Course examines current problems and issues in the field of public policy. Topics may vary from year to year and will be announced at the beginning of the semester. Open to students from other departments.

This course is designed to provide a foundational comprehension of federal, state, and local legal systems in developing, defining, and limiting public policy. We will discuss the major legal frameworks that implicate public policy to gain an understanding of how policy is developed and implemented within federal, state and local governments. Students will explore the following main areas: 1) An introduction to the framework of the US Constitution, its amendments, the Constitutional functions of each branch of government, and evolving legal interpretations; 2) The structure and function of federal and state courts; and 3) The legal mechanisms where policy is transformed into law and how to navigate that process. Student experiential learning projects will focus on discussing the high-profile policy issues of the day, such as reproductive rights, voting rights, free speech, religious freedom, and LGBTQ+ rights. We will have assignments that are geared to prepare students for experiential real-world situations. For example, we will prepare a public comment letter on regulatory or statutory law making for submission to a government agency. In addition, we will have guest speakers with backgrounds and experience in the overlap of law and policy. Our final paper will involve drafting a brief that focuses on the public policy aspects of a particular legal question. Students will develop an understanding of how multiple facets of the American legal system fit together and function in the development and implementation of public policy, not only through our reading and class discussions, but also through our experiential assignments.

Repeat Rules