JSQ168 Critical Policy Skills Capstone


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Unit Outline: Session 2 2024, QUT Online, Online

Unit code:JSQ168
Credit points:12
Pre-requisite:JSQ165
Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.

Overview

There are a number of critical policy skills required of the professional contemporary policy officer. This unit aims to develop, enhance and consolidate your skills to enable you to undertake sophisticated and effective policy work, both in the public and the private sector. This capstone unit will consolidate your critical policy analysis skills, and build the knowledge and capacity to engage effectively with stakeholders and to effectively design and oversee policy. In this unit, you will have the opportunity to engage in work-integrated learning by evaluating and advising on a specific real world policy issue.  

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

  1. Analyse social policy and evaluate the role of policy in broader political, cultural and social contexts (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.3, 4.1, 4.2)
  2. Engage with diverse stakeholders, including those from marginalised groups to design and oversee the successful implementation of policy (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 3.1, 3.3, 4.2, 4.4)
  3. Evaluate the impacts and implications of a current policy problem, discuss options and make evidence-based recommendations (1.1, 1.3, 4.1, 4.3, 4.4)
  4. Present research findings, communicating and negotiating strategically and persuasively to diverse audiences (CLO 3.1, 3.2, 5.3)
  5. Apply teamwork skills and reflect upon effective collaboration (CLO 3.1, 3.3)

Content

Module 9 - Good Governance and Policy

  • Introduction to critical policy skills
  • Critical policy analysis in government
  • Critical policy analysis in non-government organisations 
  • Cabinet submissions
  • Stakeholder engagement, including marginalized communities
  • Risk management 
  • Marginalisation and Indigenous perspectives

Learning Approaches

This capstone unit allows you to continue to build your community of practice and take an action learning approach to solving real world industry problems.  You will work individually and with your team to evaluate the impacts and implications of a current policy problem and make evidence-based recommendations in the form of a cabinet submission.  You will negotiate with your team to plan, theorise, take action and reflect on your experience. 

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

The following types of feedback will assist you to develop the knowledge and skills in this unit: 

  • Self-feedback in the form of online written reflections 
  • Peer feedback in the form of group discussion and online collaborative sessions 
  • Adaptive feedback in the form of online interactive learning activities 
  • Teacher feedback in the online collaborative sessions, discussion boards, and written feedback on assessment 

Assessment

Overview

There are three pieces of summative assessment for this capstone unit, as well as ongoing formative assessment. The purpose of the assessment is to ensure that you have both the necessary theoretical understanding and practical skills to effectively undertake different forms of critical policy analysis, along with the development of effective stakeholder and implementation strategies. Collaborative activities within your community of practice will serve as formative assessment, providing you with feedback from peers and the teaching team early in the unit that will assist you in completing the summative assessment. 

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Cover Sheet

You will work individually to critically evaluate the impacts and implications of a policy issue.  Your summary will identify the main issues and key recommendations.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Weight: 40
Length: 2000 words
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Week 4
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4

Assessment: Self Reflection

This assessment piece is an individual self-reflection on how you participated in and contributed to, the group work associated with preparing a cabinet submission. You will use the template supplied to critically discuss your contribution and teamwork.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Weight: 20
Length: 1000 words
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Week 10
Related Unit learning outcomes: 5

Assessment: Cabinet Submission

Working in teams you will produce the body of a cabinet submission in accordance with the template provided.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Weight: 40
Length: 8000
Individual/Group: Group
Due (indicative): Week 10
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

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.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

This unit will draw from real world documentation and additional readings and resources provided throughout the modules.

Risk Assessment Statement

There are no unusual risks associated with this unit.