Applied Public Policy Analysis in EU Politics
Course content
Students will be introduced to current policy dilemmas in the European Union and gain practical insights into the strategies and tools available to policy-makers operating in a constrained policy space between domestic interests and international political challenges. The course is based on Harvard-style case-based learning where a new policy challenge is introduced every two weeks for students to dissect and analyse based on political science and political economy models for policy design. This means that, at apart from Week 1 which serves as an introduction to international public policy, the course is taught in blocks of 2 weeks where the first week introduces the case, identifies analytical models and relevant literature, and the second week applies the policy analysis in conversations with experts from public and private organisations in Denmark and abroad.
A simulation game of an EU Council negotiation will take place in Week 12 and 13.
Outline:
Week 1: Why do we need EU public policy? When do we not?
Week 2: Domestic interests and European policy challenges: How governments decide on common solutions to shared problems
Week 3: Talk with invited expert: Fiona Mcwhilham. Senior Civil Servant, Prime Minister’s office, UK, and Visiting Senior Policy Fellow, Queen Mary Centre, University of Copenhagen.
Week 4: Defence and security. Where is the EU heading and is it enough? Trade-offs and policy dilemmas
Week 5: Talk with invited expert: (TBC)
Week 6: Tech: Should TikTok be banned in Europe? What’s the case for tech regulation in Europe when the rest of the world is a (largely) free market?
Week 7: Talk with invited expert: Rebecca Adler-Nissen, Professor in Political Science and Centre Director, CAISA, University of Copenhagen
Week 8: Energy: Energy security in Europe. What’s at stake and is there still a case for renewable energy?
Week 9: Talk with invited expert: (TBC)
Week 10: Economics and Finance: How can Europe navigate in the economic turmoil of 2025?
Week 11: Talk with invited expert: Central Bank Governor Signe Krogstrup
Week 12: EU Council Summit – Simulation Game
Week 13: EU Council Summit – Simulation Game
Week 14: Conclusion: How do we ensure efficient policy design in EU public policy?
Full-degree students enrolled at the Department of Political Science, UCPH
- MSc in Political Science
- MSc in Social Science
- MSc in Security Risk Management
- Bachelor in Political Science
Full-degree students enrolled at the Faculty of Social Science, UCPH
- Bachelor and Master Programmes in Anthropology
- Bachelor and Master Programmes in Psychology
- Bachelor and Master Programmes in Economics
- Master Programme in Social Data Science
The course is open to:
- Exchange and Guest students from abroad
- Credit students from Danish Universities
- Open University students
Knowledge:
- Advanced understanding of key EU policy areas
- EU policy analysis, design and negotiations
- Harvard-style case-based learning
Skills:
- Policy analysis, evaluation and design skills
- Negotiation strategies and techniques
- Written and oral communication skills
Competences:
- Ability to navigate and lead in complex policy arenas
- Insights into current policy dilemmas in EU politics and policy-making
- Analytical and reflective competences based on political science models applied to real-world policy challenges.
- Policy design and implementation
Lectures and class discussions based on ‘active learning’ approach where students are prompted to actively engage with each week’s topic by answering questions and find complementary material from week to week. The course is structured in blocks of 2 weeks, where the first week is focused on understanding theories and dilemmas based on scientific analysis and literature, while second week is a talk with a policy expert or practitioner.
Core readings:
- De Vries, C.E., Hobolt, S.B., Proksch, S.O. and Slapin, J.B., 2021. Foundations of European politics: a comparative approach. Oxford university press.
- Barr, N., 2020. Economics of the welfare state. Oxford University Press, USA.
- Hagemann, S. (forthcoming) ‘The New Political Game in Europe’, Oxford University Press.
The course is designed for students with a political science or economics background who have already completed at least one introductory course in European Union politics. In exceptional cases, and if space permits, students may be admitted onto the course if they have a relevant knowledge of international political systems and independently will cover basic introductions to EU policy-making in the first two weeks of the course. In such cases, recommendations for introductory material will be provide by the course teacher.
When registered you will be signed up for exam.
- Full-degree students – sign up at Selfservice on KUnet
- Exchange and guest students from abroad – sign up through Mobility Online and Selfservice- read more through this website.
- Credit students from Danish universities - sign up through this website.
- Open University students - sign up through this website.
The dates for the exams are found here Exams – Faculty of Social Sciences - University of Copenhagen (ku.dk)
Please note that it is your own responsibility to check for overlapping exam dates.
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
-
Home assignment
- Type of assessment details
- Free written assignment.
See the section regarding exam forms in the programme curriculum for more information on guidelines and scope. - Aid
- All aids allowed
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
- Re-exam
-
In the semester where the course takes place: Free written assignment
In subsequent semesters: Free written assignment
Criteria for exam assessment
Meet the subject's knowledge, skill and competence criteria, as described in the goal description, which demonstrates the minimally acceptable degree of fulfillment of the subject's learning outcome.
Grade 12 is given for an outstanding performance: the student lives up to the course's goal description in an independent and convincing manner with no or few and minor shortcomings
Grade 7 is given for a good performance: the student is confidently able to live up to the goal description, albeit with several shortcomings
Grade 02 is given for an adequate performance: the minimum acceptable performance in which the student is only able to live up to the goal description in an insecure and incomplete manner
Single subject courses (day)
- Category
- Hours
- Class Instruction
- 28
- Preparation
- 100
- Exam Preparation
- 30
- Exam
- 48
- English
- 206
Kursusinformation
- Language
- English
- Course number
- ASTK18480U
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Programme level
- Full Degree Master
Bachelor
- Duration
-
1 semester
- Placement
- Spring
- Studyboard
- Department of Political Science, Study Council
Contracting department
- Department of Political Science
- Department of Anthropology
- Department of Psychology
- Social Data Science
- Department of Economics
Contracting faculty
- Faculty of Social Sciences
Course Coordinator
- Sara Hagemann (10-78336d666c6a72667373456e6b7833707a336970)
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Kursusinformation for indskrevne studerende