Course

The goal of this class is to offer a general primer on large-scale social, economic and other policies directed by federal and state governments, with specific examples in pressing policy areas. Students will gain a broad overall knowledge of how the majority of state and federal funding is both raised and spent, and the associated policy issues and outcomes. The class takes existing policies and the policy process as a given, explains a subset of them in detail, and puts a focus on a set of specific contemporary public policy questions of concern to policymakers and society. A student of this class will gain a broad overall knowledge of how the majority of state and federal funding is spent and the policy outcomes associated with that spending, including its impacts on society.

Offers an introduction to health policy in the United States. Examines the ways in which government plays a role in the provision and regulation of health care. Explores key aspects of health policy including the economics of health care (e.g., paying for and access to health care; the health care workforce; the role of markets and consequences of market/government failures, public policy that supports or promotes health; health care outcomes, quality, and disparities; and tools for evaluation) and special topics of interest such as policy addressing risky health behaviors, aging, mental health, and the Affordable Care Act. Think critically about public and private health issues using the policy analysis process, including policy interventions and their justifications, and gain skills in articulating and communicating policy positions.

Facilitates skill-building to answer questions such as how policymakers use research and evidence in their jobs, how researchers can make their work useful to policymakers, and how legislative support staff and other stakeholders use research and evidence to shape policy. Students will explore the definition of “evidence-based”, learn about different kinds of evidence and how it is used, and learn strategies for judging the rigor of research evidence. They will also explore the difference between an education-based approach to working with policymakers versus an advocacy-based approach, learn strategies for communicating research to policy makers (including written and oral presentations and data visualizations), research examples of successful evidence-based policymaking efforts, and understand the limits of using research in policymaking.

In domestic and international policymaking, stark differences between the private sector (“the market”) and the public sector (“the state”) are dissolving. For example, the private sector is being pushed to help achieve public policy goals, while the public sector is being pushed to be customer-oriented

The quality and impact of public policy often hinges on the way in which the policy is implemented.  This course will examine the factors that shape effective implementation.

A small experiential learning class in the spring for UW-Madison undergraduates who are interested in health policy.

Create a public policy case study and analyze case studies for their effectiveness in presenting data and information about specific government agencies so that students can assess the overall operations and performance of actual agencies.

Leadership is one of the most important but perplexing topics in the public sector; almost all agree its important, but we often disagree about what it actually means, or how to study it. This course aims to demystify the role of leadership in a public setting.

Introduces the key conceptual and methodological tools used in public program evaluation, with an emphasis on understanding the forces that shape health and disease as well as various policy solutions.

This course is designed to teach the role that strategy plays in maximizing the effectiveness and efficiency of a public organization.