Learning Outcomes
Collaborative Leadership
A. Definition: The student demonstrates ability to involve community stakeholders and key decision-makers in developing, articulating and sustaining a policy vision.
B. Competencies: Knowledge: The student knows the importance of policy leadership that builds and maintains an understanding of what collaboration means, why it is important, and how community conditions can be improved by employing the collaboration process
Abilities: The student synthesizes information from multiple perspectives while serving community interests, building relationships with citizen groups and leaders, analyzing political influences and building the action steps for a community approach to policy issues.
Abilities: The student mobilizes and organizes community action based on the diverse contributions of governments,
business, and community-based organizations helping them in addressing community issues and has skills in the
application of knowledge of group processes and group interaction. These include the ability to build consensus and
sustain participation among various stakeholders using skills such as listening, forgoing judgment, engaging in inquiry
and dialogue, reflecting and learning, facilitation, task completion, solving problems and resolving conflicts using
different decision making processes appropriate for collaborative groups.
Ability: The student sets clear direction for coalitions, partnerships and collaborative implementation of sustained
policy change. These skills include ability to negotiate agreements, engage in appropriate risk taking as part of the
process of change, share resources and expertise, and maintain responsibility to achieve a common goal in a
collaborative setting.
C. Pre-requisite: Knowledge of how to find community information and ability to engage and build trust with community stakeholders.
Policy Analysis
A. Definition: The student demonstrates the ability to identify and analyze a policy issue and present well-informed
policy recommendations; to identify and work with all actors in the policy review and approval process (including
where necessary the legislative process); and secure final approval and implementation of recommended policies.
B. Competencies:
Knowledge: The student has mastered core analytical concepts and methods from economics, finance, mathematics,
and the behavioral and social sciences; knows methods of characterizing a policy issue and developing a work plan to
analyze that issue in economic and social terms; and has a working knowledge of methods used to characterize and
understand the political process relevant to any particular policy issue.
Abilities: The student identifies a policy issue and, with respect to that issue, to: conduct primary and secondary
research; define policy options; analyze those options by drawing upon and integrating analytical methods from
economics, finance, mathematics, information science, behavioral and other social sciences, physical sciences, and
other relevant disciplines; incorporate criteria of equity and social justice and present well-supported conclusions and
recommendations based on such analysis.
Abilities: The student recognizes and understands the process of developing and approving a given policy (including
identification of all major stakeholders, their interests, and their roles in the policy development and approval process)
and guide a policy through that process from inception to final approval.
C. Pre-requisite: Courses in economics, political institutions, and social sciences.
Critical Thinking
A. Definition: The student demonstrates appropriate care and deliberation whether or not one should accept, reject, or
suspend judgment about a claim and decide the degree of confidence with which one can make that determination.
B. Competencies:
Knowledge: The student knows fundamental rules of logic and can identify logical fallacies and other "pseudo-
reasoning" techniques. Understand common logical fallacies in the arguments of others and the anatomy of an
argument.
Abilities: The student constructs sound arguments of her or his own and can critically appraise in a constructive,
noncompetitive manner the arguments of others.
Abilities: The student evaluates her or his own reasoning process, recognizes contradictions and inconsistencies,
clarifies values and standards, detects bias, evaluates the accuracy of different sources of information ("evidence") and
accurately evaluates the implications and consequences of a proposed policy action.
Abilities: The student promotes the use of logic and reasoning, recognizes and honors cultural and other approaches
to ways of knowing, and actively promotes logical, cooperative argumentation in all work-related settings.
C. Prerequisites: the student has sound writing skills with coursework in logic or the scientific method (including
research methods)
Communication
A. Definition: The student communicates complex policy ideas to a variety of individuals and groups and demonstrates
an understanding of the elements, dynamics, and mechanics of personal and professional communication.
B. Competencies:
Knowledge: The student understands different professional languages of the stakeholders in a complex policy process
and is able to translate information between policy makers, lay persons, and professionals, appreciating the
organizational and cultural contexts within which communication occurs.
Ability: The student performs public speaking in small and large groups with the quality of content demonstrating
sufficient creativity, thoroughness and thoughtfulness of analysis.
Ability: The student communicates both empathically and critically engages in ethical and effective dialogue when
discussing policy development, promotion, and implementation strategies.
