Public Policy Analysis is a multidisciplinary module that equips students with theoretical and practical tools to understand how public policies are formulated, implemented, and evaluated within different political, social, and economic contexts. The module introduces key concepts such as public problems, policy actors, institutions, and the policy cycle, emphasizing the role of government and non-state actors in decision-making processes. Students examine major policy-making models, including rational, incremental, mixed scanning, and systems approaches, to understand how policies are developed and adjusted over time.
The module also explores agenda setting, policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation, highlighting the factors that influence policy success or failure. Attention is given to evidence-based policymaking, policy instruments, and the use of qualitative and quantitative methods in policy analysis. Ethical considerations, power relations, and political interests are analyzed to show how values and ideology shape policy choices.
Through case studies—often drawn from developing countries and local governance contexts—students gain practical skills in identifying policy problems, analyzing alternatives, and assessing policy impacts. By the end of the module, learners are able to critically analyze public policies, propose informed policy options, and apply analytical frameworks to real-world policy challenges, enhancing their capacity for effective public sector decision-making.