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This course is designed to help students learn how to identify public policy problems relating to environmental matters and the green transition, and prepare, design and select public policy measures or programs to address such problems. The course will focus mainly on analytical approaches and methods that are intended to guide policy design and structure policy choice. Students will hone their ability to work in a team, analyze policy issues and develop a concise report of their findings and recommendations.
Learning Objectives and Outcomes: Policy analysis is the art, craft, and science of providing problem-solving advice to managers in public sector, policy-makers, or citizens. Policy analysis requires several distinct sets of skills: technical understanding of analytical tools, understanding the policy context, and the ability to produce and communicate practical advice. The overall aim of the course is to increase students' capacities to contribute to identifying, analyzing and assessing policy problems and options and ultimately to generate arguments for alternative policy options. Students in this course will specifically analyze problems in the realm of environmental policy and the green transition. Last update: Jusić Mirna, M.A. et M.A., Ph.D. (01.01.2024)
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Bardach, E., & Patashnik E.M. (2016). A practical guide for policy analysis: The eightfold path to more effective problem solving (Fifth edition). CQ Press/SAGE. Dunn, W.N. (2018). Public policy analysis: An integrated approach (Sixth Edition). Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. Jörgens, H., Knill, C., & Steinebach, Y. (eds) (2023). Routledge Handbook of Environmental Policy (1st ed). Routledge. Patton, C.V., & Sawicki, D.S. (2013). Basic methods of policy analysis and planning (3rd ed). Pearson. Last update: Jusić Mirna, M.A. et M.A., Ph.D. (01.01.2024)
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Course Outline Week 1: Analyzing public policy – the policy process and the framework for policy analysis; Basic steps to policy analysis Week 2: Data, information and evidence in policy analysis; Data gathering methods and techniques Week 3: Problem definition and structuring Week 4: Identification and construction of alternatives Week 5: Policy analysis plan + Q&A; students’ presentations Week 6: Goals & criteria formulation Week 7: Forecasting expected outcomes Week 8: Interim project presentations, revision and discussion Week 9: Policy choice and recommendation Week 10: Policy arguments and communication Week 11: Final oral presentation of project drafts I Week 12: Final oral presentation of project drafts II & concluding discussion Assignments and Grading Policy The course project is designed to allow students to work in teams on given policy issue and, simultaneously, prepare an individual policy analysis report. At the first session, policy issues for students’ project will be introduced and discussed. Students then set up teams and select an issue according to their preferences. Based on the issue statement, each team (2-4 students) will define a joint policy problem which will be presented in class (see the course schedule). Before a team can continue with the project, a problem definition must be approved by the course leader. Each student is required to write an interim project report and a final project paper. Students are also expected to continuously report its progress to instructors, especially in case of any difficulties. Several sessions will be devoted to reviewing of project’s progress and discussion of practical issues (see the course schedule). 1. Interim project report (5-8 pages; by e-mail to martin.nekola@fsv.cuni.cz). Paper summarizes the critical background information necessary to understand the chosen problem. The student should provide appropriate theories, statistics, and political context that will allow his/her (imaginary) client to assess the nature and severity of the problem. It also should provide a list of the policy goals and criteria and possible policy solutions (options or strategies). It does not need to include an assessment of how well each policy option would meet the criteria (to be included in that final paper). See example in Moodle. 2. Final project paper (approx. 15-20 pages) The final paper should incorporate a new version of the problem definition and description of the policy goals, criteria, and options. Also, the final version includes a full assessment and prediction of how each policy option might fare by the criteria. The heart of the analysis is an assessment of which policies and measures would be most effective and the trade-offs inherent in choosing one option over another. Do not forget to include a concise executive summary (1 page). Se example in Moodle. Students will report their progress during the course. In the interim oral presentation, the student should briefly summarize the problem, objectives, policy goals and criteria and possible policy solutions. In the final oral presentation, the student should briefly summarize the problem, objectives, options, and the results of the analysis. The oral presentation is strictly limited to 10 minutes. Students are also required to elaborate and present two home exercises. Details of individual exercises will be discussed at given sessions. Assignments not completed on time will automatically receive a grade off unless: a) there is sufficient reason for the lateness; b) course leader have been consulted prior to the time that the requirement is due; and c) course leader agree to the lateness, and the time the requirement will be fulfilled. All three conditions must be present. Last update: Jusić Mirna, M.A. et M.A., Ph.D. (01.01.2024)
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By the end of the course, students will be able to:
Last update: Nekola Martin, Mgr., Ph.D. (27.11.2025)
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