Ability: The student prepares written reports reflecting appropriate level of research, to write sufficiently and clearly,
to organize thoughts and describe arguments including use of citations, and references, e.g., texts, journals,
newspapers, government documents, web-sites, and interviews.
Ability: The student uses quality oral and written communication skills when dealing with the media and public
forums producing high-quality professional written documents and electronic presentations.
D. Pre-requisite: An understanding of the need for good communication skills, recognizing one's own biases, attitudes,
and assumptions and taking responsibility for responding in ways that improve communication.
Ethics
A. Definition: The student demonstrates the ability to articulate the values and ethics that are inherent in the roles of
those who develop, promote, and implement public policy and applies them appropriately; adopts an ethical approach
when participating in activities to develop, promote and implement public policy; supports those policies that allow
responsible parties to respond with care to those who need it; and supports those policies that promote social justice
and inclusivity.
B. Competencies:
Knowledge: The student knows the core values and principles associated with her or his respective profession and
those of professions related to the work of development, promotion, and development of public policy (e.g., public
administration)
Abilities: The student actively promotes reflection and discussion of the ethical implications of policy choices and
promotion and implementation strategies and adopts a style of cooperative rather than competitive argumentation.
Abilities: The student maintains objectivity and suspends personal biases when discussing policy alternatives,
promotion and implementation strategies and is able to presents multiple perspectives, providing to the extent possible
the total picture so as not to slant decision towards his or her own desired end alone; and promotes ethical approaches
to and raise ethical concerns during the development, advancement, and implementation of public policy.
Abilities: The student observes code of ethics for his or her particular profession
and supports those police that promote social justice, fundamental fairness, inclusivity, and an atmosphere of
compassion. He or she adheres to fundamental values in the development, promotion, and implementation of public
policy initiatives such as promoting public good and social justice, inclusivity, respect for different cultural views,
recognizes implications of policies on historically marginalized groups and works to minimize negative impacts.
C. Prerequisites: None (Recommended: Undergraduate course in the philosophy of ethics, personal ethics, and/or
professional ethics.
Legislative Processes
A. Definition: The student demonstrates an understanding and ability to communicate across the various bodies and
interrelationships in the legislative process.
B. Competencies:
Knowledge: The student is able to compare local, county, state and federal and comparative global legislative
processes. She or he is able to explain the statutory and historical context of lawmaking.
Abilities: The student crosses sector boundaries in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of policy using the
key variables in the legislative process including budgets and appropriations.
Abilities: The student diagnoses legislative problems, prescribes creative solutions, and explains legislative proposals
with brevity, clarity and coherence.
Abilities: The student works effectively with legislative staff, lobbyists, advocates, and others in the context of
committees, boards, and commissions.
C. Prerequisite: Courses in government and political institutions.
Cross Cultural Competence
A. Definition: The student demonstrates an understanding of the role diverse cultural values and attitudes play in
political participation and the development and implementation of public policy. He or she also is capable of
communicating and negotiating with individuals from racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds different than their own.
B. Competencies:
Knowledge: The student has knowledge of theories of cultural competency and the challenges ethnic and cultural
diversity poses for the formulation and implementation of public policies including knowledge of specific ethnic,
racial and culturally diverse populations and the role they play in the political and social landscape of California and
the nation.
Abilities: The student communicates effectively with individuals from racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds
different than her or his own and understands how the beliefs and behaviors of individuals from diverse cultural and
ethnic backgrounds influence their attitudes toward and response to public policies.
Abilities: The student reflects on her or his own culturally based values and attitudes and is able to demonstrate skills
in how to approach and mediate conflicts between groups from cultural, racial, and ethnic backgrounds different from
than one's own.
C. Prerequisite: Prior association with individuals or groups from and knowledge of a cultural, racial or ethnic
background other than one's own.
Political Institutions and Processes
A. Definition: The student understands the formal and actual processes of democratic policy making and the changing
institutional context influenced by culture and events over time.
B. Competencies:
Knowledge: The student explains the structure, role and organizing principles of governance at local, state and
national levels.
Abilities: The student is able to show how, in practice, how policy issues move across government bodies, appointed
and elected boards, and community advocate groups.
Abilities: The student is able to, integrate theory and practice, measure the influence of institutional actors, and
problem-solve barriers to constituent needs.
