The goal of this course is to provide students with a foundation in policy analysis.
Policy analysis is the science and the art of giving advice that affects public policy decisions.
Good policy analysis is based on both economics and political science, and we will discuss work from both of these disciplines. Next, we will focus on identifying policy alternatives and factors that may affect their implementation. In the last third of the course we will consider a number of specific methods of analysis as well as a selection of real-world policy cases. You should leave this course with an increased ability to think critically about public policy and a greater understanding of the role of the policy analyst in the policy process. In addition, this course should increase your understanding of basic economic concepts and how to apply those concepts across a variety of policy areas.