PROGRAMME APPROVAL FORM
SECTION 1 – THE PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
1. Programme title and designation
Public Policy
For undergraduate programmes only
Single honours Joint Major/minor
2. Final award
Award
Title
Credit
value
ECTS
equivalent
Any special criteria
MA
Public Policy
180-210
90-105
n/a
3. Nested award
Award
Title
Credit
value
ECTS
equivalent
Any special criteria
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
4. Exit award
Award
Title
Credit
value
ECTS
equivalent
Any special criteria
PGDip
Public Policy
120-140
60-70
n/a
PG Cert
Public Policy
60 – 70
30-35
n/a
5. Level in the qualifications framework
M
6. Attendance
Full-time
Part-time
Distance
learning
Mode of attendance
X
X
N/A
Minimum length of programme
1 year
2 years
N/A
Maximum length of programme
4 years
4 years
N/A
7. Awarding institution/body
King’s College, London
8. Teaching institution
King’s College, London
9. Proposing department
Department of Political Economy
10. Programme organiser and contact
Details
Professor Ken Young, x 2708
[email protected]
11. UCAS code (if appropriate)
N/A
12. Relevant QAA subject benchmark/
Professional, statutory and regulatory
body guidelines
13. Date of production of specification
September 2005
14. Date of programme review
2018/19
15. Educational aims of the programme
i.e. what is the purpose of the programme and general statements about the learning that takes place over the duration of the programme
The central programme aim is to develop the student’s understanding of the factors which shape the emergence and development of public policy, and deepen that understanding through the study of a selection of substantive policy areas.
Specifically, the programme aims:
• to enable students to apply critically the key theories and concepts used in policy analysis to the policy making process
• to equip students with the skills necessary to engage with the key debates about the working of the policy process in democratic societies
• to broaden and deepen the student’s appreciation of common policy problems and the ways they are addressed in different societies
• to provide a stimulating teaching and learning environment by allowing students to benefit from first hand exposure to staff research
• to provide an open and supportive learning environment by encouraging students to draw on their own experiences and relate them to the courses
for students progressing from the taught component to the dissertation:
• to offer skilled supervision to enable students to attain a level of competence in the design and execution of a policy-analysis research project.
16. Educational objectives of the programme/programme outcomes (as relevant to the
SEEC Credit Level Descriptors)
On successful completion of this programme, students will be able to demonstrate:
• understanding of the different conceptual and theoretical approaches to the study of public policy that have arisen in political science
• knowledge and perspectives for a political orientation for policy analysis
• understanding of the key concepts and debates about making, implementing and evaluating public policy
• the ability to compare and contrast the ways in which common policy problems and issues are approached in different political systems
• awareness of the ways in which ‘knowledge’ is constructed and deployed in the policy process • a deepened conceptual grasp acquired through the study of a range of optional courses in e.g
defence and security studies, education, health, gerontology or human geography or area studies.
and for students progressing from the taught component to the dissertation:
• the ability to present undertake policy-relevant research and present findings in a professional manner
Knowledge and understanding
The programme provides a knowledge
and understanding of the following:
• different conceptual and theoretical approaches to the study of public policy • perspectives arising within a political
orientation towards policy analysis • key concepts and debates about making,
implementing and evaluating public policy • awareness of the ways in which
‘knowledge’ is constructed and deployed in the policy process
• a deepened contextual and conceptual understanding acquired through the study of a range of optional courses in defence and security studies, education, health, gerontology and human geography.
These are achieved through the
following teaching/learning methods
and strategies:
Knowledge and understanding in these areas is acquired through a combination of:
• Lectures designed to provide students with the theoretical basis for
understanding key approaches in public policy analysis
• Classes, small group discussions and syndicate work
• Independent study focused on key essential and supplementary reading • attendance at fortnightly seminars
given by visiting speakers from civil service, political parties, local
authorities etc., with the opportunity for students to question the speakers in both formal and informal settings • An extended research project to be
submitted for the dissertation • Option courses selected to provide
depth of understanding of a range of areas of public policy, and the analyses developed within those specialist fields.
Assessment:
By coursework essays designed to assess students’ knowledge and understanding of key processes and their ability to sustain a critical argument.
For option courses a mix of assessment methods, including unseen examinations, extended essays both formative and summative and oral and group presentations supplement the core courses.
Skills and other attributes
Intellectual skills:
• The ability to compare and contrast the ways in which common policy problems arise and are approached in different political systems
• the ability to analyse the relationship between policy and practice in a range of
These are achieved through the
following teaching/learning methods
and strategies:
areas, including the influence of organisational and professional influences
• the ability to perform a critical reading of published policy studies and evaluate their rigour, validity and relevance • the ability to provide a reasoned
assessment of the feasibility of policy proposals
• the ability to think critically and independently
• the ability to plan, develop and undertake policy-relevant research
•
the ability to engage critically with the issues arising in a range of substantive policy areas.and understanding, together with the development of appropriate critical research skills; specifically by:
• independent critical reading and thinking in preparation for lectures, classes and assignments
• peer group discussion • collaborative work in groups
• preparation of work for presentation to course members
• preparation and development of dissertation proposals (MA candidates) • tuition for dissertation project (MA
candidates)
Assessment:
Intellectual skills are assessed by
coursework presented on the core courses, as well as informal assessment and
feedback on performance on individual group and syndicate presentation sessions. The ability to plan, develop and undertake policy-relevant research is formally
assessed by the dissertation and informally in the workshops on project preparation. Skills in respect of substantive policy areas are assessed by the spectrum of methods used in the option courses.
