POLS 3302 | 80966 | Fall 2023

Introduction to Public Policy

Online - Asynchronous | 3 Hours

Professor: Dr. Sungdae Lim

Office: CHSS 489
Virtual Office (Zoom): https://shsu.zoom.us/j/84773134295 (Meeting ID: 847 7313 4295)
Office Hours (Virtual & In-Person): Tuesdays & Thursdays, 12:30-1:30 PM or by appointment
E-mail: [email protected] | Office Phone: 936-294-1469

Course Description:
This is an online course that introduces the theory and practice of public policy. The purpose of
this course is to develop your knowledge and analytic skills in the policy process and to prepare
you for a variety of future career opportunities in the public sector. The readings, weekly topics
of study, and course assignments were selected to broaden your understanding of public policy
dynamics and to make you a better public-sector professional. Topics covered include defining
public policy; the process and participants of policymaking; and policy analysis. Each class
session will discuss key concepts, principles, and theoretical frameworks of relevant policy
phenomena. Students will also learn about historical and contemporary issues that are pertinent
for public-sector professionals faced with fast-changing environments. Finally, students will be
expected to demonstrate their understanding of the ideas presented in the class and apply their
knowledge to critically analyze real-world policy problems from a theoretical perspective.

Course Objectives:
Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
1. Gain familiarity with core concepts, principles, and theories of public policy.
2. Understand the constitutional roles and responsibilities of the different levels of
government in the American federal system.
3. Identify the policy process and primarily engaged actors in each stage.
4. Demonstrate working knowledge of policy analysis.
5. Apply the knowledge in the policy process and analysis to particular public policy issues.
6. Demonstrate concise and analytical writing of a policy change proposal.

Required Textbook: To be prepared by Week 2.

Peters, B. G. (2022). American public policy: Promise and performance (12th ed.). Thousand
Oaks, CA: CQ Press. ISBN: 978-1071809167

Suggested Materials (Available on Blackboard):

• Kraft, M. E., & Furlong, S. R. (2021). Public policy: Politics, analysis, and alternatives
(7th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: CQ Press. ISBN: 978-1544374611
• The textbooks above, alongside additional book chapters and lecture slides posted on the
course website, will serve as the basis for lectures.

Online Delivery: All assignments, exams, and course contents are administered online,
accessible through the course website. Students need to be able to download course materials,
upload assignments, take assessments, and access course announcements on Blackboard. Consult

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with the SHSU Online Support Desk for any technical issues at https://online.shsu.edu/support/.
Install the Zoom application for virtual office hours. Refer to the SHSU guide for using Zoom:
https://www.shsu.edu/dept/it@sam/tech-tutorials/zoom/index.html.

Communication Expectations:
• Students must use their @shsu.edu email account at all times and check the email
account daily. Students also need to check all course announcements daily.
• Professional communication is expected between students and the instructor at all times.
Refer to the following link for When Writing to Professor:
(http://udel.edu/~jsoares/How%20to%20Use%20Proper%20Email%20Etiquette%20Whe
n%20Writing%20to%20a%20Professor.pdf). In short,
o Make sure you are using your official university email account.
o Provide a formal salutation in which you address the professor (e.g., “Hello/Hi
Dr. Lim”; “Professor Lim”), introduce your full name and the course section you
are enrolled in (e.g., “My name is Sarah Smith in POLS 3366”).
o Be clear, succinct, and polite.
• Any missed deadlines or instructor emails/announcements due to not checking on time
are student responsibility.
• The instructor will seek to respond to all e-mails within two working business days
(excluding Saturdays and Sundays) in the order received.
• Students with any questions may first check the course syllabus and announcements.
• You will be asked to complete a course/instructor evaluation.

Course Requirements/Grading: Successful students should expect to engage in 5-10 hours of

out-of-class study each week for the following course requirements. All assignments are to be
typed and must be your own original work, prepared specifically for this class.

1. Weekly Summary and Discussion (30%): Students are required to study weekly course
materials that are assigned each week, during the week that they apply to. Active participation in
discussion is also expected to create a learning community where you get to know how others
understand and approach the same course materials. You are to complete weekly summary and
discussion assignments, Week 2 through Week 13. The assignments should be based on the
required readings and/or the cases presented in course lectures, with a focus on both theoretical
questions and practical implications.

1a. Summary (20%): On our discussion board, you need to: a) write a brief description
of the chapter(s) in one paragraph (5-10 paraphrased sentence structure required); b)
explain one concept, principle, or theory that you would like to share and discuss in more
detail (1-2 paragraphs); and c) state where you find confusing or unclear specifically—
intended to end with questions. The weekly summary is to be posted by Friday of each
week. Each summary will be worth 2 percent points, total 20 percent points.

1b. Discussion (10%): In addition, you need to respond to a classmate’s summary by

Sunday of each week. You should directly reply to the summary post to leave a
comment. Responses must be constructive and provide adequate feedback with additional
ideas or explanations to improve the original post. Refrain from writing only prompt

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 emotional expressions and impressions (e.g., I like such things; Awesome!; Great job!;
This is something I’ve never thought about. Sounds cool!). Within a one-paragraph
comment, make sure that each feedback should make intellectual contributions to the
original post. By giving comments, I want you to focus on specifying what your
opinion/answer/question is, how you have come up with it, and how it can contribute to
the summary discussion. Each comment will be worth 1 percent point counted towards
your final grade, total 10 percent points.

2. Essay (10%): Students will be required to complete a concise and well-articulated essay that
answers two essay questions. At a point in the semester, I will assign a set of essay questions in
which you will choose two to answer. It is to encourage you to become familiar with exploring
the theoretical and analytical structures of the current principal events. You will provide your
own deliberations based on your readings, background knowledge, experiential lessons, and
critical thinking. The questions and the assignment instruction will be provided several weeks
before the due date.

An essay should be about 3 double-spaced pages in length with standard one-inch margins. Use
Times New Roman in font and 12 points in font size. All references should be cited according to
the APA style with a separate reference section located at the end of the essay. The title page,
references, endnotes, and appendices do not count toward the minimum number of pages. The
essay is due October 29.

Essays will be graded for both content, completion, and writing. I will see through how your
essay articulates and discusses the topic, what your opinion and reasoning are, which data or
factual information may support your thought, and what implications are made. Rigorous
plagiarism checks will be conducted on all of your write-ups. Please be aware that plagiarized
work and any form of academic dishonesty will result in an “F” on the assignment or the
entire course upon the university’s academic dishonesty policy. You need to also see the
course’s academic dishonesty policy explained in the next section of this syllabus. For
formatting, paraphrasing, and citing, check the APA guidelines, available on the course website.

APA Writing Format: All papers should be typed, with one-inch margins on all sides of each
page—left, right, top, and bottom, in Times New Roman, 12pt. Double space lines throughout
the paper. Title pages, references, endnotes, and appendices do not count toward the minimum or
maximum number of pages. See the APA format guidelines for further details.

3. Policy Analysis (20%): Throughout the semester, students will conduct a policy analysis from
both a theoretical and analytical perspective. For this assignment, students will first need to
choose a specific policy case at any level which you think has particular real-world problems to
be addressed. You will choose a particular (specific enough) policy case that you have some
basic understanding of how it has been developed. The specific policy may be chosen from your
observations, readings, experiences, or drawn from a secondary source such as news coverage or
reports.

The policy analysis should complete a 6-8 paged (double-spaced) paper that incorporates
theoretical and analytical perspectives to evaluate the policy process and suggest a set of

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reform/change recommendations. For this assignment, include 1) an introduction to the policy
case and the government entity that you study addressing issues, challenges, and background
context of the policy case, 2) a description of the real policy process in detail—agenda setting,
policy formulation and legitimation, policy implementation, the target population and policy
goals, official and unofficial policymakers and participants, and the policy type and political
environment, 3) an assessment of how the subject government has tackled the issues with what
detailed programs/policy activities, and 4) a policy change memo with specific and realistic
action guidelines and recommendations, and 5) references (APA format). It is due November 29.

Research should include a variety of secondary (and/or primary) data sources available through
websites, annual reports, newspaper and magazine articles, or direct interviews. All data must be
properly cited. See the APA format guidelines for further details. You are required to cite at least
two academic journal articles as well as other government reports, data, and reliable sources to
support your analysis. Please be aware that plagiarized work and any form of academic
dishonesty will result in an “F” on the assignment or the entire course upon the university’s
academic dishonesty policy. See also the course’s academic dishonesty policy in this syllabus.

Though working online for this course, I recommend you work in a group of 2-4. Students can,
however, choose to work independently upon preference and availability. No group member
change is permitted once the members are decided. To communicate with the instructor while
conducting the project, students need to inform the instructor of their policy case and group
members via email by Week 4. Further instructions will be available on Blackboard.

4. Midterm Exam (20%): This exam is administered online on Blackboard. It will be timed and
conducted via the course website available from October 11 at 8:00 AM through 12 at 11:59
PM. It will cover all materials including book chapters, readings, and lecture slides to the point
of the exam week. Questions will be in a combination of true/false, multiple-choice, and/or fill-
in-the-blank formats.

Open-book and open-note. You may use all course materials. However, you must not discuss
nor share any information about the exam questions with anyone. It will result in a F for this
entire class and be reported to the university as an academic dishonesty case. All log
information (time, location, window pop-ups, time answered, etc.) and IP addresses will be
checked before grades are determined to see whether any student’s correct-incorrect answer
patterns and times answered are substantially similar to those of other students. Make-up exams
will be permitted only in case where a university excused absence is submitted and approved by
the instructor before the exam week. E-mail notices of illness without appropriate documentation
will not constitute an acceptable excuse. Expect 2 working business days to get the approval.

All connection/disconnection issues and any other technical problems occurring while taking the
exam are student responsibility. I suggest you take the exam by using a university computer
having a wired connection to the university internet on campus. Note that you will not have a
second chance for any connection issues. Consult with IT@SAM support for access concerns.

5. Final Exam (20%): The final exam is administered online on Blackboard. It will be timed
and conducted via the course website available from December 4 at 8:00 AM through 5 at 11:59

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PM. This exam will involve true/false, multiple-choice, and/or fill-in-the-blank questions. It will
cover all course materials throughout the semester. Make-ups will not be permitted. Note that if
you miss the final exam for any reason, you won’t have any further chance to make up for it
simply because the semester will end, and your final grade will be determined by the time. Same
instructions in regard to academic dishonesty and connection matters.

6. Extra Credit (4%): You can earn a total of 4 percent extra credit.

The final course grade will be computed as follows:

• Weekly Participation 30%
o Summary 20%
o Discussion 10%
• Essay Write-Up 10%
• Policy Analysis 20%
• Midterm Exam 20%
• Final Exam 20%

Grading: Letter grades will be assigned according to the following point totals:
A=90 or higher; B=80-89.99;
C=70-79.99; D=60-69.99; F= less than 60.

Late Assignments: Written assignments that are received within 24 hours after the submission
deadline will be subject to a 5% deduction. Assignments submitted more than 24 hours late but
less than 48 will be subject to a 10% deduction. No assignments will be accepted more than 48
hours late.

Free Tutoring and Writing Services at SHSU:

On-campus tutoring and writing assistance are available for assignments at Sam Houston State
University. For more information, visit the Academic Success Center for Reading and Writing
at https://www.shsu.edu/centers/academic-success-center/writing/index.html or contact the
center at 936-294-3680 or email [email protected]. High-quality tutoring and writing services are
available by appointment and on a walk-in basis. The center is located in Room 111 at the
Farrington Building.

University Attendance Policy:

Excused absences include documented illness, deaths in the family and other documented crises,
call to active military duty or jury duty, religious holy days, and official University activities.
Consideration will also be given to students whose dependent children experience serious illness
upon documentation. See also the Student Absences on Religious Holy Days policy (Policy #:
861001) available at https://www.shsu.edu/dept/academic-affairs/aps/aps-students.html. For the
Visitors in the Classroom policy, check at https://www.shsu.edu/dept/academic-affairs/faculty-
handbook/syllabus-guidelines.

Academic Dishonesty:
All students are expected to engage in all academic pursuits in a manner that is above reproach.
Students are expected to maintain honesty and integrity in the academic experiences both in and

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out of the classroom. Please be aware that plagiarized work and any form of academic dishonesty
will result in an “F” on the assignment. SHSU Academic Policy Statement 810213 outlines the
definition of academic honesty and the related disciplinary procedures. The University and its
official representatives may initiate disciplinary proceedings against a student accused of any
form of academic dishonesty including but not limited to, cheating on an examination or other
academic work which is to be submitted, plagiarism, collusion and the abuse of resource
materials. You are advised that:
1. If you take material that is not yours, from any source whatsoever, and copy it into
assignments for this class, you must provide a footnote, endnote, or parenthetical
reference to the source of the material. I specifically expect you to use the style guide of
the American Psychological Association, for which guidelines are available at the course
website.
2. Any material which quotes verbatim from other sources must be enclosed in quotation
marks and its source attributed as noted in rule #1 above, and a specific reference to the
pages in the original where the material is found must be provided.
3. Material not taken verbatim from a text but paraphrased must also be attributed as in rule
#1.
4. Students may not submit papers or other projects that have previously been prepared for
other courses.
5. Violations of these rules in any assignments may be subject to a minimum penalty of a
grade of zero (0) for the assignment and may result in a grade of “F” for the course.

Diversity and Inclusion:

The university is committed to promoting a campus culture that embraces diversity and
inclusion. It is my intent that students from all diverse backgrounds and perspectives be well-
served both in and out of class and that the diversity that the students bring to this class be
viewed as a resource, strength, and benefit. It is my intent to present materials and activities that
are respectful of diversity: gender, disability, race, nationality, personal identities, political
affiliations, religion, age, and culture.

I ask that you engage in discussion with care and empathy for other classmates. For your verbal
and written communications in class, please always check your tone and manner whether they
are mindful of others. Please let me know if something said or done in class discussion or any
form of conversation is particularly troubling or causes discomfort or a hostile environment.
What to Report (https://www.shsu.edu/dept/diversity-inclusion/reporting.html):
Discrimination. Defined as conduct directed at a specific individual or a group of
identifiable individuals that subjects the individual or group to treatment that adversely
affects their employment or education because of their race, creed, ancestry, marital
status, citizenship, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, veteran’s status,
sexual orientation, or gender identity.
Harassment. A form of discrimination that’s defined as verbal or physical conduct that is
directed at an individual or group because of race, creed, ancestry, marital status,
citizenship, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, veteran’s status, sexual
orientation, or gender identity when such conduct is sufficiently severe, pervasive, or
persistent so as to have the purpose or effect of interfering with an individual’s or group’s
academic or work performance; or of creating a hostile academic or work environment.

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 This conduct can include technology-based communications such as texting, online
classroom chats, or social networking sites.
Sexual Misconduct. A type of violence that uses power, control, and/or intimidation to
harm another. It includes sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic violence, dating
violence, and stalking. It occurs when there is an absence of consent. Consent is a free
and clearly given yes, not the absence of a no, and cannot be received when a person is
incapacitated by alcohol or drugs. For more information about reporting, grievance
procedures, and supportive services, visit shsu.edu/titleix.

Students With Disabilities Policy (#811006):

Students with disabilities needing academic accommodation should:
(1) consult and register with the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities; and
(2) bring a letter to the instructor indicating the need for accommodation and what type. They
should make an arrangement with the instructor so that appropriate strategies can be considered
and helpful procedures can be developed in a timely manner to ensure that participation and
achievement opportunities are not impaired. This should be done during the first week of class.
This syllabus and other class materials are available in alternative formats upon request.

For more information about services available to SHSU students with disabilities, contact the
Office of Services for Students with Disabilities:
1916 Avenue J, Lee Drain North Annex
Huntsville, TX 77341-2091
Tel: (936) 294-3512; TDD: (936) 294-3786; Email: [email protected]
https://www.shsu.edu/dept/disability/index.html
https://www.shsu.edu/dept/academic-
affairs/documents/aps/students/811006%20Students%20with%20Disabilities-180504.pdf

Syllabus Change Policy:

This syllabus is a guide for the course and is subject to change with advance notice.

