Contemporary British Policy

• Credit value: 15 credits at Level 5
• Convenor and tutor: Professor Dermot Hodson
• Assessment: a 2000-word essay (90%) and seminar participation (10%)

To understand how we can change British politics for the better we need more than bright ideas. We also need to know how to shape, formulate, legitimate and implement policies. This module introduces you to the study of public policy and its application to UK politics. You will learn about the different stages of public policy and the role of interests, ideas and institutions in the policy process. Theories and concepts of public policy will be applied to a host of real-world case studies, including UK economic policy, environmental policy and policy responses to COVID-19. This module is highly relevant for students who wish to work in government, NGOs, public affairs and related fields.

You may find it useful to study the module Contemporary British Politics first, but this is not compulsory.

By the end of this module, you will:

• be familiar with selected theories of politics and policy-making as they relate to the study of British politics
• have a good understanding of how public policy is made in the UK and different stages of the policy-making process
• have an overview of key episodes in this history of British politics and public policy
• have developed a critical approach to current debates and issues in UK public policy
• have practical skills of communication, evaluating and analysing argument.