Short course
Rethinking Public Policy: Can We Solve the World’s Problems
Course status:
Applications being accepted
Dates and time:
15/04/2027 - 17/06/202716:30 - 18:30
Study format:
In-person weekly
Fees:
£315.00
Delve into a wide range of topics within the field of public policy during this short course in Oxford.
The course starts out by introducing the tools and aims of public policy. We review the tools that governments have to solve or mitigate social problems. Sometimes achieving one aim can conflict with another, at which point either creative solutions or difficult decisions are required. It is important to face these difficulties head-on to come up with the best available solution. Sometimes the best solution might be to try to nudge everyone’s behaviour in ways that will improve overall outcomes.
In the latter part of the course, we will examine various policy areas in-depth. Examples of policy areas include healthcare, transport, climate justice, migration and labour market inequality. This short course provides an understanding of the public policy options and considerations in various policy areas. This provides attendees with the conceptual tools which can then be applied to the other policy areas.
Book this course
Book your place online using the button below.
Courses starts Thursday 15 April 2027
This is an in-person course which requires your attendance at the weekly meetings in Oxford on Thursdays, 4.30-6.30pm.
Week 1: Introduction to Public Policy: The toolkit
Week 2: What are the aims of public policy?
Week 3: Behavioural Science and Public Policy
Week 4: The role of government: freedom of choice and paternalism, experts and democratic choices
Week 5: Health Care Policy: Inequalities in Access to Health Care
Week 6: Transport policy: Congestion charging and public transport
Week 7: Climate Justice and Public Policy
Week 8: Migration and Policy Making
Week 9: Welfare and the Labour Market
Week 10: Education policy
Presentations and Evaluation
Course aims
This course aims to introduce students to the various public policy tools available and their mechanisms, pros and cons. These tools will then be applied to important policy areas to see if they can solve social problems.
Course objectives
- To give students good knowledge and understanding of public policy tools available to solve social problems.
- To be able to consider the pros and cons of applying different public policy tools to different social problems
- To give students practice in the critical assessment of possible public policy interventions and in advocating for their own views on public policy proposals.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course students will have been given the opportunity to:
- have gained knowledge and understanding of different areas of public policy;
- have learnt various concepts and models regarding public policy in different country contexts; and
- gained confidence when expressing their views.
Level and demands
The Department’s Weekly Classes are taught at FHEQ Level 4, ie first year undergraduate level, and you will be expected to engage in a significant amount of private study in preparation for the classes. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class.
Teaching methods
Students will be asked to engage with one or two relevant texts each week before class, plus other materials as relevant. Classroom sessions will consist of a mixture of activities including active lecturing, small group discussion and open debate.
Assessment methods
Only those students who have registered for assessment and accreditation, in advance of the course start date, can submit coursework/assignments for assessment.
Assessment
You will be set two pieces of work for the course. The first of 500 words is due halfway through your course. This does not count towards your final outcome but preparing for it, and the feedback you are given, will help you prepare for your assessed piece of work of 1,500 words due at the end of the course. The assessed work is marked pass or fail.
Dr Doug Bamford
Doug Bamford is lecturer in Lifelong Learning (Political Philosophy) at OUDCE, teaching courses in philosophy and political economy. His main interest is in political philosophy and its application to public policy, particularly taxation. He obtained his PhD in 2013 and became an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA) in 2023. He is author of Rethinking Taxation (Searching Finance, 2014) and several papers (including articles in the Journal of Applied Philosophy, Moral Philosophy and Politics, Problema, and Think). He blogs at Doug Bamford’s Tax Appeal.
Academic credit
Credit Accumulation Transfer Scheme (CATS Points)
Please note, students who do not register for assessment and accreditation during the enrolment process will not be able to do so after the course has begun. If you wish to gain credit from completing this course you must register to do so before the course starts.
Only those who have registered for assessment and accreditation will be awarded CATS points for completing work to the required standard. Please note that assignments are not graded but are marked either pass or fail.
Learn more about the Credit Accumulation Transfer Scheme.
If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education at the Department you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee for assessment and accreditation.
Digital certificate of completion
Students who are registered for assessment and accreditation and pass their final assignment will also be eligible for a digital Certificate of Completion. Information on how to access the digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course. The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course attended. You will be able to download the certificate and share it on social media if you choose to do so.
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Course fee (with no assessment) | £315.00 |
| Assessment and Accreditation fee | £60.00 |
Funding
If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, or are a care-leaver in the UK, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:
Concessionary fees for short courses
Recommended reading
Recommended reading is optional and you are not required to purchase these books to study this course.
Library facilities
All weekly class students may become borrowing members of the Rewley House Library, part of the Bodleian Libraries, for the duration of their course. Prospective students whose courses have not yet started are also welcome to use the Library for reference.
- More information about the Library can be found on the Bodleian Libraries website.
- This guide for Weekly Class students also provides further information.
Preparatory reading
- Behavioural Science and Public Policy / Cass R. Sunstein
- The Economics of Social Problems (4th edition) / Le Grand et. al.
- Social Policy: Theory and practice / Paul Spicker
- An Introduction to the Policy Process / Tom Birkland
Module code: O26P499SOW
How to enrol
Please use the ‘Book now’ button on this page.
How to register for accreditation and assessment
To be able to submit coursework and to earn credit (CATS points) for this course, if you wish to do so, you will need to register and pay an additional £60 fee. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.
Students who do not register for CATS points during the enrolment process will not be able to do so after the course has begun.
If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education at the Department you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.