Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

Public Policy Analysis (Online)

PADM 6610-70I

Course: PADM 6610-70I
Credits: 3
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: PSCJ
CRN: 12531

Course Description

An examination of the institutions that combine to make, implement, and evaluate American public policy. Various models of public policymaking will be studied and applied. A variety of substantive areas may be the focus of this course. (Spring) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Registration Restriction(s): Graduate students only

Required Texts

Clemons and McBeth (2020 -- 4th Ed. is ok)  Public Policy Praxis: A case approach for understanding policy and analysis. New York: Routledge. ISBN-13: 978-0367180348; ISBN-10: 0367180340

Learning Outcomes

This is a graduate-level course. As such, I expect that students will be self-motivated, hardworking, and prepared for every class meeting. We will have a thorough discussion of the assigned topics as scheduled, and much of that conversation will be driven by your preparation.

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of the role of government in the policy process and how one can analyze this process;
  2. Demonstrate an understanding of how these concepts relate to the various public administration typologies;
  3. Practice defining the problem, assembling evidence, constructing alternatives, and making a decision.
  4. Assess the importance of action versus inaction;
  5. Apply concepts, theories, approaches, and frameworks to real-world cases

Course Requirements


A) Online Discussion Forums (28%)

Online discussions pose an opportunity for rich and meaningful learning and interaction. You will each be given a week to respond as an initial post and a week to respond to your peers. Active and regular participation is important as a means of learning and reflecting on course content and making higher-level connections between topics. 

***Discussion Option -
 You can do a video response for the discussion posts, where you walk through the discussion post questions and provide your answers. You can also do your replies this way. Additionally, if you and at least two other students (a total of 3 students) get together and discuss each question and your responses through Zoom or some other media option, record it, and post your group discussion on the discussion board. I will count that for your discussion initial reply and your peer responses, but there have to be at least THREE of you on the video, and you each have to contribute. 

 B) Case Studies (30%)

In addition to general participation in discussion board postings, we will work through three case studies. Each case will require a different set of responses. More instructions for each case will be provided in the "Assignments" Section

C) Legislative Bill Tracking Assignment (10%)

The purpose of this assignment is to help you engage with a real-time public policy debate occurring during the Utah Legislative Session. You will select a current bill, follow its progress, and conduct a basic policy analysis using core concepts from the course. By examining who supports and opposes the bill, how the bill is structured, and what implementation challenges might arise, you will gain a deeper understanding of how public policy is created in practice—not just in theory.

D) Final Case (27%)

The purpose of this assignment is for you to draw on the analytical exercises that were emphasized in the previous case activities that you had to complete over this course. For this final assignment, you will work through the Opioid Abuse and Waterville Case Introduced in Chapter 1 and completed in Chapter 9 of the text. You will provide a policy response using the Six-Step Method.

  1. Define the problem and determine its causes
  2. Establish criteria to evaluate alternatives
  3. Generate policy alternatives
  4. Evaluate and select a policy
  5. Civic Engagement
  6. Policy evaluation, adjustment, and termination (Your recommendation)

Drawing on lessons and insights from the readings and lectures on how the policy analysis works, apply these lessons and insights to provide concrete recommendations that you would propose to the city manager of Waterville. 

Your response should be no more than four pages long in memo format (Memo format: Please follow the MPA Memo Style Guide - See Module 1)

D) Video Participation (5%)

While you are not required to join the video lectures live, you are required to watch them in their entirety. Using Anotto, I will monitor which students have watched the short video lectures. 

E) Portfolio Update (0%)

 As a program, we want to help our students connect the core competencies and their work. The MPA program will require that students build a portfolio to demonstrate their quality coursework and add to it during their time in our program. 

Course Outline

This course schedule is subject to change. The professor will notify students and post updates on Canvas regarding any changes necessary during the semester. Students are responsible for staying up-to-date with any changes made.

Synchronous lecture: For each module, I will hold a synchronous lecture. This lecture will essentially be every other Wednesday at noon. 

Module 1: Intro. and Public Policy lecture
(Jan. 7 – Jan. 18)

Reading: Syllabus & Chapter 1 – Public policy, power, the people, pluralism, and you

Initial Post – Due: Jan. 11th before 11:59 PM

Introduction Discussion Post -  Due: Jan 15th before 11:59 PM. 

Reply Post – Due: Jan. 18th before 11:59 PM

Case 1: Uber Case – Questions to consider and Stakeholder Analysis

Lecture: Jan. 7 @ noon

Module 2: Rational public policy lecture
(Jan. 19 – Feb. 1)

Reading: Chapter 2 – The rational public policy method; SKIM Chapter 3 (look at the tools, be familiar with them, but you don't need to know how to conduct them). 

Initial Post – Due: Jan. 25th before 11:59 PM

Reply Post – Due: Feb. 1st before 11:59 PM

Lecture: Jan. 21 @ noon

Module 3: Critiques of the rational model lecture
(Feb. 2 – Feb 15)

Reading: Chapter 4 – Critiques of the rational model

Initial Post – Due: Feb. 8th before 11:59 PM

Reply Post – Due: Feb. 15th before 11:59 PM

Case 2: Vaping Politics and Policy: Up in Smoke

Lecture: Feb. 4 @ noon

Module 4: Nonrational approach lecture
(Feb. 16 – Mar. 1)

Reading: Chapter 5 – The nonrational approach

Initial Post – Due: Feb. 22nd before 11:59 PM

Reply Post – Due: Mar. 1st before 11:59 PM

Lecture: Feb. 18 @ noon

Module 5: Public policy analysis lecture
(Mar. 2 – Mar. 15)

Reading: Chapter 6 – A pragmatic public policy analysis method

Initial Post – Due: Mar. 8th before 11:59 PM

Reply Post – Due: Mar. 15th before 11:59 PM

Case 3: Playing Politics: Bison, Brucellosis, Business, and Bureaucrats

Lecture: Mar. 4 @ noon

Module 6: Problem definition lecture
(Mar. 16 – Mar. 29)

Reading: Chapter 7 – Problem definition, mixed methodologies, and praxis

Initial Post – Due: Mar. 22nd before 11:59 PM

Reply Post – Due: Mar. 29th before 11:59 PM

Legislative Bill Tracking Assignment - Due: Mar. 29th before 11:59 PM

Lecture: Mar. 18 @ noon 

Module 7: Democracy lecture
(Mar. 30 – Apr. 12)

Reading: Chapter 8 – Doing democracy: A new (six) step model

Initial Post – Due: Apr. 5th before 11:59 PM

Reply Post – Due: Apr. 12th before 11:59 PM

Lecture: Apr. 1 @ noon

Final Paper – Chapter 9 Case and Portfolio Submission
(Apr. 20)

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

All assignments are due at 11:59 PM (MOUNTAIN TIME) on the day listed in the course outline. It is your responsibility to ensure that the correct and final version of your assignment has been submitted by the deadline. Assignments received after the due date and time are considered late and will be penalized 10% of the possible grade (this includes Discussion Posts). For each week after the initial week that assignments are late, an additional 10% penalty will be applied.

Attendance Policy

As this is an online class, there is no required attendance. However, students are required to either watch the module video lectures live in their entirety or watch the recorded version of the lectures. Using Anotto, I will monitor which students have watched the short video lectures. 

Course Fees

N/A

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.