All policy is inherently and unavoidably political. Policy is seen as having certain incontrovertible characteristics. It is purposive. It is a decision to pursue a particular course of action and to achieve a specified goal. It is outcome focused; policy decisions consider both ends and means. Policy may involve action or in action, policy must be more than mere political rhetoric.
The main goal of the course is to help you think systematically, critically, and creatively in giving policy advice to decision makers in the public and non-profit sector. The specific objectives of the course are to: help you understand how a problem is identified and defined in the public realm; develop your skills in crafting policy options for addressing the problem; expose you to a variety of qualitative and quantitative tools that will help you select a particular policy option for the problem; and, guide you in persuasively communicating policy advice with multiple and diverse publics in written and verbal form.