C. Prerequisite: Courses in government and political institutions.
Program Planning, Budgeting and Evaluation
A. Definition: The student demonstrates knowledge of public sector finance and the budgeting process, skill in financial
planning, budget preparation, monitoring, analysis, program and policy evaluation.
B. Competencies:
Knowledge: The student has knowledge of the rational model of public policy formulation and the ability to reconcile
it with the political realities of the budget approval and review process at the federal and state levels including
formulation, legislative review, budget execution and evaluation/audit. Knowledge of various forms of budgeting and
taxation at the federal, state and local levels and their impacts on public sector finance. Understanding of the
principles of public sector finance and the role in promoting public/private sector partnerships.
Abilities: The student analyzes the need for and relative impact of public policies on society through the use of
modeling and forecasting tools such as trend extrapolation, leading indicators and impact assessment.
Abilities: The student analyzes and prepares grant proposals and contracts and manages project resource resources for
specific time periods and identifies likely sources of funds needed to achieve long term strategies.
Abilities: The student translates strategic and program goals into measurable objectives relating to outputs or services
rendered, outcomes measurement, and long term impacts.
Abilities: The student uses participatory program evaluation as an ongoing management tool in implementing new or
existing programs.
C. Prerequisite: College level computational skills and ability to use an Excel spreadsheet.
Research and Data Skills
A. Definition: The student analyzes trends in the economy, technology, socio-cultural issues and political issues at
various levels and sectors of society.
B. Competencies:
Knowledge: The student understands the principles and values of scientific inquiry and its role in contributing to
policy development
Abilities: The student conducts community needs assessments, investigates economic and demographic data, and
identifies and measures outcomes for policy analysis.
Abilities: The student analyzes current research, draws from theory to develop hypotheses, designs a research model
including statistical analysis, conducts surveys and other data gathering methods, and analyzes data for policy
implications and recommendations.
C. Prerequisite: Courses in research methods or statistics.
Knowledge & Skills in Multiple Disciplines
A. Definition: The student demonstrates the ability to critically analyze the major public policy issues in a variety of the
major fields of education, social welfare, public health and medical care, business, environment, land use, watershed,
and marine science resource protection, and demonstrate competence in two selected areas of concentration.
B. Competencies:
Knowledge: The student has a breadth of knowledge in two fields of interest, understanding their history and their
local, state, national and international components.
Abilities: The student utilizes best practices from selected fields to analyze and address policy issues.
Abilities: The student develops and institutionalizes a capstone project in an agency or organization that contributes
to the development of public policy.
C. Prerequisite: None
Information Technology and Management
A. Definition: The student demonstrates the ability to use information technologies to support public policy development and implementation; to define requirements for improved information systems and information management methods, and to manage information collection, analysis, and dissemination in support of public policy process.
B. Competencies:
Knowledge: The student has a working knowledge of principles for using computers, software and the Internet to develop approaches for: analysis of public policy issues; to support consultation and collaboration; to create and participate in information management systems; and the dissemination of information across sectors and disciplines.
Abilities: The student designs analytical models for quantitative and qualitative policy research, conduct analysis, use the Internet for research and connection to policy organizations, and to ethically disseminate information.
Abilities: The student decomposes an analytical problem or dissemination task into manageable steps and is able to create computer programs to execute each of those steps and to create integrated programs.
C. Prerequisites: The student has a working knowledge of personal computers, scans information from the Internet, and is able to use information technologies in their everyday use.
Cross Cultural Competency
A. Definition: The student demonstrates an understanding of the role diverse cultural values and attitudes play in political participation and the development and implementation of public policy. He or she also is capable of communicating and negotiating with individuals from racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds different than their own.
B. Competencies:
Knowledge: The student has knowledge of theories of cultural competency and the challenges ethnic and cultural diversity poses for the formulation and implementation of public policies including knowledge of specific ethnic, racial and culturally diverse populations and the role they play in the political and social landscape of California and the nation.
Abilities: The student communicates effectively with individuals from racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds different than her or his own and understands how the beliefs and behaviors of individuals from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds influence their attitudes toward and response to public policies.
Abilities: The student reflects on her or his own culturally based values and attitudes and is able to demonstrate skills in how to approach and mediate conflicts between groups from cultural, racial, and ethnic backgrounds different from than one's own.
C. Prerequisites: Prior association with individuals or groups from and knowledge of a cultural, racial or ethnic background other than ones own.
