UMass Boston

Course Overview

Description

How do you know if a program, policy, or practice is designed to remedy a social problem, and if it is in fact doing so? This course addresses this question through blending policy design, evaluation theory and research with "hands on" experience. It covers essential pieces of the policy and program design and evaluation process including tips for design of different types of programs, identifying values by which to determine goals, objectives, alternatives and outcome measures, working with community partners, ethics of research, articulating a theory of change through logic models, process evaluation, outcome/impact evaluation, measuring program success, and an introduction to cost-benefit analysis. Students will work collectively and individually, cultivating skills critical to the policy design and evaluation process including developing measures, learning principles of the design and analysis of different classes of programs, conducting interviews, observations and surveys, analyzing data, and presenting findings.

Prerequisites

GRADUATE Degree Students Only