About this course: This course introduces class participants to the political significance and societal consequences of challenges facing U.S. and international policymakers. It is designed to help participants develop skills to analyze policy proposals and advocate for their preferred options for issues on the public policy agenda ahead. The class assumes basic knowledge about governing institutions and democratic processes, while recommending supplemental materials for further study to complement reading links provided. The course focuses on future policy challenges, while examining the broad historical context in which policies are adopted and implemented. As the course evaluates how issues are advanced by private sector interests, non-governmental organizations, and government policymakers, it examines how groups become effective policy advocates. Particular attention is paid to how winning coalitions are formed and how issue framing shapes the outcome of policy campaigns. The goal is neither to produce partisan talking points, nor to favor one governance philosophy over others. Rather it is to clarify the public policy challenges ahead and to enhance participants’ understanding of how policy options are adopted in the real world arena of contemporary politics. Coming soon, you will be able to join Signature Track, a system that verifies your identity when you take an exam. This option will allow you to earn a Verified Certificate, which provides formal recognition of your achievements in the course and includes the University of Virginia logo. Before then, you can complete a “test run” of the exam. You can then re-take the exam after the Verified Certificate becomes available. For information regarding Verified Certificates, see https://courserahelp.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/201212399-Verified-Certificates"
Taught by: Professor Gerry Warburg, Professor of Public Policy, Assistant Dean for External Affairs
Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy
| Commitment | 9 weeks of study, 1-3 hours/week |
| Language | English |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
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| Access to course materials | Available | Available |
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This was an excellent introduction to and discussion of public policy issues, and I enjoyed every class and guest lecturer. I came away with new insights and a broader understanding of policy issues and shifts. The class was recorded in 2014, and while it was fascinating to see how many of the speakers sensed the dramatic partisan polarization that has led to the election of the current administration, I did wish I had known that the lectures were recored 3 years ago. It would be great if remarks could be added to reflect on the current policy eruptions that have occurred since the class was recorded.
A thought provoking course that has peaked my interest in public policy. The time commitment was manageable and the material covered was informative. I highly recommend this course for those considering a major in public policy.
I very much appreciated how this course was taught and enjoyed listening to different speakers offer their views on the issues presented in the class. This course taught me how to think from other political points of view and helped me understand the problems that my generation faces. In my opinion, the best part of this class was the focus on learning to work with people with different political views. With the hyper-partisanship we have today in Washington and all the frustration that comes with it, this perspective was very refreshing. The only thing that I think could be improved is the length, as I thought it was too short. While I am aware that the course was designed this way, I wanted to learn more about some of the issues that were left out. Overall, this was a very interesting class!
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At this point, the "Public Policy Challenges of the 21st Century" course is one-of-a-kind innovative effort to provide an overview of the field and what a MPP program might look like for people interested in tackling public policy issues. The Batten School is leading the way on this and I hope to visit the program in person in the fall. I also hope to see more like it on Coursera in the future.