Course syllabus

POLITICS 704: Political Management in Government SEMESTER 1, 2018 15 points

 
Course Convenor and Teacher: Jennifer Lees-Marshment - j.lees-marshment@auckland.ac.nz HSB Room 504.

Course delivery format: 2 hour seminar (Timetable and room details can be viewed on Student Services Online)

Summary of Course Description:              

Political Management in Government seeks to prepare students for practising politics by preparing them for working in government. It explores how politicians and their staff use management tools to help them achieve their goals within the constraints and challenges of the governing environment.

The 2018 syllabus is now ready and under files.

Tallis list is available at https://rl.talis.com/3/auckland/lists/81F474BD-96AD-5862-803D-9244615EE4F2.html?login=1

Course outcomes:

Academic learning outcomes

Students who have taken this course will:

• Know a range of political management tools including public opinion research, strategy, branding, consultation and delivery management
• Understand the complexities and challenges of political management in government
• Be able to apply ideas from past practice and research to future situations and make recommendations for action

Employability skills

Whilst offering research-led knowledge typical of graduate courses, Political Management in Government also seeks to prepare students for practising politics. It develops graduate profile capabilities - themes such as disciplinary knowledge and critical thinking - by preparing them for working in government by developing skills such as:

• Political skills – understanding of current issues through discussing current political situations and behaviour
• Policy skills – understands context, applies objective reasoning, well-reasoned advice through writing the advisory report
• Advisory skills – such as impartial neutral analysis and producing high quality reports by evaluating contemporary political behaviour using academic theory rather than personal opinion in the advisory reports
• Analytical skills - can project future issues/scenarios through discussions and case study/report assignments
• Communication skills – can deliver brief and concise presentations
• Interpersonal skills – peer learning through small group work in seminars
• Writing skills - report writing and the employability session on writing advisory reports
• Professional workplace attributes – such as reliability, adaptability, able to work independently, respond well to feedback, and agility; through the courses stricter policies; new style assignments through the advisory reports, and learning cross-disciplinary theories and analysis

Assessment Summary:

Report 1 Best Practice in Political Management - 30%

Report 2: Advice for US President Donald Trump  - 30%

Report 3: Advice for Canadian PM Justin Trudeau - 30%

Participation - 10%

Workload and deadlines for submission of coursework:           

The University of Auckland's expectation is that students spend 10 hours per week on a 15-point course, including time in class and personal study. Students should manage their academic workload and other commitments accordingly. Deadlines for coursework are set by course convenors and will be advertised in course material. You should submit your work on time. In extreme circumstances, such as illness, you may seek an extension but you may be required to provide supporting information before the assignment is due. Late assignments without a pre-approved extension may be penalised by loss of marks – check course information for details.