This course will present a foundation for concepts and paradigms in social policy. The course identifies cross-national approaches to social policy and the gaps in theoretical understandings of social policy. This course explores the socio-historical, economic, ideological and institutional contexts for the development of social policy across different welfare regimes. The policy-making process as well as the role of social policy in processes of inclusion, exclusion, marginalization, and oppression will be discussed. The critical analysis of selected social policies will be emphasized.

This course introduces students to various approaches, methods and frameworks utilized in policy analysis while also providing students the opportunity to apply these techniques to a series of contemporary social policy problems. Policy analysis is defined as the application of social and scientific research and practical knowledge necessary for understanding the efficient, effective and optimal approaches for ‘designing, implementing and evaluating existing policies, programs and other courses of action adopted by states’.

This course will focus on the development of social policy as it affects families and children from different cultural and economic backgrounds and as it is given form in the public child welfare system, including related laws, systems, and institutions. The interrelationship of values, social norms, culture, and social and family policy will be discussed. There will be examination of the development of infrastructure to support the needs of children and families over the history of the child welfare system across cultures.

This course presents an introduction to health policy, i.e., the various ways in which the government plays a role in health and in the provision of health care. This course will focus on public policy approaches to health policy, employing interdisciplinary methodologies to understand selected public health policies, programs, and interventions. This course provides a framework for understanding the social, political and economic dimensions of health policy.

This course will examine contemporary education policy issues, developments, trends and debates from a comparative perspectives with a focus on enabling students to understand policymaking structures and processes and think critically about the challenges and opportunities facing the field today. In particular, we will examine education indicators and outcomes, review policies and proposals for reform to improve education affordability, access, equity, quality, and accountability.