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Public Administration and Policy

Code: 101114
Credits: 12
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Political Science and Public Management OB 2

Contact lecturer

Name :
Xavier Ballart i Hernàndez
Email :
xavier.ballart@uab.cat

Teaching staff

Xavier Ballart i Hernàndez
Ixchel Perez Duran

Teaching staff (external to UAB)

Galceran Orriols

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

It is taken for granted that students know, at least, the concepts and theories studied in the "Political Science" course of the first year of the Degree. It is also taken for granted that students regularly follow generalist world news press.

Objectives

This subject is compulsory in the second year of the Degree in Political Science and Public Management. As an annual subject, it aims, on the one hand, to work in depth the main concepts and models that currently dominate the panorama in the analysis of public administration and public policies from a sectoral perspective. On the other hand, it also introduces the constant reference to comparative experience in administration, public management and public policies.

Learning outcomes

  1. Working in teams and networking, particularly in interdisciplinary conditions.
  2. Identifying sources of data and conducting bibliographic and documentary searches.
  3. Synthesizing and critically analysing information.
  4. Interpreting and applying English texts in an academic way.
  5. Arguing from different theoretical perspectives.
  6. Using the main information and documentation techniques (ICT) as an essential tool for the analysis.
  7. Demonstrating good writing skills in different contexts.
  8. Showing a good capacity for transmitting information, distinguishing key messages for their different recipients.
  9. Realising effective oral presentations that are suited to the audience.
  10. Managing the available time in order to accomplish the established objectives and fulfil the intended task.
  11. Working autonomously.
  12. Producing and planning researches or analytical reports.
  13. Properly explaining and describing main theoretical approaches of the analysis of political sciences: cycle of politics, actor-network, institutional approaches, rational choice theory.
  14. Distinguishing the phases of public politics: formulation, decision, implementation and evaluation.
  15. Critically analysing the configuration process of the public agenda.
  16. Suggesting and explaining a case study of a concrete public policy.
  17. Critically assessing some of the public policies carried out by an authority in the State of Autonomies.
  18. Describing and understanding the functioning of the Public Administration on a state, sub-state and supranational level.
  19. Applying the knowledge of the Public Administrations on its various levels to practical and professional concrete cases.
  20. Demonstrating the understanding of intergovernmental relationships and identifying the position of Public Administrations in the political system.
  21. Analysing public policies, both in their elaboration and implementation processes.
  22. Using different tools for the analysis and explanation of the formulation, decision, implementation and evaluation processes in public policies.

Contents


FIRST SEMESTER


BLOCK 1 Public Administration Today


Topic 1. The Politics-Administration Relationship and Professional Public Management


Topic 2. The Evolution of Civil Service Systems in Europe, Why It Is So Hard to Change Systems


Topic 3. Overview of Public Administrations in Latin America and Asia


Topic 4. Challenges of Public Administration Today: Citizen Orientation and New Problems with Digital Administration


Topic 5. The Administrative Structure and Its Dimensions: Coordination and Departmentalization Systems


Topic 6. Transversal Projects in Vertical Structures, Problems for Project Managers



BLOCK 2 European, Spanish and Catalan Administrative Structures


Topic 7. The General Administration of the State


Topic 8. The Administration of the Generalitat of Catalonia


Topic 9. The Administration of the Provincial Councils and the County Councils


Topic 10. The Administration of the City of Barcelona and the Municipalities


Topic 11. European Administration



BLOCK 3 Public administration resources and their control


Topic 12. Human resources, macro view of public administrations personnel


Topic 13. Human resources: micro view, the different dimensions of human resources management in public administrations


Topic 14. Economic resources of administrations: budget management and control of their execution


Topic 15. Control of public administrations: internal and external controls.


Topic 16. Control systems by indicators



SECOND SEMESTER


BLOCK 1 Policies for reforming the administration


Topic 1. The bureaucratic model as progress in the history of administrations


Topic 2. Attempts to reform administrations in Europe since the 1980s


Topic 3. Governance as a new paradigm



BLOCK 2 Policies for transforming the administration today


Topic 4. Social actors, interest groups and influence on the public agenda


Topic 5. Government accountability


Topic 6. Transparency and open government


Topic 7. Representative bureaucracy


Topic 8. Digital Transformation of Public Administration and Public Policy


Topic 9. Artificial Intelligence and Robotization



BLOCK 3 Regulatory policies and public service provision policies


Topic 10. The regulatory role of administrations: regulation and agency in multilevel contexts


