JSB380 Policy Planning: From Concept to Decision
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | JSB380 |
|---|---|
| Prerequisite(s): | 96cp of completed study |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
|
| CSP student contribution | $2,174 |
| Pre-2021 CSP student contribution | $1,020 The pre-2021 commonwealth supported place (CSP) contribution amount only applies to students enrolled in a course prior to 2021. To learn more, visit our Understanding your fees page. |
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $3,456 |
| International unit fee | $5,592 |
Unit Outline: Semester 2 2026, Kelvin Grove, Internal
| Unit code: | JSB380 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | 96cp of completed study |
| Coordinator: | Sarah Warner | s6.warner@qut.edu.au |
Overview
This unit offers a journey into the world of policy officers in government. It provides an immersive experience where you’ll step into the shoes of a policy officer, working collaboratively to navigate the policy cycle. You will plan for ways to engage with diverse communities, including First Nations, and manage projects effectively. The unit hones your skills in stakeholder engagement and policy negotiation, and guides you through the process of scoping the policy background. Reflecting on professional roles and experiences will further enhance your understanding. Importantly, the unit equips you with the ability to respond effectively to policy officer selection criteria, preparing you for future job applications. This unit is your stepping stone to a rewarding career in government.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Apply policy analysis techniques to investigate policy issues.
- Plan projects and negotiate with team members to produce policy plans.
- Create project management and stakeholder engagement policy plans for government.
- Present policy plans to senior management and ministers, and respond to feedback.
- Reflect on experiences with policy planning to articulate responses to government selection criteria.
Content
This unit will cover the following:
- Project management
- Stakeholder engagement
- Policy negotiation
- Working with diverse people and communities, including First Nations communities
- Scoping of the policy background
- Reflecting on professional roles and experiences
- Responding to policy officer selection criteria
Learning Approaches
In this unit you will learn by engaging in the following:
- lectures (live and recorded)
- workshops (on-campus and online)
- online learning materials
- peer and group discussions
- team project planning and negotiation
The unit adopts an interactive problem-based learning approach in which you are required to work with peers to investigate policy issues and plan for conducting the policy cycle for the purposes of producing policy.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
- a range of formative exercises discussed and undertaken throughout the unit
- feedback from peers as you investigate and discuss issues raised throughout the unit
- comments about summative assessment work included with your grade
- general summative assessment feedback posted to the whole cohort via the unit Canvas site.
Assessment
Overview
In this unit there are three assessments:
1. Preliminary Report - This task draws on methodologies for the development of policy issues, the review of background information and determining the goal of a new policy to prepare and deliver a policy brief.
2. Policy Plan Presentation - This task brings together skills for developing viable policy solutions to create a briefing note on a new policy to address a social justice issue.
3. Reflection - This task covers your ability to reflect on your role in Assessment 2 as a professional and ethical policy officer working in a team of colleagues to produce a high quality policy document.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Preliminary Report
You will take on the role of a policy officer working in a team to research a policy issue. Individually, you will research and report on one aspect of the issue negotiated with your team.
The use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools is allowed to help you study and find out more about the topic; noting AI-generated content may not be accurate, reliable, or may display bias. Any content generated may not be copied and included in your final submission.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Policy Plan Presentation
Building on your previous assessment task, you will work with your team to present a policy plan to the Minister. The policy plan will cover core aspects of policy preparation, including a stakeholder engagement plan and a project management plan. Following your presentation, you will be required to respond to questions about the plan.
The use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools is allowed to help you study and find out more about the topic; noting AI-generated content may not be accurate, reliable, or may display bias. Any content generated may not be copied and included in your final submission.
Assessment: Reflection
You will reflect on the process of developing the policy plan with your team. This will include reflection on some identified key experiences, including project planning, stakeholder management and facilitating team negotiation. Your reflection will take the form of responses to selection criteria.
The use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools is allowed to help you study and find out more about the topic; noting AI-generated content may not be accurate, reliable, or may display bias. Any content generated may not be copied and included in your final submission.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
Prescribed readings and other materials for review throughout the semester will be provided through QUT Readings.
Risk Assessment Statement
Students are advised that some content in justice units may be confronting. If you are concerned that the content of a unit may impact your completion of the course, please see the unit coordinator. You can also access free student counselling through QUT Counselling via the QUT Student Homepage.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.JS34 Bachelor of Justice
- Apply social and criminal justice principles to explain justice issues and contexts.
Relates to: ULO1, Preliminary Report - Collect and analyse evidence to inform decisions and recommendations in justice systems.
Relates to: ULO1, Preliminary Report - Apply culturally safe and inclusive approaches to work with diverse communities and people as a Justice professional.
Relates to: ULO3, Policy Plan Presentation - Communicate justice and social issues in respectful, professional and ethical ways with other professionals and stakeholders.
