Public Affairs 5110: Higher Education and Workforce Policy
This is a sample syllabus to provide general information about the course and it's requirements. Course requirements are subject to change. This syllabus does not contain all assignment or course detail and currently enrolled students should reference the syllabus provided by their instructor. For a specific syllabus, please email us a request.
Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
- Ground arguments in political and economic theory underlying state investment in higher education;
- Appreciate and frame issues within an historical view of higher education in the developing and developed world;
- Account for the role of government in training and higher education in decision-making, and;
- Employ theoretical frameworks addressing government investments in education and training.
Requirements and Expectations
This course may require materials. Consult your instructor's syllabus for details.
Participation: Graduate 10, Undergraduate 10
Memos: Graduate 30, Undergraduate 30
Mid-term: Graduate 10, Undergraduate 20
Presentation: Graduate 10, Undergraduate 10
Final Paper: Graduate 40, Undergraduate 30
Class Participation: 10% Class participation 10% of your grade and is based upon both attendance and participation. We will be doing activities in most of the classes related to the topic of discussion. Therefore, your attendance and meaningful participation is required in each class. Repeated absences will negatively affect your grade. If you are present in class but are distracted by other reading, texting, or social media, I will reduce in-class contribution points.
Response Memos: 30% Written responses are required on six weekly reading assignments. Responses will be 3-5 pages, double spaced. They will be graded based on both the level of understanding of the concepts for the week and the quality of writing. Written documents should follow a “literature review” format, meaning the style should be to stick close to the concepts in the readings. Grades will be determined by how well students answer the following questions about the topics.
- How is the topic relevant to current federal or state education/workforce policy?
- What is the argument that the author (s) is trying to make?
- Do you agree with the argument?
- How does the topic you describe here relate more generally to higher education policy?
Final Paper: 30/40% A paper on some topic of higher education or workforce training will be required. For students this paper should be about 15 pages long. It should be seen as a summative essay on specific policy topic. Examples will be provided in class and on carmen. At least 10 academic sources should be in the final version. The outline will be required as a 2-page document. All students must meet with the instructor to ensure the paper topic meets class expectations. This meeting will be tracked, and any student who does not review the paper topic or outline with the instructor will not submit the final paper. Note there are different weights to the portions of the assignment for graduate and undergraduate students. We will discuss it in class.
Mid-term (20% UG, 10% Grad)
We will have a take home mid term before Spring Break.
Presentation (10%)
For some of the classes students will jointly lead a presentation on the readings/topic with the professor. We will have a sign up for the topics in the first few weeks.