Topic 11. The provider role of public administrations


Topic 12. Health policies


Topic 13. Education policies


Topic 14. Support for families and children


Topic 15. Elderly care policies


Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Reading 50 2
Lectures 56 2.24
Study 50 2
Seminars 28 1.12
Tutorials 30 1.2
Exercises and essay writing 28 1.12
Oral presentations 8 0.32

The subject \"Administration and Public Policies\" of 2nd grade, has 12 cr ECTS, that is, a total of 300 hours of student dedication (25 hours per credit). These will be structured in the following types of training activities, supported by the teaching methodology that is indicated:

Guided activities:
Lectures: exhibitions by the teacher with ICT support and debate in a large group.
Public presentation of work: Individual and group presentations and round of assessments.
Seminars for discussion of texts and cases: Introduction of the session, presentation of the text, assessment and discussion. Resolution of practical cases. Preparation of simulations. Reading controls.

Supervised activities:
Tutorials to support the completion of the work and follow-up of the course

Autonomous activities:
Reading of texts: Individual exercise of comprehensive reading of texts
Study Performing diagrams and summaries
Writing of works: Recensions, bibliographical essays (individual or in group) based on a guide for the preparation and preparation of practical cases.

Evaluation: Individual test of written exams.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Exams (two end-of-semester exams and, if applicable, the resit exam) 40% 5 0.2 3, 5, 7, 8, 11, 13, 14, 17, 18, 20, 21
Seminar exercises 30% 30 1.2 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 15, 22
Participation activities/Midterm Exam/Group work 30% 15 0.6 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 10, 12, 16, 19

The evaluation of this course will be carried out according to the following criteria:

Both semesters will be assessed independently and recovered independently. Students must approve each semester. The final grade of the course will be the average of the two grades obtained in each semester. If a student has a grade of 4 or higher in one of the two semesters, it will be considered if he / she can approve the course if the average grade of both semesters is higher than 5.


First semester

  • Final exam: 40%
  • Seminars / reading controls: 30%
  • Group work: 30%


Second semester:

  • Final exam: 40%
  • Seminars/reading controls: 30%
  • Participation: 15%
  • Midterm Exam: 15%


Important considerations:

  • Final grades can be modified by 10% based on attendance
  • Students must have a grade in the three core sections (exam, seminars and work group/policy brief) to be able to have a final grade for each semester.
  • It is necessary to pass the exam with a 5 to calculate the average of the final grade, together with the seminars and the policy brief (first semestere) or group paper (second semester).
  • To approve an exercise/seminar, students must have attended the corresponding debate.
  • The dates for each activity will be announced on the Virtual Campus.
  • With the aim to recover the course, independent assessment for each semester will be carried out. This final evaluation will be held at the end of the course and on the date announced by the faculty.


Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

The use of AI technologies is permitted exclusively for support tasks, such as bibliographic or information searches, proofreading, or translations. Students must clearly identify which sections were generated with this technology, specify the tools used, and include a reflection on how they influenced the process and final outcome of the activity. Lack of transparency in the use of AI in assessable activities will be considered academic dishonesty and may result in a partial or total penalty on the grade for the activity, or greater penalties in serious cases.


Single assessment

  • Students who have requested it within the required timeframe may opt for a \"Single Assessment.\"
  • The single assessment will include a test of the practical or applied component based on the seminars and practical sessions completed during the course. It will also include the final exam for the theoretical component of each semester and the submission of the group project and policy brief, depending on the semester, which may be completed individually.
  • The content evaluated in the single assessment includes all topics listed in the Syllabus, as well as the required readings for each topic and assessment activity.
  • The minimum grade to pass the single assessment is 5. Retakes will take place on the dates established by the university.
  • Students who opt for single assessment will not receive continuous assessment grades, even if they attend class.


Non-assessable students.

Students who do not attend the exam, or any (0) practical sessions/seminars, or who do not submit the group paper(project) in either of the two semesters, will not be assessed..


Who can re-take exams

Students who have completed two-thirds of the continuous assessment activities, including midterm exams and assignments, may go to the re-take exam. Practical sessions/seminars cannot be recuperated.


Irregularities

Any irregularity committed during an assessment (academic fraud, plagiarism, or misuse of AI, unless expressly authorized in the course syllabus) that could lead to a significant change in the grade will result in a grade of 0 for that assessment. If the course syllabus stipulates that a minimum grade on this assessment is a prerequisite for passing the course, or if several irregularities occur in the assessments of the same course, the final grade for that course will be 0. Furthermore, disciplinary proceedings may be initiated against any student who commits any of these irregularities.


