Heller MPP Capstone Seminar -- Course Syllabus
Professor Mary Brolin Class Sessions: Thursdays 9:00 AM–11:50 AM
Office Location: Heller/Brown Room 254 Class Location: Room G55
Office Phone: 781-736-5737
Office Hours: scheduled appointments
e-mail:
Program Administrator: Norma DeMattos
, X63866
Hello MPP Students,
Welcome to the MPP Capstone! You’ve done a lot of hard work to get here and now I’m going to ask for just a little bit more. Although the capstone involves hard work, it’s a great way to demonstrate all that you’ve learned in the MPP program. And, you will be supported through this journey by me, an external advisor of your choosing, and your classmates. Your Heller MPP advisor can also serve as a source of support.
As we work together, I want to ensure that we address diversity and inclusion in the capstone projects where appropriate. Toward that end, I show my commitment by including the Heller Diversity Pledge here:
Heller Diversity Pledge: This class operates with a full commitment to all elements of the Heller Diversity Pledge:
· To make Heller a safe and welcoming place for all people.
· To be aware of my own biases against people who are different from me, and to hold myself accountable for my actions and words, even if it is uncomfortable.
· To engage in respectful dialogue and language that is responsible and sensitive to the opinions of others and free of rancor and attack, in and outside the classroom.
· To intentionally and consistently act to address societal inequity and injustice in the broader community.
· Ultimately, I pledge to work for a world in which everyone is free to be who they are and can lead fulfilling lives, without having to overcome discrimination.
Course Title: Course #:
Heller Masters in Public Policy (MPP) Capstone Seminar HS 336A
Course Description: This course provides support to second-year MPP students to complete and present their MPP Capstone Policy Briefs by framing a social problem, discussing approaches and methods to address the problem and assessing the impact on vulnerable populations, preparing intermediate materials, working with an advisor, and submitting and receiving feedback on interim versions and conducting practice presentations of the Policy Brief.
Pre-requisites: Enrolled in Heller MPP Program.
Goal: The goal of the seminar is to have students demonstrate the ability to define and diagnose public policy situations; collect relevant information; perform logical analysis; develop alternatives and assess the ability of each to address the problem, including the impact on vulnerable populations when relevant; and make compelling recommendations. Additionally, students will be able to organize and communicate information clearly to a variety of audiences through formats including verbal presentations, policy briefs, and statistical charts, graphs, and tables.
5
Recommended Texts:
William N. Dunn, Public Policy Analysis
Lee Cuba, A Short Guide to Writing About Social Science
William K. Zinsser, On Writing Well
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association
Course Organization and Purpose
This course is for candidates of the Master of Public Policy degree and provides support to complete the MPP Capstone Policy Brief by working to frame a social problem, discussing writing and policy analysis approaches and methods to address the problem and assessing the impact on vulnerable populations when relevant, preparing intermediate materials, working with an advisor, and submitting and receiving feedback on interim versions and presentations of the Policy Brief. In the course of the seminar each student will present a Policy Brief outline and two drafts of the paper, which will receive feedback and criticism from the instructor, advisor, and participants of the seminar. Students will also receive feedback on presentation content, style and materials to prepare for the final Capstone Policy Brief presentation.
Each student is to prepare a policy paper relating to a significant public policy issue or problem. This is an essential component of the degree to demonstrate competent policy analysis skills and the ability to communicate effectively. Faculty may lend assistance, as appropriate, in topic identification, suggestions about key literature to review, on procedures and methods, and for general reaction to findings. Seminar meetings will explore issues and methods related to writing the Policy Brief. Students are expected to attend scheduled sessions, participate in discussions, make presentations, and offer critiques of oral and written papers.
Course Objectives: At the completion of this course you should be able to:
· Identify a significant policy problem,
· Assess the current policy situation, develop alternative policy options and assess the ability of each to address the problem, including the impact on vulnerable populations when relevant;
· Make compelling recommendations; and
· Organize and communicate information clearly to a variety of audiences through a written policy brief and an oral presentation.
