- Academic Registry
Programme & Unit Catalogues


SP60290: Transformational policy and practice

[Page last updated: 01 August 2022]

Academic Year: 2022/23
Owning Department/School: Department of Social & Policy Sciences
Credits: 18 [equivalent to 36 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 360
Level: Doctoral (FHEQ level 8)
Period:
Academic Year
Assessment Summary: CW 100%
Assessment Detail:
  • Coursework (CW 100% - Qualifying Mark: 40)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites:
Learning Outcomes: Learning outcomes for this unit are:
1. A critical high-level understanding of different approaches to and understanding of 'policy' and 'policy-making'
2. A critical awareness of the range of institutions and actors that shape policy-making and implementation
3. Knowledge and critical understanding of different techniques and methodologies associated with analysis of policy at different levels
4. Critical awareness of the range of policy choices in different arenas and understanding of the choices and conflicts these embody.

Aims: The aim of this unit to provide students on the Professional Doctorate in Policy Research and Practice with thorough high-level theoretical understandings of 'policy' and policy making and how they relate to practice.

Skills: Students successfully taking this unit will have:
1. Developed critical policy analysis skills including the ability to analyse and evaluate policy making processes and outcomes in a range of international settings
2. Enhanced ability to synthesise information from a range of sources
3. Ability to critically evaluate and assess research.

Content: 1. What is 'policy' and who 'makes' it?
2. The political economy of policy-making I: Public choice theory
3. The political economy of policy-making II: Collective action
4. Understanding policy-making I: Critical governance
5. Understanding policy-making II: Epistemic communities
6. Understanding policy-making III: Interests and ideas
7. Policy arenas I: Social policy
8. Policy arenas II: Economic policy
9. Policy arenas II: Foreign policy
10. The global geography of policy-making: Local, national, regional, and global.

Programme availability:

SP60290 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department of Social & Policy Sciences
  • RHSP-APD04 : Professional Doctorate in Policy Research and Practice

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2022/23 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2023/24 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2022/23.
  • Programmes and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
  • Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.