Oral verification

The teaching staff reserves the right to conduct oral interviews or alternative assessments to verify the effective acquisition of knowledge and skills and, therefore, the validity of the assessments completed by the students.


In accordance with article 117.2 of the UAB Academic Regulations, the assessment of students who were previously enrolled and obtained a failing grade may consist of a single synthesis test. With the aim to do so, these students would need to contact the teaching staffat the beginning of the course.


Bibliography

 

GENERAL BIBLIOGRAPHY

Handbooks in Spanish (in chronological order)

Colino, C. 2013. Gobiernos y Administraciones Públicas en Perspectiva Comparada. Valencia, Tirant lo Blanch. 

Parrado, S. y Olmeda, J.A. 2013. Gobiernos y administraciones públicas en perspectiva comparada. Tirant lo Blanch

Ballart, X., G. Rico, G. Ripoll, 2016. La motivación en los servicios públicos: análisis empírico de sus antecedentes y de sus efectos. Madrid: Instituto Nacional de Administración Pública.

Del Pino, E. and Rubio, Mª J. (eds.) 2016. Los Estados de Bienestar en la encrucijada: políticas sociales en perspectiva comparada. Madrid. Editorial Tecnos.

Olmeda, J.A. , Parrado, S. y Colino, C. 2017. Las Administraciones Públicas en España, Valencia, Tirant lo Blanch. ISBN 10: 8491434607 / ISBN 13: 9788491434603.

Gomà, R y Ubasart, G. (Coords.) 2021. Vidas en transición. (Re) construir la ciudadanía social. Madrid. Editorial Tecnos.

 

Handbooks in English (in chronological order)

Araral, E. and Fritzen, S. and Howlett, M. and Ramesh, M. and Wu, X  (Ed) (2012). Routledge Handbook of Public Policy. Routledge Editor, 528 pages

Brandsma, G. J. (Ed.). (2024). Handbook on European Union Public Administration. Edward Elgar Publishing.

Charalabidis, Y., Medaglia, R., & van Noordt, C. (Eds.). (2024). Research Handbook on Public Management and Artificial Intelligence. Edward Elgar Publishing.

Chaqués-Bonafont, L., and Jordana, J. (2022). Policyanalysis in Spain: actors and institutions. In Policy Analysis in Spain (pp. 1-18). Policy Press.

Dodds, A. (2018). Comparative Public Policy. United Kingdom: Bloomsbury Publishing.

Howlett, M., & Tosun, J. (Eds.). (2021). The Routledge Handbook of Policy Styles (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi-org.are.uab.cat/10.4324/9780429286322

Howlett, M. (Ed.). (2022). The Routledge Handbook of Policy Tools(1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi-org.are.uab.cat/10.4324/9781003163954

Hughes, Owen E. 2003. Public Management and Administration. An Introduction (Third Edition) Palgrave Macmillan: New York.

Moran, M., Rein, M., and Goodin, R. E. (Eds.). (2008). The Oxford handbook of public policy. Oxford University Press.

Knill, C., and Tosun, J. (2020). Public policy: A new introduction. Bloomsbury Publishing.

Kuhlmann, S.and Wollmann, H. 2014. Introduction to Comparative Public Administrations. Administrative Systems and Reform in Europe. Cheltenham and Northampton, MA:  Edward Elgar

Painter, M. and Peters, B. G. 2010. (Eds). Administrative Traditions: Inheritances and Transplants in Comparative Perspective, Basingstoke: Palgrave.

Perry, J., and Christensen, R.K. 2015. Handbook of Public Administration, London: Routledge.

Pierre, J.,  y Peters G.B. 2020. Governance, Politics and the State. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2020.

Pollitt, C. and Bouckaert, G. 2004 Public Management Reform. A Comparative Analysis, Oxford: Oxford University Press

 

Specific references for certain topics: 

instrcutors may assign specific articles for specifics topics / seminars  

Academic journals

Public Administration 

Public Management Review

Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory

Governance

Journal of European Public Policy

Journal of European Social Policy

International Review of Administrative Sciences

International Journal of Public Administration

International Journal of Public Sector Management

International Public Management Journal

Journal of Policy Analysis and Management

Journal of Public Policy

 

Software

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Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TE) Theory 1 Catalan/Spanish annual morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 1 Catalan/Spanish annual morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 51 Catalan/Spanish annual afternoon
(SEM) Seminars 51 Catalan/Spanish annual afternoon