitin software to detect plagiarism is automatically employed in the submission process to help examiners assess the originality of all written material. 

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

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:

  1. Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot).
  2. Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again.
  3. 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.

Major Essay (4000 words plus references)

Mode
Written
Category
Essay/ Critique
Weight
50%
Due date

30/05/2025 5:00 pm

Learning outcomes
L01, L02, L03, L04

Task description

Half of the assessment in this course is based on the Essay.

A list of suitable research topics will be provided, but students may negotiate a variation.

Each student MUST discuss the selected essay topic with the course convenor, through personal or email discussion, and seek approval for working on an agreed topic. This discussion must cover the scope/wording of the topic, the relevant policy theories, the relevant empirical sources for the research, and the student's research approach. This discussion and approval should happen at least 3-4 weeks before the due date for submission.

Your essay will analyse a selected policy problem, decision or trend, by relating it to wider theories and issues about the policy-making process as discussed extensively in the course.

Your essay will NOT be based on personal opinion or on internet summaries.

The Essay should aim to connect policy theory to your chosen actual policy example. To ensure this connection is clear, you MUST clear your proposed topic with the course convenor at least one month before completing the Essay. Please begin to think about how to select a policy issue or policy problem or policy process, which is of interest to you, and which is likely to have a sufficient range of material available to provide an in-depth analysis of the actors, processes and context in which the policy decision or policy outcome was produced.

The analytical task is to explain what happened and why in relation to your policy example. Where practicable, you might consider using both primary sources (e.g. government documents) and secondary sources (e.g. commentaries by scholars, stakeholders and media analysts). The conceptual task is to connect your analysis of this problem or policy case to the broader themes and theories discussed in the course. Simply describing what happened is NOT enough.

The Essay is required by 5pm on the last day of the teaching semester, namely: Friday 30th May 2025. Information about valid grounds for extensions can be found at https://my.uq.edu.au/node/218/2#2

The Essay should be clearly structured and properly referenced, using the POLSIS Essay Guide. The maximum word limit of 4000 words (excluding references and attachments) with a 10% tolerance. Writing to a set limit is a valuable skill in professional analysis, so take this limit seriously.

It is acceptable to attach a short documentary or statistical appendix to back up your argument, but this will not itself be the subject of 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

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:

  1. Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot).
  2. Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again.
  3. 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.

Participation and discussion

  • In-person
  • Online
Mode
Activity/ Performance
Category
Participation/ Student contribution
Weight
10%
Due date

24/02/2025 - 26/05/2025

Learning outcomes
L01, L02, L03

Task description

Students, whether in the on-campus internal class or in the online external class, are expected to attend classes regularly and participate in small-group discussion.

One mark is awarded for each active class attendance up to a maximum of 10 marks.

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.

Please contact the course coordinator if you are unable to attend a scheduled class.

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: None of the above criteria will have been met. This student will not have addressed the question, shown no or very little evidence of reading and minimal comprehension of the issues at hand.

2 (Fail)

Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes.

Course grade description: None of the above criteria will have been met. This student will not have addressed the question, shown no or very little evidence of reading and minimal comprehension of the issues at hand.

3 (Marginal Fail)

Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes

Course grade description: Falls short of satisfying all basic requirements for a Pass. The student will have demonstrated a minimal grasp of the chosen topic and will have made an effort to establish a single major argument for the essay. The student will have employed some research which correlated with the argument and will have made a visible effort to achieve adequate grammar, spelling and punctuation. Evidence of attempting to achieve a recognisable narrative flow should appear throughout the assignment. This student will have addressed the question, showing evidence of required research and a basic grasp of the issues at hand.

4 (Pass)

Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes.

Course grade description: The student will have demonstrated an adequate grasp of the chosen topic and will have made a reasonable effort to provide evidence to support a visible argument. The student will have employed an adequate research base to support the argument and will have achieved a reasonable, if not completely coherent standard of grammar, spelling, and punctuation. A recognisable narrative flow should be sustained throughout the essay. This student will have answered the question, showing 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 will have demonstrated a sound grasp of the chosen topic and will have addressed the argument by providing suitable evidence to support an argument. The student will have employed a comprehensive research base that directly relates to the topic though it may not completely support the argument and will have achieved decent levels of competence in grammar, spelling, punctuation and narrative flow. This student will have answered the question in a direct, well supported fashion, showing 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 will have demonstrated a very good grasp of the chosen topic and will have addressed the argument by providing a considerable amount of evidence to support a clearly stated argument. The student will have employed a reasonably extensive and well-organised research base to structure evidence in support of the argument and will have achieved a high level of competence in grammar, spelling, punctuation and narrative flow. This student will have answered the question in a direct, reasonably sophisticated fashion, employing wide research and showing 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 will have demonstrated a highly sophisticated grasp of the topic and will have succeeded in addressing the question by providing a high level of evidence to support a clearly stated argument.ᅠThe student will have employed an extensive and well organised research base to structure evidence in support of the argument and will have achieved impeccable levels of grammar, spelling, punctuation and narrative flow.ᅠThis student will have answered the question in a direct and elegant fashion, employing significant research and showing a deep understanding of the issues at hand.

