PUBPOL 5805

Communication for Public Policy

Course Description

Course information provided by the 2026-2027 Catalog.

Studying public policy communication requires thinking about systems, strategy, and power. In this course, we will practice analyzing and producing public policy communication products from these three directions. First, we will learn how the organization of the U.S. policy system structures routes by which demands can be communicated into the system and addressed through policy products. Second, we will consult communication theory and practice for strategies that can help us to identify key audiences, reach them, and influence their policy positions. Third, we will step back and consider how power and politics shape the conditions of possibility for policy-making and communicating—who does the system serve, and how can effective policy communication help it serve more people? Students will gain experience producing a variety of practical products throughout the semester, including a policy brief and data visualization. Through readings and additional writing assignments, students will also strengthen their understanding and application of policy communication theory. We will engage with varied policy areas, with an emphasis on data science and sustainability.

Last 4 Terms Offered (None)

Learning Outcomes

• Articulate how the structure of the U.S. policy system shapes the pathways through which policy demands are raised, processed, and addressed.
• Apply communication theories and frameworks to evaluate and plan public policy communication.
• Produce a range of professional policy communication products, including a policy brief and data visualization, appropriate to specific audiences and purposes.
• Analyze how power, structural bias, and agenda-setting shape the conditions under which policy communication takes place.

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