Module: Policy Analysis Exercise

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Policy Analysis Exercise
Module Code	POL1055 (ITS: LG5006A)
Faculty	Law & Government	School	Humanities & Social Sciences
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	25

Description

Students will get to engage in policy analysis in a setting that is much more like the real world through a Policy Analysis Exercise. This will be undertaken in group form for that is the setting in how public policy is actually made. For full-time students this will take the form of a series of team-based consultancies in public bodies dealing with clients' public policy issues. These projects will then be written up and presented to the client, the students' supervisors and the class, the written portfolio of which will form the basis for a grade. Part-time students will work on a single project given by their employer and agreed with the university supervisor.

Learning Outcomes

1. synthesise the learning from the coursework and apply that knowledge to a real-life policy problem
2. apply a variety of research strategies and methods to the production of practical solutions to real-world policy problems
3. lead a project of real professional concern from an idea agreed with others to the production of a professional, rigorous and thorough piece of policy analysis
4. interact productively with a diverse set of actors to produce a policy analysis of high professional standards
5. engage in a definition of a policy problem and to frame and communicate that problem, persuading others of its importance
6. participate productively in and contribute to the policy process
7. communicate with a diverse set of actors, including co-workers and citizens on an issue of public concern
8. advise senior level officials of a range of policy options, offering realistic advice on likely outcomes and risks associated with each.
9. design a communications strategy for the policy
10. reflect constructively on their own performance, development and skills

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Integrated training (INTRA)	600	Internship/ employer project. Full time students will be assigned to teams of three to four. They will work in phases throughout the year on policy issues of increasing complexity and difficulty. Students are likely to spend one week on site with a client - these will include government departments and other public bodies. The teams will then work on campus under an academic supervisor. This will allow them put their knowledge to work in a practical sense and make the graduates of the course muc
Assignment Completion	150	Policy Analysis Exercise - each student will give progress reports to their peers on an on-going basis.
Total Workload: 750

Section Breakdown
CRN	11736	Part of Term	Semester 1, 2 & 3
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC2	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Deiric Ó Broin	Module Teacher	Daniel Marks, Diarmuid Torney

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Assignment	Policy Impact Assessment	100%	Week 1

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

Research relevant to the policy problems
This will include academic and government research on the subject in question

Indicative Reading List

Books:
None

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None