BASS Philosophy and Criminology

The unit aims to: teach students key ideas in the field of public policy and give them an  
authentic experience of researching a public policy problem for government. The core of the course is learning the latest theories of public policymaking and governing. This will cover debates about the nature and scope of public policy problems, theories of the policy process, symbolic meaning and narratives in policy, theories of policy change, and the political power of government, business and non-government activists in policymaking. The research aspect of the course involves analysing a contemporary public policy problem,  
from its causes and effects through to possible solutions. Students will learn how to  
research a policy problem, devise a policy response and write a policy Briefing Paper based on real-world practice. They will produce practical recommendations to government for policy change. They will relate theories learnt in the lectures to the case study, linking theory and practice. The course aims to give students a strong knowledge of public policy studies and also to train them to become policy analysts after graduation.

The case study for 2025-26: The UK Water Pollution Problem

The course is taught by two different means. First, is a conventional one-hour lecture focusing on scholarly theory and empirical research on public policy. The second means is a 2-hour workshop format, replicating a real-world experience of researching, discussing and writing a policy Briefing Paper for government. This is based on a real-world guide to Cabinet submissions. Students develop their own policy idea and learn how to justify and argue for it in a political context. The workshops are mainly students working together in small groups and as a whole class. The key approach is learning through practice. Students find this type of task is exactly what is required of them when applying for policy-related jobs in government and other sectors, so there is a strong employability dimension. 

Understand and critically analyse theories of public policy  
Understand the institutional and political context of UK governance  
Understand the dimensions and causes of a contemporary policy problem 
Understand contemporary public policy solutions to that problem  
Understand the political process of policymaking  
 

Critically analyse a social problem  
Critically analyse government policy on that problem  
Discover knowledge for policymaking and assess its quality  
Identify and reflect upon the exercise of power in public policymaking 
Develop persuasive arguments for policy proposals  
Understand and strategise for political contingencies  

Conduct research into policy problems 
Work collaboratively on a policy research project 
Devise and justify a practical recommendation to government for policy  change  

Present ideas effectively to an audience of their peers  
Use digital sources and software in research and collaboration 
Work autonomously in an independent manner  
Acquire skills in public policy analysis  
Acquire skills in collaborative work and project planning

Total Learning Hours = 200