Relates to: ULO4, Policy Plan Presentation - Facilitate discussions and collaborate with stakeholders in the justice sector.
Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, Policy Plan Presentation, Reflection - Reflect on personal values and professional practice to articulate a professional identity.
Relates to: ULO5, Reflection
Unit Outline: Semester 2 2026, Online
| Unit code: | JSB380 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | 96cp of completed study |
Overview
This unit offers a journey into the world of policy officers in government. It provides an immersive experience where you’ll step into the shoes of a policy officer, working collaboratively to navigate the policy cycle. You will plan for ways to engage with diverse communities, including First Nations, and manage projects effectively. The unit hones your skills in stakeholder engagement and policy negotiation, and guides you through the process of scoping the policy background. Reflecting on professional roles and experiences will further enhance your understanding. Importantly, the unit equips you with the ability to respond effectively to policy officer selection criteria, preparing you for future job applications. This unit is your stepping stone to a rewarding career in government.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Apply policy analysis techniques to investigate policy issues.
- Plan projects and negotiate with team members to produce policy plans.
- Create project management and stakeholder engagement policy plans for government.
- Present policy plans to senior management and ministers, and respond to feedback.
- Reflect on experiences with policy planning to articulate responses to government selection criteria.
Content
This unit will cover the following:
- Project management
- Stakeholder engagement
- Policy negotiation
- Working with diverse people and communities, including First Nations communities
- Scoping of the policy background
- Reflecting on professional roles and experiences
- Responding to policy officer selection criteria
Learning Approaches
In this unit you will learn by engaging in the following:
- lectures (live and recorded)
- workshops (on-campus and online)
- online learning materials
- peer and group discussions
- team project planning and negotiation
The unit adopts an interactive problem-based learning approach in which you are required to work with peers to investigate policy issues and plan for conducting the policy cycle for the purposes of producing policy.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
- a range of formative exercises discussed and undertaken throughout the unit
- feedback from peers as you investigate and discuss issues raised throughout the unit
- comments about summative assessment work included with your grade
- general summative assessment feedback posted to the whole cohort via the unit Canvas site.
Assessment
Overview
In this unit there are three assessments:
1. Preliminary Report - This task draws on methodologies for the development of policy issues, the review of background information and determining the goal of a new policy to prepare and deliver a policy brief.
2. Policy Plan Presentation - This task brings together skills for developing viable policy solutions to create a briefing note on a new policy to address a social justice issue.
3. Reflection - This task covers your ability to reflect on your role in Assessment 2 as a professional and ethical policy officer working in a team of colleagues to produce a high quality policy document.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Preliminary Report
You will take on the role of a policy officer working in a team to research a policy issue. Individually, you will research and report on one aspect of the issue negotiated with your team.
The use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools is allowed to help you study and find out more about the topic; noting AI-generated content may not be accurate, reliable, or may display bias. Any content generated may not be copied and included in your final submission.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Policy Plan Presentation
Building on your previous assessment task, you will work with your team to present a policy plan to the Minister. The policy plan will cover core aspects of policy preparation, including a stakeholder engagement plan and a project management plan. Following your presentation, you will be required to respond to questions about the plan.
The use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools is allowed to help you study and find out more about the topic; noting AI-generated content may not be accurate, reliable, or may display bias. Any content generated may not be copied and included in your final submission.
Assessment: Reflection
You will reflect on the process of developing the policy plan with your team. This will include reflection on some identified key experiences, including project planning, stakeholder management and facilitating team negotiation. Your reflection will take the form of responses to selection criteria.
The use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools is allowed to help you study and find out more about the topic; noting AI-generated content may not be accurate, reliable, or may display bias. Any content generated may not be copied and included in your final submission.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
Prescribed readings and other materials for review throughout the semester will be provided through QUT Readings.
Risk Assessment Statement
Students are advised that some content in justice units may be confronting. If you are concerned that the content of a unit may impact your completion of the course, please see the unit coordinator. You can also access free student counselling through QUT Counselling via the QUT Student Homepage.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.JS34 Bachelor of Justice
- Apply social and criminal justice principles to explain justice issues and contexts.
Relates to: ULO1, Preliminary Report - Collect and analyse evidence to inform decisions and recommendations in justice systems.
Relates to: ULO1, Preliminary Report - Apply culturally safe and inclusive approaches to work with diverse communities and people as a Justice professional.
Relates to: ULO3, Policy Plan Presentation - Communicate justice and social issues in respectful, professional and ethical ways with other professionals and stakeholders.
Relates to: ULO4, Policy Plan Presentation - Facilitate discussions and collaborate with stakeholders in the justice sector.
Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, Policy Plan Presentation, Reflection - Reflect on personal values and professional practice to articulate a professional identity.
Relates to: ULO5, Reflection