This course explores how to develop and implement strategies that drive policy change. You will learn how to analyze various approaches to changing policy, consider context for the change (timing, climate for change, opposition) and then identify the most viable option to use to influence policy change. This class is about influencing change versus the mechanics of designing policy. Students will review different influence models, discuss which ones work best in various situations, and identify how influence models connect to campaigns that influence legislative and institutional policy. You will better understand policy change efforts by reviewing examples and learning the central elements of a successful endeavor. Finally, students, in teams, will choose their own adventure and create their own policy change strategy.

How to develop and implement strategies that drive policy change. Students will learn how to analyze approaches to changing policy and then evaluate the most viable option for specific circumstances. Students will review different influence models, discuss which ones work best in varying situations and identify how influence models connect to policy campaigns. Students will review current campaigns, learn central elements of a successful campaign to change public policy, and create their own campaign plans.

Provides an overview of basic quantitative analysis techniques that are common in public policy analysis. Students will be trained to design high quality research and conduct statistical analyses. By the end of the course, students will be able to carry out basic statistical analyses, evaluate the statistical analyses in research reports and journal articles, and communicate clearly the results of analyses to both professional and general audiences.

Actual experience in a policy setting. In some cases this will be a credit-bearing internship, supervised by a faculty member who will provide the academic structure to parallel the applied experience. In other cases a policy internship may not be appropriate for academic credit; in such cases the internship experience fulfills the requirement but does not provide credits. Carsey faculty will provide guidance and oversight for these internships as well.