POL 437 - Public Policy in Massachusetts

3 credits
The constitutional and institutional structure of Massachusetts state government, state level political and policymaking processes, state level instruments of public policy, and substantive areas of state level policy, including fiscal and tax policy, economic development, labor and workforce development, housing, higher education, health and human services, transportation, and ethics policy. Course examines the role of official actors in the policy process, such as elected functionaries, the bureaucracy, and the courts, as well as unofficial actors, such as political parties, interest groups, and think tanks.