Welcome to Governance 390: Public Policy and Administrative Governance. This course has been designed for senior undergraduate students who are interested in the creation and implementation of Canadian public policy. There are no formal prerequisites for this course. While it is recommended that students have taken another course in political science or public administration, the course material should be accessible to anyone with the intellectual sophistication and academic maturity expected of senior undergraduate students.

The core objectives of the course are to familiarize students with the institutions and processes of state governance and to provide a conceptual framework for studying the development and implementation of public policy. In achieving these objectives, students will delve into scholarly work from two, often distinct, fields of academic study: policy studies and public administration and public management. Often, policy studies and public administration are treated as distinct fields of study, rather than as a single, synthetic, and integrated area of scholarship. Combining policy studies with the study of public administration and management allows students to develop a richer appreciation of both policy-making and policy implementation. Governance 390 assumes that the study of public administration should not be divorced from the politics of public policy and that policy studies should not be allowed to treat public administration as if it were devoid of political consequences.

Governance 390 will give students access to the knowledge and analytical skills required for advanced studies in policy and administration. as well as students with aspirations toward graduate studies, the course will benefit those who have chosen a career in the public service and those who simply wish to increase their awareness of public policy-making and implementation.

Before you begin your study of Public Policy and Administrative Governance, read through the Student Manual carefully. While reading, do not forget to look carefully at the writing assignments you will have to do later in the course. You will benefit from thinking about those assignments now and as you proceed through your studies. If you have any questions about the course itself, or how to proceed with your studies, please contact your tutor.

Note: These course materials have been designed for students who are taking the individualized-study version of this course. Students who are in a grouped-study environment should follow the course outline, study schedule, and learning activities provided by their instructor.