This course examines the political environment of the policy process through several sets of lenses. We will examine the motives of actors, institutional constraints and how these politics are altered at different stages of the policy process. This is not an examination of any single-stage or actor in the policy process, but rather it is a calculated effort to provide you with an understanding of the critical issues involved in policymaking.
Graduates of the UNE SSWO will demonstrate knowledge, skills, and leadership in the following:
Through the completion of your assignments, you will demonstrate your ability to:
You will engage with the content and your peers through weekly discussion forums. Initial posts are due by midnight ET on Saturday (other than in Week 7) and responses to peers are due by midnight ET on Tuesday (except in Week 8). Please see exact due dates in the course.
There are several key assessments throughout the course.
For this assignment, watch the video from the three different presentation styles. You will be prompted to answer some questions about the styles during the video. At the conclusion, summarize the three presentation styles and highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each style. From that summary, create a 2-minute video response to each of the presenters. In your response, remember to highlight points from your summary. Post your video to the assignment tab.
Select a committee meeting such as a city council, planning board or other governmental meeting and attend the meeting. Be sure to collect a copy of the agenda for the meeting. Spend at least 60 minutes observing the meeting. From your observation write a 2 to 3-page reflection on the topic.
For this assignment, create a video with the goal to highlight a community problem from the position of a thought leader. Use your expertise as a social worker to translate and/or afford the listener the ability to see you as an expert on the issue; demonstrate that you have the ability to lead a larger discussion or offer suggestions on future changes. Your video should be no more than 3 minutes long and should demonstrate your learning of best practices in engagement and creating conversational influence.
You will submit this video for grading as well as share it with your classmates in a discussion forum. Due end of Week 7.
Select two of your classmates’ video presentations to Senator and provide feedback to help them strengthen their presentation and also their style and approach as a thought leader. Your feedback should be both constructive and encouraging. You will submit this through the discussion forum as a comment on the corresponding presentation post.
The School of Social Work uses the following grading system for all courses with the exception of field education courses. Students are expected to maintain a “B” (3.0) average over the course of their study. Students with less than a GPA of 3.0 will be placed on academic probation. Students must have an overall GPA of 3.0 in order to receive their Master’s Degree.
Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:
Assignment | Point Value | Percent of Final Grade |
---|---|---|
Discussions (Weeks 1-7) | 210 pts (30 pts per discussion) | 21% |
Reflection and analysis of presentation styles | 240 points | 24% |
Local Government Meeting Paper | 200 points | 20% |
House Party: Presentation for Senator | 250 points | 25% |
Week 8 Video Presentation Feedback (in Discussion Forum) | 100 points | 10% |
Total | 1,000 | 100% |
Grade | Points Grade | Point Average (GPA) |
A | 94 – 100% | 4.00 |
A- | 90 – 93% | 3.75 |
B+ | 87 – 89% | 3.50 |
B | 84 – 86% | 3.00 |
B- | 80 – 83% | 2.75 |
C+ | 77 – 79% | 2.50 |
C | 74 – 76% | 2.00 |
C- | 70 – 73% | 1.75 |
D | 64 – 69% | 1.00 |
F | 00 – 63% | 0.00 |
All assignments are due by 11:59 PM ET at the end of the week or as indicated in the course. For all discussions, unless otherwise specified, the initial post is due by the end of the day on Saturday and responses by the end of the course week, Tuesday. For Week 8, please find the due dates in the course.
Learning Materials:
Introductory Discussion (record a video)
Course Assignments Introduced
Learning Materials:
Week 2 Discussion
Learning Materials:
Week 3 Discussion
Week 3 Assignment Submission: Reflection and Analysis of Presentation Styles
Learning Materials:
Week 4 Discussion
Learning Materials:
Week 5 Discussion
Week 5 Assignment Submission: Local government paper
Learning Materials:
Week 6 Discussion
Learning Materials:
Week 7 Discussion (initial post only due by end of week)
Week 7 Assignment Submission: Video presentation to Senator
Learning Materials:
Week 8 Video Critique and Suggestions
Any student who would like to request, or ask any questions regarding, academic adjustments or accommodations must contact the Student Access Center at (207) 221-4438 or pcstudentaccess@une.edu. Student Access Center staff will evaluate the student's documentation and determine eligibility of accommodation(s) through the Student Access Center registration procedure.
Online students are required to submit a graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. If a student does not submit a posting to the graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET, the student will be automatically dropped from the course for non-participation. Review the full attendance policy.
Assignments: Late assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late; however, there is a 10% grade reduction (from the total points) for the late submission. After three days the assignment will not be accepted.
Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, but still within the discussion board week, there will be a 10% grade reduction from the total discussion grade (e.g., a 3 point discussion will be reduced by 0.3 points). Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded.
Please make every effort ahead of time to contact your instructor and your student support specialist if you are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.
The policies contained within this document apply to all students in the College of Graduate and Professional Studies. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this handbook.
Please contact your student support specialist if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. The last day to drop for 100% tuition refund is the 2nd day of the course. Financial Aid charges may still apply. Students using Financial Aid should contact the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from a course.
The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit UNE Plagiarism Policies.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:
Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.