Public Policy

Course Objective
The objective of the course is to provide the students with the generic, conceptual, methodological and analytical knowledge and skills appropriate for analyzing issue-areas of public policy in the changed context of national and international environment. The course will emphasis on familiarizing the students with a number of approaches, methods and analytical techniques public policy making addressing the complex, interdependent and multidisciplinary nature of contemporary policy problems. After completing its study, the students are expected to be capable enough to analyze, plan, and manage different aspects of public policy making process.

Course Contents

1. An Introduction to Public Policy (20 Lecture Hours)

1.1 Meaning and concept of public policy
1.2 Public Policy typology
1.3 Subject matters of public policy
1.4 Methods of the study of policy-making process
1.5 Nature and scope of public policy
1.6 Purposes of the study of the public policy

2. Theories of Policy Making (10 Lecture Hours)

2.1 Political System Theory
2.2 Group Theory
2.3 Elite Theory
2.4 Intuitional Theory

3. Agenda setting and policy Life cycles (10 Lecture Hours)

3.1 Social construction of problems
3.2 Role of power in defining or defying problems
3.3 Role of ideas, individuals and think tanks in identifying policy issues
3.4 Rationale of Agenda Setting
3.5 Role of state and non-state actors in policy making
3.6 Factors influencing policy making process
3.7 Policy Life Cycle

4. Models of decision making (10 Lecture Hours)

4.1 Key theories associated with decision making, including rational choice theory, incrementalism, Mixed-Scanning, Public Opinion Theory

5 The Implementation of Public Policy (10 Lecture Hours)

5.1 Approaches to policy implementation: Top down, Bottom up, Synthesis of both top down and bottom up and Policy Action Model
5.2 Requirements of effective implementation

6. Monitoring and Evaluation of Public Policy (10 Lecture Hours)

6.1 Monitoring and evaluation concepts
6.2 Criteria for evaluation
6.3 Techniques of evaluation
6.4 Problems in evaluation
6.5 Policy impacts: Change or continuity of policy

7 Policy Transfer and International Lesson Drawing (5 Lecture Hours)

7.1 Concept of policy transfer and lesson drawing
7.2 Forms of Policy Transfer
7.3 Agents of Policy Transfer
7.4 Barriers to Policy Transfer

8 A Case Study on any Policy Issue in Nepal (5 Lecture Hours)

8.1 Policy issue concept
8.2 Institutional structure
8.3 Various challenges related with the policy in relation with the current policy
8.4 The way forward

Course Title: Public Policy
Course No: PA 530
Nature of the Course: Core
Duration of Course: 100 Lecture hrs.
Duration of the lass: 60 minutes
Full Marks: 100
Pass Marks: 40



References

1. George C. Edward II and Ira Sarakansky, The Policy Predicament: Making and Implementing Public Policy (San Francisco: W.H. Freeman and Co., 1978) latest available edition.
2. C. J. Bennet , How States Utilise Foreign Evidence, Journal of Public Policy 11(1), pp.39-54) 1991.
3. Charles L. Cochran and Eloise F. Malone, Public Policy Perspectives and Choices (Viva Books Private Limited, New Delhi, 2007).
4. James Anderson, Public Policy Making, (New Work: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1979)
5. Norman Frohlic and J.A. Oppenheimer, Modern Political Economy, New Delhi: Prentice-Hall of India, 1978 (Latest available edition).
6. Pradeep Sahani, Public Policy: Conceptual Dimension (Allahabad: Kitab Mahal, 1987).
7. R.K. Sapru, Public Policy: Formulation, Implementation and Evaluation, New Delhi: Sterling Publisher Pvt. Ltd., Second Revised Edition 2004.
8. Richard Rose, Lesson Drawing in Public Policy: A Guide to Learning Across Time and Space (New Jeresy, Catham House 1993)
9. Wayne Parsons Public Policy: An Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Policy Analysis (Edward Elgar, Aldershot, UK; Brookfield, US 1995).
10. I.M.d. Little, Ethics, Economics and politics: Principles of Public policy, Oxford University
11. Press, 2002
12. Devika Paul, Public Policy: Formulation and Implementation in India, Devika Publications, Delhi, 1994.
13. Michael Howlett and M. Ramesh, Studying Public Policy: Policy Cycles and Policy Subsystems (Oxford University Press, 2003)
14. Michael Hill and Peter Hupe, Implementing Public Policy: Governance in Theory and Practice, (New Delhi: Sage Publication Ltd, 2006).
15. P.R. Rijal, Fundamentals of Public Policy Analysis, (Kathmandu: Mrs. Indira Rijal, 1995).

Course Composition in masters of public administration

The Core Courses carry 800 marks and specialization areas (elective courses) carry 200 marks. The following are the courses for the first and second year.

First Year
Course No. (Marks)
PA 510 Fundamentals of Public Administration (100)
PA 520 Development Management (100)
PA 530 Public Policy (100)
PA 540 Research Methods in Public Administration I (50)
PA 550 Human Resource Management (50)
PA 560 Organizational Behavior (50)
PA 570 Local-self Governance (50)

Second Year
PA 610 Research Methods in Public Administration II (50)
PA 620 Global Governance (50)
PA 630 Contemporary issues in public affairs Management (50)
PA 640 Public Finance (50)
PA 650 Administrative System in Nepal (50)
PA 660 Public Enterprise (50)


Specialization Areas (Elective Courses):

Courses equivalent 200 marks to be selected from any one of the following areas.

a) Development Management
DM 621 Planning and Project Management (100)
DM 622 Study on Human Development (100)

b) Human Resources Management
HRM 631 Human resource development (100)
HRM 632 Personnel Administration in Nepal and SAARC Countries (100)

c) Local Governance and Development
LGD 641 Rural Development (100)
LGD 642 Urban Governance and Development Management (100)

d) Civil Society Governance
CSG 651 Civil Society Governance and Management (100)
CSG 652 NGOs and Development in Nepal (100)

e) Public Policy
PP 661 Public Policy Analysis (100)
PP 662 Public Policy Development and Implementation (100)

f) Thesis Writing
TH 675 Thesis (100)

Objective of the master in public administration MPA course

The objective of the Master's Degree program in Public Administration (MPA) is to produce high-level human resources in order to serve public affairs management of the government, non-government, public enterprises and private sectors. The program focuses on areas of specialization such as Development Management, Human Resource Development, Local Governance and Development, Civil Society Governance and Public Policy. After successful completion of the program, a student will be able to function as an administrator or manager in government, non-government, public enterprises and private sectors. The Master in Public Administration program specifically aims to:

1. Equip the students with required knowledge of administrative science and management.
2. Prepare high-level human resources in the area of public administration, development management, policy formulation and analysis, global governance, human resource development and contemporary issues in public affairs management.
3. Enhance research capability.