This is a core course restricted to Ford and STPP students only. Registration is by permission only.
The primary objective of this core course in the MPP curriculum is to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed for effective political analysis of public policy issues and decisions. The course covers conceptual and analytic frameworks for understanding political processes, institutions, stakeholders, contexts and policy decision making. In addition, the course builds written and verbal communication skills, emphasizing the ability to convey clear and concise political analyses in a variety of formats, including policy memos.
This section of 510 focuses on the politics of policymaking in the U.S. federal system, with special emphasis on environmental policy. Students will learn how policy agendas are shaped and enacted within and across institutions of local, state, and U.S. federal government, as well as Native nations. We will study the roles of different actors, types of authority, and advocacy strategies and develop skills required to inform and influence policy. We will apply this conceptual understanding to policy challenges related to water quality in the Great Lakes region, which we will use as working examples throughout the semester.