Course Requirements and Grades: You must demonstrate the ability to identify a significant policy problem, develop alternative strategies to address the problem, conduct a balanced analysis of each option, including the impact on vulnerable populations when appropriate, make clear recommendations and present all findings in written and oral formats. Performance will be assessed as shown below:
Paragraph on policy topic, action plan,Outline and problem statement / 1 point each –
4 points total / September 7, 2017
September 14, 2017
Draft 1 of policy brief (8 pages minimum) / 5 points / October 11, 2017
Draft 2 of policy brief (16 pages minimum) / 5 points / November 9, 2017
Class Participation / 6 points / Ongoing
Oral presentation of policy brief / 30 points / December 11, 2017
Policy brief / 50 points / Paper due at 9:00 am on December 18, 2017
Total / 100 points
You must also have a reviewer. If you do not have a reviewer, it will affect your grade on assignments. In addition to supporting you throughout the process, reviewers provide feedback to the Instructor on the quality of the Policy Brief and oral presentation. Although Reviewers provide input on the final policy and oral presentation, your final grade is determined by the Instructor. For students in joint or dual programs, your final grade for the Policy Brief and oral presentation will be determined by the Instructor in collaboration with your joint/dual program advisor.
You are expected to be proficient in the use of Microsoft Excel for quantitative analysis, PowerPoint for presentations, and Word (or equivalent software) for written work.
The rubric for grading the presentation is as follows:
Compelling and clear introduction 10%
Content relevant, sufficient, accurate 10%
Policy options well formulated and described, feasible 10%
Policy analysis balanced and unbiased, ties to vulnerable
target population identified in introduction 15%
Recommendations clear, well supported, persuasive 15%
Good organization and flow to presentation 10%
Good use of graphics/charts/maps to highlight information 10%
Good delivery, voice quality, eye contact, poise 10%
Handles questions well 10%
Total: 100% or 30 points
The rubric for grading the final policy brief is as follows:
Comprehensive executive summary (can stand alone) 10%
Problem well defined and substantiated 10%
Historic and policy content relevant, sufficient, accurate 10%
Policy options well formulated and described, feasible 10%
Policy analysis balanced and unbiased, ties to vulnerable
target population identified in problem 10%
Recommendations clear, well supported, persuasive 10%
Good organization and flow to policy brief 10%
Good use of graphics/charts/maps to highlight information 10%
Quality writing (flow, active voice, grammar/spelling) 10%
Diversity/balance/quality of sources 10%
Total: 100% or 50 points
MPP Capstone Schedule – Fall 2017 /Week/Date / Materials Due / Class Content / Assignments /
Week 1
August 31 / (1) Introduction of goals and expectations, selecting a reviewer, developing an action plan, touch base on Policy Brief topics
(2) Developing problem statements / (1) Write a brief ½ to 1 page abstract of your policy brief proposal
(2) Prepare an action plan for completing the policy brief and presentation on time
Week 2
Sept 7 / Abstracts and action plans due / (1) Researching and writing background and current knowledge
(2) Developing a working outline
(3) Use of data, statistics and graphics
(4) Writing tips / (1) Prepare draft of problem statement;
(2) Develop an outline
Week 3
Sept 14 / Draft problem statements and outlines due / Student updates on progress (e.g., problem statements, outlines, progress, issues)
Week 4
Sept 28 / (1) Evaluating and presenting policy options
(2) Making recommendations for action / Provide any written material you want reviewed the following session
Week 5
Oct 3
(Brandeis Thursday) / Individual consultations on written material to date (e.g., outline, problem statement, other) – No class held, sign up to meet with Instructor / Prepare first draft of policy brief
Week 6
Oct 11 (Brandeis Thursday) / Submit 1st draft of Policy Brief (to Instructor and Reviewer) / (1) Writing executive summaries
(2) Presentation skills
Week 7
Oct 19 / Individual consultations on draft Policy Briefs – No class held, sign up to meet with Instructor
Week 8
Oct 26 / Discuss/Review draft presentations, 30 minutes per student
Week 9
Nov 2 / Peer review time – bring material for review / Prepare second draft of policy brief
Week 10
Nov 9 / Submit 2nd draft of Policy Brief (to Instructor and Reviewer) / Discuss presentations, 30 minutes per student
Week 11
Nov 16 / Individual consultations for feedback on 2nd draft – No class held, sign up to meet with Instructor / Prepare draft presentations
Week 12
Nov 30 / Students present draft presentations, review and comments from Instructor and peers. Sign up for 30-minute slot; students expected to attend full session / Prepare final policy brief & final presentation
Week 13
Dec 7 / Students present draft presentations, review and comments from Instructor and peers. Sign up for 30-minute slot; students expected to attend full session / Prepare final policy brief & final presentation
Dec 11 / Oral Presentation / Student Presentations –(Students schedule slot with Instructor and reviewers): Students make formal presentations to Instructor, Dual/Joint Advisor (if applicable), Reviewers, class, and public
Dec 18 –
9 AM / Policy Brief / Submit final Policy Brief by 9 AM (to Instructor, Dual/Joint Advisor if applicable, and Reviewer)
Submission Requirements
Drafts and the final policy brief should be submitted to the Instructor electronically in Latte. The final policy brief should have a professional look and be of high quality.