Practical skills:
• the ability to undertake policy-relevant research
• the ability to present findings in a professional manner, both orally and in writing
• the ability to identify and source secondary literature and primary research material
• the ability to use appropriate information technology
These are achieved through the
following teaching/learning methods
and strategies:
Practical skills are developed through the teaching and learning programme which in the core courses makes use of case studies as well as coursework and
presentations. The first and third of these in particular are developed through
workshop attendance in preparation for the research-based dissertation. The
dissertation is also key to the acquisition of a high standard of presentation skill.
Assessment:
Practical skills are formally assessed by coursework and informally by
Generic/transferable skills:
• The ability to tackle problems in arigorous and open-minded fashion, in a spirit of critical enquiry
• Develop effective and sustainable learning skills
• Work effectively as a member of a team • Manage time and input to best effect in
fulfilling individual assignments • Make effective use of IT
• Write clear and well-focused reports • Deliver findings to audiences with clarity
and confidence
These are achieved through the
following teaching/learning methods
and strategies:
Generic and transferable skills are developed throughout the teaching and learning programme outlined above and specifically through individual and group assignments in the core courses and, where applicable, across the spectrum of option courses.
Assessment:
Generic and transferable skills are informally assessed primarily through coursework assignments and exercises, where students are required to work both jointly and individually and by performance on assessed coursework and, in the case of some option courses, by unseen written examinations.
17. Statement of how the programme has been informed by the relevant subject
benchmark statement(s)/professional, statutory and regulatory body guidelines
The programme has been designed with reference to the framework for Masters level
qualifications published by the QAA. There is as yet no Masters level benchmark statement
for Politics and International Studies, within which this programme largely falls. However,
the 2007 Honours statement for that discipline (Section 4.14 Knowledge and understanding
of the subject) records that graduates in Politics will, inter alia be able to apply concepts,
theories and methods used in the study of politics to the analysis of political ideas,
institutions and practices and demonstrate knowledge and understanding of different political
systems, and evaluate different interpretations of political issues and events. At 4.16
(Generic intellectual skills) the QAA panel aver that graduates in Politics and International
Relations will be able to gather, organize and deploy evidence, data and information from a
variety of secondary and some primary sources; identify, investigate, analyse, formulate and
advocate solutions to problems; construct reasoned argument, synthesize relevant
information and exercise critical judgement; reflect on their own learning and seek and make
use of constructive feedback; manage their own learning self-critically; and recognise the
importance of explicit referencing and the ethical requirements of study which requires
critical and reflective use of information and communications technology in the learning
process. While this is a level 7 programme proposal and, as such, a specialised, advanced
course, its design has nonetheless taken account of how these benchmarks might be built
upon at a higher level of study.
18. In cases of joint honours programmes please provide a rationale for the particular
subject combination, either educational or academic
19. Programme structure
Please complete the following table and, if appropriate, to include joint, major/minor or other variations
Code = code of each module available for the programme
Title = title of each module available for the programme, plus its credit level and credit value
Status = please indicate whether the module is introductory (I), core (Cr), compulsory (Cp), one or more of however many modules must be passed to
progress (CrCp), (P) professional (i.e. module testing skills/competency that has no credit level or value but is a professional body requirement) or optional (O)
for each type of programme. For postgraduate programmes use the "single honours" column
Pre-requisite/Co-requisite = where appropriate please indicate whether the module is pre-requisite to another module or co-requisite by noting pre or co and
the module code that it is pre/co-requisite to.
Assessment = please indicate in broad terms the assessment for the module eg written examinations, coursework
(Note: the availability of optional modules may vary slightly from year to year; the following are the modules available at the commencement of the
programme)
Code
Title
Credit
Level
Credit
Value
Status (I, Cr, Cp, CrCp,
P, O) for each type of
module
Pre-requisite/
Co-requisite
(Please note the module
code)
Assessment
Single Joint
Major/
Minor
Single Joint
Major/
Minor
Full-time Study
7SSPP001
The Policy Process
7
20
Cp
Coursework
7SSPP002
Comparative Public Policy
7
20
Cp
Coursework
7SSMM401
Management of the Public Services 7
20
Cp
Written examination
7SSPP003
Research Dissertation
7
60
Cr
Graded proposal and final dissertation
Students must take at least 40 credits from the
following modules:
7SSPP005
Evaluating Public Policy
7
20
O
Coursework
7SSPP007
Public Policy Internship
7
20
O
Presentation and internship report
7SSPP008
Liberty, Equality and Justice:
Political Theory and Public Policy
7
20
O
Coursework
7SSPP009
Case Studies in Policy Decision
7
20
O
7SSPP001