Module: Policy Analysis 1

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Policy Analysis 1
Module Code	EDU1166 (ITS: ED9015)
Faculty	Policy & Professional Practice	School	DCU Institute of Education
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	15

Description

This module provides an introduction to varied perspectives regarding education and a range of methodologies used to study policy documents, movements, trends and phenomena. It looks at the intersection of politics and policy making exploring local and global contexts and influences. The blurring of state and civil society is the focus of a session on the ‘governance turn’ in policy and participants will encounter a wide range of policy concepts including policy learning and the role of policy elites. Throughout, there is a focus on Irish education discourse, policy making and implementation. Participants will learn about and use a range of policy analysis approaches and frameworks as well as reading a number of key introductory policy analysis texts.

Learning Outcomes

1. describe/summarise what policy making is and where it happens locally and globally
2. interpret Irish education policy making in economic, political and historical context
3. offer a framework for the analysis of education policy making and implementation
4. understand the role of the ‘governance turn’ in contemporary education policy making
5. use a range of policy analysis approaches and frameworks
6. be familiar with a number of key introductory policy analysis texts

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	16	Formal input by the module coordinator to student group in lecture/seminar format.
Group work	15	Formal engagement in structured groupwork process designed to facilitate cross sectoral analysis and critique of literature.
Online activity	64	Participant engagement in synchronous and/or asynchronous online discussion fora hosted on the DCU LOOP system .
Independent Study	180	Independent pursuit of relevant issues and ideas raised during the module. Participants will be expected to engage in reading and critical review of literature relevant to the module
Assignment Completion	100	Completion of research paper - Interrogating an Education Policy.
Total Workload: 375

Section Breakdown
CRN	11333	Part of Term	Semester 1 & 2
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	PASS/FAIL	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Anne Looney	Module Teacher	Alan Gorman, Nicola Broderick

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Research Paper	Interrogating an Education Policy: First Steps in Systematic Analysis of Policy Development and its Implementation	100%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

The policy process

Politics and policy

Governance and data

Policy learning in education

Policy elites

Irish policy Texts

Contemporary Irish policy analysis

What is an analytical framework for policy

The anatomy of a framework

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Ball, S. (2013, 2nd ed.). The education debate. Bristol: The Policy Press.: 0,
0: Ball, S., & Junemann, C. (2012). Networks, New governance and education. Bristol: The Policy Press., 188648
0: 188649
0: 188650
0:

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None