Additional course grading information

1. Fail 1 - 19%

2. Fail 20 - 44%

3. Fail 45 - 49%

4. Pass 50 - 64 %

5. Credit 65 - 74 %

6. Distinction 75 - 84 %

7. High Distinction 85 - 100 %

Supplementary assessment

Supplementary assessment is available for this course.

Additional assessment information

DISABILITY POLICY

Any student with a disability who may require alternative academic arrangements in the course is encouraged to seek advice at the commencement of the semester from a Disability Advisor at StudentᅠServices. The University Health Service can arrange advice and assistance on professional accreditation/registration issues that might arise as a result of alternative arrangements.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY

Academic integrity describes the ethical principles that underpin academia and student life.ᅠAll members of the UQ community have a responsibility to support and uphold theᅠvalues of academic integrity.ᅠ

Allᅠnew to UQᅠstudentsᅠandᅠnew to a program studentsᅠwill need to complete theᅠcompulsoryᅠAcademic Integrity Modules (AIM)ᅠon the edX (Edge) platform before the due date. These modules are designed to help you understand your obligations and responsibilities as a UQ student.ᅠAccess theᅠAcademic Integrity Modules (AIM) (UQ login required)ᅠon the edX (Edge) platform and clickᅠEnrol Nowᅠto get started. The modules are intended to be completed only once. Make sure toᅠaccess AIM via a link that requires a UQ login. If you access AIM via another method (e.g. gmail or another personal account) it will not be linked with your UQ account and your course coordinators will NOT be able to check your completion.ᅠ

PLAGIARISM

The submission of assignments that include plagiarism is not acceptable. Plagiarism includes unintentional copying without acknowledgment as well as the more deliberate and deceitful copying of the works of others. Students should note the following actions are acts of plagiarism:

• Paragraphs, sentences, a single sentence or significant parts of a sentence are copied directly and are not included in quotation marks and are not appropriately cited.

• Direct quotations are not used but are paraphrased or summarised, and the source of the material is not acknowledged within the text.

• An idea which appears elsewhere is used or developed without reference being made to the source of the idea.

This does not mean that in assessment items such as the preparation of work units that existing resources, work-sheets etc may not be used. However the source must be acknowledged.

Please take care to acknowledge your sources, including the internet, and be aware that intentional plagiarism is a form of cheating which may lead ultimately to a fine or suspension from the University.

Assessment tasks evaluateᅠstudent’s abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students are advised that the use of AI technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.

Intentional plagiarism is cheating and a major violation of the University’s academic values. The Vice-Chancellor requires academic staff to report any student who has plagiarised the work of another person. Students who cheat are liable to disciplinary proceedings, which may involve a hearing by the Disciplinary Board.

ESSAY GUIDE

An essay writing guide, also containing notes on how to cite and reference literature, will be sent to all external students at the start of the Program. Students are strongly encouraged to follow the tips and protocols set out in the guide. The Essay guide can be downloadedᅠfrom the School's Student Support webpage.

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.

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

Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.

Additional learning resources information

A learning guide for each of the course Topics is available electronically through the Blackboard site. This site includes a weekly list of articles, chapters and e-library resources.

Note also someᅠusefulᅠinternet sites such as APO: Analysis & Policy Observatory,ᅠa free internet repository of (mainly Australian) policy documents and evaluation reports.

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

Book a Librarian Appointment (BEL/HASS faculties)

Learning activities

The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.

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Learning period Activity type Topic
Week 1

(24 Feb - 02 Mar)

Seminar

Course Overview & key themes

(Topic 1) Politics, policy problems & policy-making

Learning outcomes: L01

Week 2

(03 Mar - 09 Mar)

Seminar

Models & theories for understanding Public Policy

(Topic 2)

Learning outcomes: L01, L02

Week 3

(10 Mar - 16 Mar)

Seminar

Agenda-setting, Media, and issue 'framing'

(Topic 3)

Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03

Week 4

(17 Mar - 23 Mar)

Seminar

Participation, consultation and stakeholders

(Topic 4)

Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03

Week 5

(24 Mar - 30 Mar)

Seminar

Selecting policy instruments that work

(Topic 5)

Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03

Week 6

(31 Mar - 06 Apr)

Seminar

Implementation and coordination

(Topic 6)

Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03

Week 7

(07 Apr - 13 Apr)

No student involvement (Breaks, information)

Pause week for essay-writing (no class this week)

Prepare for second assessment item

Week 8

(14 Apr - 20 Apr)

Seminar

Policy success and failure

(Topic 7)

Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04

Mid-sem break

(21 Apr - 27 Apr)

No student involvement (Breaks, information)

UQ Mid-Semester Break One Week

Week 9

(28 Apr - 04 May)

Seminar

Policy transfer and adaptation

(Topic 8)

Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04

Week 10

(05 May - 11 May)

Seminar

Evidence-based policy and research knowledge

(Topic 9)

Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04

Week 11

(12 May - 18 May)

Seminar

Tackling complex and 'wicked' problems

(Topic 10)

Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04

Week 12

(19 May - 25 May)

Seminar

Crisis, Innovation and Reform

(Topic 11)

Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04

Week 13

(26 May - 01 Jun)

Seminar

Policy work, policy advice & policy capacity

(Topic 12)

Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04

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:

Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.