According to Encyclopedia Britannica, it is the examination and evaluation of available options to address various economic, social, or other public issues. Effective policy analysis, whether to enact new policies or amending existing ones, is critical in the policymaking process. The process includes many facets, involving empirical research and statistical data collection, as well as the participation of key stakeholders such as economists, community members, and public officials tasked with enacting policy.
Pursuing a Master of Public Administration MPA degree can provide students with the foundation to apply this critical skill to a career in public administration.
Modern society is complex and growing more so every day. Governments rely on a robust array of policies to address a web of interconnected challenges related to issues like public safety, education, and infrastructure. Individuals involved in public administration may find it challenging to identify the best way to tackle those challenges.
What is the most effective way to improve air quality? How can a society optimize access to education?
How should a municipal government pay for an expensive infrastructure project? These questions often have multiple answers. Policy analysis can help determine the best option that will produce the most desirable result.
What policy analysis does is help lay out the goals of a potential policy, examine the various strengths and weaknesses of each policy option, and identify the most viable one. For example, when determining how to pay for a costly infrastructure project, a policy analysis would consider the various methods to do so.
Raising taxes could be one solution. Cutting the budget for a department or reallocating funds from a different project may be another. Through policy analysis, those in public administration can identify the best solution. Public policy is subject to the surrounding political, social, and economic conditions. This dynamic underscores the need for ongoing policy analysis. A policy enacted five or even two years ago may no longer be relevant.
What is the nature and scope of public policy? What is the significance of the policy? Why is policy important in education? What are the functions of educational policy? Why do we follow rules? What are the moral rules of society? Students who opt for public policy analysis as a major in college are taught about different methods for analyzing proposed solutions to common social problems.
As part of their education, they are taught to distinguish between correct and faulty research which forms the basis of major policy decisions. They adopt various analytical techniques such as cost-benefit analysis to assess the implication of applying the proposed solution. They get the opportunity to interact with various community leaders to discuss economic development policies and programs.
Students of public policy analysis are required to intern for a semester and this offers a valuable chance for them to get first-hand experience of getting involved in policy making.
Students of public policy analysis are often required to present a paper on any policy having a bearing on the society.
While pursuing a major in public policy analysis, students use various economic theories and tools such as cost-benefit analysis to evaluate policy decisions. Your rankings will always be partially subjective, so it helps to systematically document your rationale.
In some cases, your review may reveal a clear winner—a policy that is a feasible, b has a strong, positive impact on public health, and c is economically and fiscally viable.
In other cases, ranking the options may be more complicated and involve assessing trade-offs. For example, when considering policies for reducing smoking, there are trade-offs related to feasibility and impact between options. Feasibility and impact depends on your context, like your location. You may have to have choose between a more feasible policy like an indoor smoking ban for restaurants and one with more widespread impact like raising prices on tobacco products in your state.
This kind of review may help you identify what is already known about the policy options as well as any gaps in the current research. Policy Analysis: Key Questions pdf icon : This worksheet provides questions that form a framework for your policy analysis. Policy Analysis Table pdf icon : This organizational table can help you assess each policy option against set criteria and then to compare policy options.
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