Explores the role of government in the economy, applying tools of basic microeconomics to answer important policy questions such as government response to global warming, school choice by K-12 students, Social Security versus private retirement savings accounts, government versus private health insurance, setting income tax rates for individuals and corporations.

Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1: Introduction to Public Policy
Chapter 2: Origins and Actors
Chapter 3: Foundations of the Policy Process
Chapter 4: Problem Identification and Agenda Setting
Chapter 5: Policy Design and Formulation
Chapter 6: Policy Implementation
Chapter 7: Policy Analysis and Evaluation

The study of public policy offers every citizen an understanding of the various roles played by the different branches of the U.S. federal government as well as by state, county, and local governments in various areas of contemporary American life. It focuses on the priorities of American society as portrayed in the public policy choices that representatives make and the size of different interest groups that advocate on behalf of particular policy goals. This course will introduce this various actors involved in the making of American public policy, explore public policy formulation by examining a variety of case studies, and examine the implementation of public policies, the allocation of funding to pay for these projects, and the evaluation of these projects to determine their effectiveness. The rest of the course will examine specific case studies and areas of public policy. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: demonstrate a working knowledge of various key concepts in the process of American public policymaking and the major steps from start to finish in the public policy process; identify vital issues and specific areas of concern for contemporary American policymakers within the broad fields of economic, national security, public health, environmental, education, rural, and social policy; identify key actors and agencies involved in the making of public policy within the United States and their respective roles in the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of policy; demonstrate skills in the analysis of the various political, social, economic, military, legal, and ethical goals and cultural values that form the basis of policymaking decisions; identify key debates in contemporary American public policy as well as the issues at stake and the arguments advanced by each side of the debate; demonstrate an understanding of various decision frameworks used by policymakers in creating, developing, and executing various public policies; demonstrate an understanding of the context, evolution, and linkages of specific policies and between certain polices within the broader context of American political history. (Political Science 431)

Introduction to the theoretical and practical sides of public policy controversies and their resolution. Offers a multidisciplinary perspective on a wide range of difficult public policy disputes including racial and ethnic conflict, resource management disputes, and science-intensive policy disagreements such as those surrounding the disposal of nuclear waste, the nature of the risks associated with resource recovery plants, and the cultural impacts of hydroelectric development. Simulations, case studies, and role plays provide numerous opportunities for students to develop their own dispute handling capabilities.

This course provides an introduction to the vast literature devoted to public opinion. In the next 12 weeks, we will survey the major theoretical approaches and empirical research in the field of political behavior (though we will only tangentially discuss political participation and voting). For the most part we will focus on American public opinion, though some of the work we will read is comparative in nature.

A survey subject of current concepts, theories, and issues in strategic management of transportation organizations. Provides transportation logistics and engineering systems students with an overview of the operating context, leadership challenges, strategies, and management tools that are used in today's public and private transportation organizations. The following concepts, tools, and issues are presented in both public and private sector cases: alternative models of decision-making, strategic planning (e.g., use of SWOT analysis and scenario development), stakeholder valuation and analysis, government-based regulation and cooperation within the transportation enterprise, disaster communications, change management, and the impact of globalization.

Through a combination of lectures, cases, and class discussions the subject examines the economic and political conflict between transportation and the environment. Investigates the role of government regulation, green business and transportation policy as a facilitator of economic development and environmental sustainability. Analyzes a variety of international policy problems including government-business relations, the role of interest groups, non-governmental organizations, and the public and media in the regulation of the automobile; sustainable development; global warming; politics of risk and siting of transport facilities; environmental justice; equity; as well as transportation and public health in the urban metropolis. Provides students with an opportunity to apply transportation and planning methods to develop policy alternatives in the context of environmental politics.