GOVT2941: Semester 1, 2022

University home

Library

Current students

Staff intranet

Find an event

Give

Current students

Units GOVT2941 Semester 1 2022 [Normal day]

Unit outline_

GOVT2941: Making Policy in Political Context

Semester 1, 2022 [Normal day] - Remote

Overview

Public policy is about what governments do or choose not to do. This unit explores how public policy is formulated, implemented and evaluated, and what governance processes are typically followed. It also covers circumstances under which governments may choose to abstain from taking policy action. This unit examines a range of approaches to the study of public policy in both theory and practice and in the context of national and international politics, with both an Australian and comparative focus.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Government and International Relations
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	12 credit points at 1000 level in GOVT and a minimum of 36 credit points
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Sarah Cameron, sarah.cameron@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Take home assessment Written open book assessment that takes place during the exam period.	35%	Formal exam period Due date: 10 Jun 2022 at 23:59	1800 words
Outcomes assessed:
Participation	Participation Tutorial participation	10%	Ongoing	Ongoing throughout semester
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Policy brief proposal Proposal for the policy brief	15%	Week 05 Due date: 25 Mar 2022 at 23:59	700 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Policy brief Policy brief	40%	Week 13 Due date: 02 May 2022 at 23:59	2000 words
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction: What is public policy?	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 01	Introduction: What is public policy?	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 02	The politics of policy making	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	The politics of policy making	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 03	Agenda setting and the multiple streams of problems, policies and politics	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	Agenda setting and the multiple streams of problems, policies and politics	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 04	Institutions: understanding how institutions affect policy	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	Institutions: understanding how institutions affect policy	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 05	Actors: Understanding the role and variety of policy actors	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 05	Actors: Understanding the role and variety of policy actors	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 06	Evidence: Using evidence in policy making	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	Evidence: Using evidence in policy making	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 07	Policy design and tools: putting policy into practice	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 07	Policy design and tools: putting policy into practice	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 08	Policy evaluation: the spectrum of policy success and failure	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 08	Policy evaluation: the spectrum of policy success and failure	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 09	Policy communication	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	Policy communication	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 10	Governance and its modes: traditional public administration, new public management and new public governance	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	Governance and its modes: traditional public administration, new public management and new public governance	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 11	Bureaucracy and the machinery of government	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	Bureaucracy and the machinery of government	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 12	Delivering public policy via the market and third sector	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 12	Delivering public policy via the market and third sector	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 13	Conclusions	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 13	Conclusions	Tutorial (1 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 90% of their classes. If you attend less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner’s Board. The Examiner’s Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold.
Lecture recording: Most lectures (in recording-equipped venues) will be recorded and may be made available to students on the LMS. However, you should not rely on lecture recording to substitute your classroom learning experience.
Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately three hours’ preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

The set text for this unit is Cairney, Paul (2019). Understanding Public Policy: Theories and Issues (2nd Edition), Macmillan International. It is highly recommended that you purchase a copy as access to the ebook version in the library is limited. You can compare the price and availability of the text via booko.com.au.

Refer to Leganto via Canvas for all other readings.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. compare how concepts, theories and methods used to analyse and research public policy have differed over time and across different contexts
LO2. evaluate ethical and other issues involved in different research methods commonly used in public policy analysis
LO3. apply advanced concepts and theories to explain increasingly complex examples of political phenomena
LO4. engage in limited independent evidence gathering to support their arguments.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Thematic and delivery changes to the unit have been made, based upon student feedback and departmental discussion.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect