UnitLevel 5Postgraduate

APG5101 Foundations of public policy

Faculty of Arts

APG5101 Foundations of public policy is a level 5, 6-credit-point, postgraduate unit from the Faculty of Arts, offered in 2021 in Semester 1 at Caulfield. It has no prerequisites.

Credit points
6
Offered in 2021
Semester 1
Caulfield
Assessment
No exam
4 tasks
Workload
288 hours
per semester

This is the 2021 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.

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Requisites

Before APG5101

Prohibitions

You can't enrol if you have passed any of these.

  • MGF5923Public policy

After APG5101

No unit lists APG5101 as a prerequisite in the 2021 handbook.

Enrolment rules

Prohibition: MGX9230 also

Equivalent units

The same content under another code. Only one of them counts.

Overview

Understanding public policy is a vital skill in any contemporary organisation. The unit introduces students to the basic principles of how public policy is made, how it emerges from competing interests and debates, and how stakeholders inside and outside government participate in this process. Lessons are drawn from practice in international experience.

Offerings in 2021

Teaching periodCampusMode
First semesterCaulfieldFlexible
First semesterCaulfieldBlock on

Assessment

  • Information paper: Theories of public policy
    30%
  • Individual video presentation
    30%
  • Learning reflection
    15%
  • Online and workshop participation
    25%

Learning outcomes

When you finish this unit, you should be able to:

  1. 1

    Analyse the core concepts and theories that help explain how public policy is made;

  2. 2

    Evaluate the role of government institutions and other stakeholders in the processes in policy making;

  3. 3

    Critically assess how policy makers contribute to the development of policies, make decisions and choose strategies to implement policy decisions;

  4. 4

    Apply knowledge and skills to a real case of public policy.

Workload and teaching

  • Tutorials12 hours
  • Teaching approachEnquiry-based learning

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 288 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

This unit is delivered using a mix of synchronous and asynchronous learning activities. Learning is grouped around six modules. Each module contains:

  1. learning and preparation activities to familiarise students with the key themes and concepts of the topic, including a quiz to check that students have achieved an essential level of understanding;
  2. a workshop where the key themes and concepts of each module are explored in greater depth and students participate in small group discussions; and
  3. a post-class forum activity where students apply and reflect upon their learning by responding to a real-world task.

The key feature of learning at the postgraduate level is that students take active responsibility for their learning.

Where it fits

APG5101 is part of 1 area of study in the 2021 handbook.

Contacts

Unit Coordinators
Associate Professor Deirdre O'Neill
Chief Examiners
Associate Professor Deirdre O'Neill

Common questions

What are the prerequisites for APG5101?

APG5101 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.

When is APG5101 offered?

In 2021, APG5101 runs in Semester 1 at Caulfield.

How much work is APG5101?

The handbook expects about 288 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.

Does APG5101 have an exam?

No. APG5101 has 4 assessment tasks and no exam.

Which majors and minors include APG5101?

APG5101 is part of Leadership for sustainable development.

More details

Credit points
6
Level
5
Study level
Postgraduate
Faculty
Faculty of Arts
Organisational unit
Politics and International Relations
Type
Coursework
EFTSL
0.125
Student contribution
SCA Band 4
Study abroad
Available