AIP230 - Policy and How It Shapes Us
Unit details
| Year | 2025 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 1: Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong), Online, Community Based Delivery (CBD)* |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 1: Amy Nethery |
| Prerequisite: | Nil |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | Nil |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - on-campus unit enrolment: | 1 x 1-hour on-campus lecture per week 1 x 1-hour on-campus seminar per week |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment: | 1 x 1-hour online lecture per week (recordings provided) 1 x 1-hour online seminar per week |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150-hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. This will include educator guided online learning activities within the unit site. |
Note:*Community Based Delivery (CBD): only for students of the National Indigenous Knowledges, Education, Research and Innovation NIKERI Institute (located at the Waurn Ponds campus) | |
Content
Public policy is – in very simple terms – the work that governments do. Our lives are impacted by public policy every single day. As well as shaping us, policies shape the societies and environment in which we live. In this unit we examine public policy in Australia to get to the heart of the relationship between government, our selves, and our society. How is policy made, and by whom? Who benefits from policy, and who is disadvantaged? And, finally, how does policy shape us, and how do we shape policy? Students will gain an overview of seven different policy areas: economic, welfare, environment, education, health, Indigenous, and alcohol and illicit drug policies. With authentic assessment tasks, students will master four methods of policy analysis, and conduct two policy briefings. Students will have the opportunity to publish their final policy analysis in the annual student journal Publicus Consilium: Deakin Public Policy Review.
Learning Outcomes
| ULO | These are the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Alignment to Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Review and analyse major theoretical, conceptual, and policy debates about the nature and significance of politics and governance, the differences between political systems, and the contexts in which they operate | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO2 | Effectively communicate the findings and analyses of research that deploys political concepts, theories and technical knowledge, in a selection of written, digital and oral formats, and to a range of readers and audiences | GLO2: Communication |
| ULO3 | Employ a range of generic and specialist politics-specific digital communication technologies to apply political knowledge, to conduct political research, and to deliver reports and presentations to a diverse range of readers and audiences within and outside the field | GLO3: Digital literacy |
| ULO4 | Analyse and critically evaluate different interpretations of political phenomena. Demonstrate knowledge of the different research methods used to investigate political phenomena. Recognise the importance of ethical standards of conduct in the research and analysis of politics | GLO4: Critical thinking |
| ULO5 | Employ initiative and creativity when using accepted evidence-based methods of political science to generate approaches and solutions to complex problems of politics and governance at all levels from interpersonal relations to forums at local, national, regional, and global levels | GLO5: Problem solving |
| ULO6 | Demonstrate autonomy, responsibility, accountability and a continued commitment to learning and skill development, as a reflective practitioner, while working in political science | GLO6: Self-management |
| ULO7 | Analyse and address political issues in both domestic and global contexts as a reflective scholar and practitioner, taking into consideration cultural and socio-economic diversity, social and environmental responsibility and the application of the highest ethical standards | GLO8: Global citizenship |
Assessment
| Assessment Description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: Research and Writing Exercise | 500 words or equivalent | 10% | Week 6 |
| Assessment 2: Report | 750 words or equivalent | 20% | Week 8 |
| Assessment 3: Report | 750 words or equivalent | 20% | Week 11 |
| Assessment 4: Essay | 2000 words or equivalent | 50% | Week 12 |
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning resource
The texts and reading list for AIP230 can be found via the University Library.
Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Unit Fee Information
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current Students website.