HEA 645-01 Health
Policy
COURSE SYLLABUS
SPRING 2005
CLASS
MEETINGS:
Instructor: Daniel L. Bibeau, Ph.D.
Office Location: 437 HHP Bldg.
Office Hours: W 11:00am – 2:00p / Other times by appointment
Contact Info: E-mail: bibeau@uncg.edu Phone: 334-5527
TEXT:
Health Policy Making in the
COURSE DESCRIPTION FROM GRADUATE SCHOOL BULLETIN:
Health policy process in the
COURSE
PURPOSE: The purpose of this course is to help students study the
formulation, implementation and impacts of health policy from a number of
perspectives. These include (1) the institutions and processes which interact
to create health policy in the
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (SLO):
The five Student Learning Outcomes of the course are:
1.
Students will be able to identify the major formal
organizational structures within the
2. Students will be able to describe different types of health policy interventions, and the role of policy in addressing public health problems.
3. Students will acquire knowledge of the different forces underlying public and private policy interventions, including how the forces influence policy development, implementation, and evaluation.
4. Students will gain an understanding of how educational, behavioral, and organizational strategies can be used as instruments of policy in health promotion and disease prevention programs.
5. Students will gain experience in the process of policy analysis, development, and advocacy..
COURSE
STRUCTURE: The course is organized for students to acquire necessary
knowledge about health policy processes in the
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Class Attendance (SLOs 1-5)
Reading Assignments (SLOs 1-4)
Participation in Class Discussions (SLOs 1- 5)
Individual Health Policy Analysis Portfolio (SLO 5)
Completion of Policy Advocacy Activities (SLO 5)
CLASS ATTENDANCE: Students are expected to attend ALL class meetings. Absence from three or more classes may be cause for being dropped from the course.
PARTICIPATION IN CLASS DISCUSSIONS: The participation of everyone is essential to achieve the learning potential of this course. The quality of a student’s participation will be evaluated by the instructor and used as an indicator of his or her understanding of the assigned text readings and lecture content. Participation should also reflect awareness and understanding of current health policy issues and events. Although no specific numerical or alphabetical grade will be assigned to class participation, strong and constructive participation will have a positive impact on a student’s final course grade.
INDIVIDUAL STUDENT HEALTH POLICY ANALYSIS PORTFOLIO: Each student will be required to independently assemble a Health Policy Analysis Portfolio. This will consist of a series of four health policy analysis papers on a topic or topics to be assigned by the instructor. Portfolio assignments will be given in class. Each paper will be no more than 4-6 typewritten (double-spaced) pages in length. Papers will be handed-in for comments and evaluation, and then returned to students for inclusion in their portfolios. Students may revise one paper based on the instructor’s comments and class discussions of the topics in the portfolio. Instructor feedback will be a general response to the papers as a whole distributed to all students. Each paper will receive a check if it meets the expectations of the assignment (see descriptions of grades below for criteria of expectations), a chack minus if it falls below expectations, and a check plus if it exceeds expectations that reach the exceptional level for that assignment. The complete portfolio, including any revisions, will be handed-in at the last class meeting for final review by the instructor. A separate handout describing each Portfolio assignment in detail will be distributed in class.
POLICY ADVOCACY PROJECT: Each person will take part in a policy advocacy project. The project will include analyzing the need for a particular policy and participating in activities to promote the policy with policymakers and the public. After each chapter, you will write a short (no more than two double spaced pages) paper discussing the implications or applications of what you have read for your advocacy project. Finally, a presentation about the project is required at the end of the term.
THERE WILL BE NO FINAL EXAMINATION FOR THIS COURSE.
ACADEMIC HONOR CODE:
Please refer to the 2002-2003 Undergraduate Bulletin, pages 37 and 341, or the web page at
http://saf.dept.uncg.edu/studiscp/Manual.html.
Students must sign the following statement on each assignment:
I have abided by the UNCG Academic Integrity Policy. ________________________ (signature)
Print Name:
COURSE GRADING SCHEME:
Each student’s grade in the course will be based on
performance according to the following criteria:
TO EARN A COURSE GRADE OF “B”
CLASS ATTENDANCE Attend ALL class meetings;
READING ASSIGNMENTS Complete all reading assignments for each class
meeting, as they are assigned;
PARTICIPATION IN CLASS
DISCUSSIONS Provide quality
contributions on a regular basis to class discussions and small group
discussions;
HEALTH POLICY ANALYSIS
PORTFOLIO Complete 3 of 4 policy
analysis papers at an acceptable level.
POLICY ADVOCACY PROJECT: Complete all implication/application papers related
to the book, engage in a policy advocacy project, report
on your project at the end of the course.
Students who achieve the above criteria will receive a
grade of “B”, at the discretion of the instructor, based on quality of work,
class participation and perceived effort of student. If failing to meet one or more of the above
criteria can result in a grade of C or lower.
TO EARN A COURSE GRADE OF “A”
Meet
all requirements for a grade of B and meet the
following criteria for excellence - achievement of distinction and excellence
in several if not all of the following aspects: 1) completeness and
accuracy of knowledge; 2) intelligent use of knowledge;
3) independence of work; 4) originality.
Expectations for the quality necessary for
grades of B and C are as follows:
B (Good) - indicates general achievement
superior to the acceptable standard defined as C. It involves excellence in
some aspects of the work, as indicated in the definition of A.
C (Average) - indicates the
acceptable standard for graduation from UNCG. It involves such quality and
quantity of work as may fairly be expected of a student of normal ability who gives
to the course a reasonable amount of time, effort, and attention.
Such acceptable standards should include
the following factors: 1) familiarity with the content of the course;
2) familiarity with the methods of study of the course; 3) full
participation in the work of the class; 4) ability to write about the
subject in intelligible English.
As you can see, your participation in course
activities will be weighed by me in determining your grade. I reserve the right
to increase a student’s grade by one (e.g. B to A) in instances where students
meet all conditions of the lower grade, but have made exceptional
contributions to the class discussions and taken effective leadership roles on
the advocacy projects. Such
contributions must be academic in nature.
SCHEDULE OF CLASS MEETINGS
DATE CLASS AGENDA
January 12 Introduction to Course
January 19 Health and Health Policy Chapter 1
Choose Advocacy Focus
January 26 First report on advocacy project: who what when where
February 2 Impact of Health Policy Chapter 2
February 9
February 16 The Context and Process of Health Policymaking Chapter 3
February 23
March 2 Policy Formulation: Agenda Setting Chapters 4, 5
And Development of Legislation
March 9 SPRING BREAK—NO CLASSES
March 16 Policy Implementation Chapter 6
March 23
March 30 Policy Modification Chapter 7
April 6
April 13 Political Competence Chapter 8
April 20 Policy Advocacy Project Reports
April 27 Policy Advocacy Project Reports