Spring 2018  |  POL 3321 Section 001: Issues in American Public Policy (67001)

Instructor(s)
Class Component:
Lecture
Credits:
3 Credits
Grading Basis:
Student Option
Instructor Consent:
No Special Consent Required
Instruction Mode:
In Person Term Based
Times and Locations:
Regular Academic Session
 
01/16/2018 - 05/04/2018
Tue, Thu 11:15AM - 12:30PM
UMTC, West Bank
Blegen Hall 150
Enrollment Status:
Open (82 of 83 seats filled)
Also Offered:
Course Catalog Description:
Politics of policy process. Agenda formation, formulation, adoption, implementation, evaluation. Attention to selected policy areas.
Class Notes:
http://classinfo.umn.edu/?ajkarch+POL3321+Spring2018
Class Description:
This course examines the politics of social policy in the United States. The first half of the course places the United States in comparative perspective. Scholars often describe the United States as a laggard where social policies developed relatively late, grew relatively slowly, and are less generous than corresponding policies in other advanced industrial democracies. How accurate is this conventional wisdom? In what ways is the American welfare state unusual? How have political culture, interest groups, government institutions, and other factors contributed to the distinctive shape of American social policy? The second half of the course applies the analytical frameworks discussed in the first half of the course to contemporary trends in American social policy. It focuses on four specific policy areas: pensions, health care, education, and income support. In addition to examining the historical origins of existing programs in each of these policy areas, it also looks closely at the political and substantive impact of contemporary reforms like the Affordable Care Act and charter schools.
Grading:
20% Midterm Exam I
10% Social Security Reform Policy Analysis
10% Health Care Reform Policy Analysis
20% Midterm Exam II
15% Education Policy Memo
25% Final Exam
Exam Format:
All exams will consist of multiple-choice questions, short identifications, and essay questions.
Class Format:
75% Lecture
15% Discussion
10% Small Group Activities
Workload:
75-100 pages of reading per week
Three exams
Three papers (2-4 double-spaced pages each)
Textbooks:
https://bookstores.umn.edu/course-lookup/67001/1183
Instructor Supplied Information Last Updated:
29 April 2015

ClassInfo Links - Spring 2018 Political Science Classes

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