MA Social Research module
Module Outline
This course aims to examine ‘policy evaluation in the real world’ by presenting policy evaluation within the context of policy making, and by ‘hands on’ evaluation of policy.
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Evaluation and Public Policy (What is Policy Evaluation?; Evaluation and the Policy Process; Evaluation and Stakeholders)
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Developing Evaluation Designs (Criteria/What?; Types of Evaluation; Evaluation Design
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Evaluation Designs (Descriptive; Audit; Before-After; Comparative- experimentalist; Randomised Controlled Experimental; Systematic Review; Policy Transfer); Evaluation Problems; the ‘Green Book’
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Workshop: Policy Evaluation.
Learning Outcomes
On completing this course, students will be able to:
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Understand the principles of policy evaluation;
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Understand the different approaches to policy evaluation, and compare their advantages and disadvantages
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Evaluate existing policy evaluations, differentiating the correct contexts for application; and
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Evaluate policy
Course Assessment
A 3000 word evaluation of a national or local organisation or recent policy (eg National Institute of Clinical Excellence; Payment by Results; urban regeneration; school reorganisation)