Course Timeline Overview:

• First Week Attendance: Course overview survey due Sunday, August 27
• Monday~: Weekly readings should be completed before lecture materials
• Wednesday~: Weekly lecture video and lecture slides available
• Friday (Week 2 through Week 13): Weekly Summary due
• Sunday (Week 2 through Week 13): Comment due
• September 17: Email the instructor for the chosen policy case and group members
• October 11-12, 8:00 AM – 11:59 PM: Midterm Exam
• October 29: Essay due
• November 29: Policy Analysis Paper due
• December 4-5, 8:00 AM – 11:59 PM: Final Exam

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Weekly Topic and To-Do Outline:

DATE TOPIC

Week 1 Course Introduction and Overview

Aug 21 – 27 Read:
• Syllabus

Complete:
• Explore the course tools available on Blackboard.
• Course Intro and Overview Survey by Sunday, 8/27

Week 2 What is Public Policy

Aug 28 – Sep 3 Read:
• Peters (2022), Ch. 1 (available at Blackboard)
• Lecture slides

Watch:
• Lecture video

Complete:
• Week 2 summary by Friday and a comment by Sunday
• Explore real-world policy cases that might interest you.

Week 3 The Structure of Policymaking

Sep 5 – Sep 10 Read:
• Peters (2022), Ch. 2
• Lecture slides

Watch:
• Lecture video

Complete:
• Week 3 summary by Friday and a comment by Sunday
• Decide on a policy case and the government for your policy project.

Week 4 Other Participants in Policymaking

Sep 11 – 17 Read:
• Birkland (2020), Ch. 5 (Blackboard)
• Lecture slides

Watch:
• Lecture video

Complete:
• Week 4 summary by Friday and a comment by Sunday
• Email the instructor for the policy case and group members by
Sunday, 9/17.

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Week 5 Policy Typologies
Sep 18 – 24 Read:
• Birkland (2020), Ch. 7 (Blackboard)
• Lecture slides

Watch:
• Lecture video

Complete:
• Week 5 summary by Friday and a comment by Sunday
• Determine the policy type and issues of your chosen policy case.

Week 6 Theories of Policymaking and Process

Sep 25 – Oct 1 Read:
• Kraft & Furlong (2021), Ch. 3 (Blackboard)
• Lecture slides

Watch:
• Lecture video

Complete:
• Week 6 summary by Friday and a comment by Sunday
• Identify the policy process and participants of your chosen policy case.

Week 7 Agenda Setting and Policy Formulation

Oct 2 – 8 Read:
• Peters (2022), Ch. 4
• Lecture slides

Watch:
• Lecture video

Complete:
• Week 7 summary by Friday and a comment by Sunday
• Exam preparation (Week 2 through Week 7)

Week 8
Oct 9 – 15 MIDTERM EXAM (10/11 at 8:00 AM through 10/12 at 11:59 PM)

Week 9 Policy Implementation

Oct 16 – 22 Read:
• Peters (2022), Ch. 6
• Lecture slides

Watch:
• Lecture video

Complete:
• Week 9 summary by Friday and a comment by Sunday

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Week 10 Essay Week
Oct 23 – 29
Complete your essay write-up and submit it by Sunday, 10/29

Week 11 Understanding Policy Analysis

Oct 30 – Nov 5 Read:
• Kraft & Furlong (2021), Ch. 4 (Blackboard)
• Lecture slides

Watch:
• Lecture video

Complete:
• Week 11 summary by Friday and a comment by Sunday
• Collect relevant data and refine the analysis of your policy case (e.g., citing
professional reports, academic articles, interviews, and/or statistics).

Week 12 Defining Problems and Policy Alternatives

Nov 6 – 12 Read:
• Kraft & Furlong (2021), Ch. 5 (Blackboard)
• Lecture slides

Watch:
• Lecture video

Complete:
• Week 12 summary by Friday and a comment by Sunday
• Draft the full paper for your policy analysis.

Week 13 Assessing Policy Alternatives

Nov 13 – 19 Read:
• Kraft & Furlong (2021), Ch. 6 (Blackboard)
• Lecture slides

Watch:
• Lecture video

Complete:
• Week 13 summary by Friday and a comment by Sunday
• Conduct a plagiarism check for your policy analysis paper. Check the APA
format and writing mechanics. Wordsmith the paper. And, if needed,
consult with the university writing center.

Week 14
Nov 20 – 26 No Class – Thanksgiving Break

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Week 15 Policy Study Week
Nov 27 – 30
Complete:
• Submit your policy analysis paper by Wednesday, November 29.
• Exam preparation (Week 2 through Week 13)

Finals Week
Dec 4 – 7 FINAL EXAM (12/4 at 8 AM through 12/5 at 11:59 PM)

Extra Credit (2%):

• In the final exam, there will be extra questions by which you can earn up to
2 extra percent points toward your final grade.

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