Theories of Policy Process

This subject in the Master of Public Policy and Management is designed to develop students into adept policy scholars. Through critical engagement with data sources and policy documents, students will retrospectively review policy-making practices in relation to key policy-making stages, actors, and institutions. They will also delve into key theoretical perspectives and literatures central to public policy studies and will apply major theories to explain real-world practices of policy design and implementation. The subject will explore the nuances of how policy issues are identified, framed, and debated and will discuss the pivotal roles that ideas, evidence, and norms play within the theoretical and practical realms of policy design. Building on these theoretical learnings, students will also develop practical research skills, including synthesis and critical engagement with policy documents and academic sources, case study analysis, and formulation of scholarly arguments.