This class is structured to ensure progress toward course completion and relies on individual consultations and student presentations. Not meeting deadlines demonstrates inadequate planning. Please do not ask for special favors; brief extensions will be granted only on the basis of extreme, documented emergencies. Do not expect the Instructor, Teaching Assistant or Advisor to copyedit and proof your work.
Policy Brief Standards
The goal of the MPP Program is to produce professionals capable of intelligent and creative analysis, communication, and action in the public policy area. The MPP Policy Brief is the capstone of this educational experience. Accordingly, it provides the opportunity for students to demonstrate the ability to define and diagnose public policy situations; collect relevant information; perform logical analysis; develop alternatives and assess the ability of each to address the problem, including the impact on vulnerable populations when relevant; and make viable recommendations. Additionally, students should be able to organize the content and communicate clearly to a variety of audiences through formats including verbal presentations, policy briefs, and statistical charts, graphs, and tables.
Policy Brief Layout
The Policy Brief should be: between 25 and 30 double-spaced manuscript pages inclusive of graphics (references and any necessary attachments not counted in page count), professionally typed and of a quality comparable to a monograph published by government agencies, legislative committees, or professional organizations. An example of the Policy Brief organization is presented below. References should be in known, professional style (e.g., APA style) and provided in a bibliography at the end of the document. All sources must be cited in the paper.
College Policies
Academic Integrity: Academic integrity is central to the mission of educational excellence at Brandeis University. Each student is expected to turn in work completed independently, except when assignments specifically authorize collaborative effort. It is not acceptable to use the words or ideas of another person- be it a world-class philosopher or your classmate – without proper acknowledgement of that source. This means that you must use citations, and quotation marks when needed, to indicate the sources of any ideas, concepts, data, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs found in published volumes, on the Internet, or created by a professor or another student. You are responsible for learning and understanding the Heller School policy on Citation and Academic Integrity as established by the Brandeis guide for Student Rights and Responsibilities. Violations of University policies on academic integrity, described in Section 3 of Rights and Responsibilities, may result in failure in the course or on the assignment, and could end in suspension from the University. If you are in doubt about the completion of any assignment in this course, you must ask for clarification.
Accommodation: If you are a student with a documented disability on record at Brandeis University and wish to have a reasonable accommodation made for you in this class, please let me know. If you have any religious observances that will conflict with class attendance or assignment-dates please let me know at the start of the semester to arrange modifications.
Professionalism Policies: Please respect the following policies. Cell phones: Please turn off all cell phones and beepers before coming to class. If you are experiencing an emergency and need to be reachable, please let me know before class. Laptops: Please don’t have them out during class except for note taking or presentations. Wireless network: No engagement in netsurfing, email, Facebook, tweeting, or other distractions for yourself or fellow students should occur during class time. If this does occur I would ask all students to take responsibility to ask the individual to close the applications or bring it to my attention. Please see the Heller handbook for clarification of this policy. http://heller.brandeis.edu/students/academics/phd/pdfs/2013_PhD%20_Policies_and%20_Procedures.pdf