This module provides an in-depth analysis of the impact of devolution in Wales across a range of core policy fields – health, education, economic development and transport. The module aims to introduce students to the wider debates within academic research regarding devolution and public policy and the substantive experience within each of the policy fields in Wales since devolution. The module will provide students with a detailed knowledge and understanding of the changing institutional setting within the pre and post-devolution contexts, the emergence (or not) of distinctive territorial policy communities and a Welsh ‘policy style’ and the nature of policy outputs/outcomes within a wider UK context.

Knowledge and Understanding:

·         Discuss the pre-devolution institutional setting across four key policy fields – economic development, education, health and transport

·         Critically assess and evaluate the powers and functions within each policy field devolved initially by the 1998 Government of Wales Act and the further transfer of responsibilities since the introduction of devolution

·         Develop an understanding of the changing nature of the policy-making process and territorial policy communities across the four key policy fields

·         Critically assess and evaluate the approach adopted by the Welsh Government across the four policy fields and the impact that this has had on policy outcomes

·         Contextualise the policy approaches adopted in Wales from a wider UK perspective and engage with debates around the pressures for and against policy divergence and convergence

There will be 30 contact hours comprising of a weekly three hour seminar and other appropriate activities.

The seminars will provide a flexible mode of tuition, in some of which the tutor or invited speaker will lead with a presentation and require the students to comment critically and evaluatively upon it. In the main, students will lead the class with a presentation prepared as a formative assessment, the paper will then be discussed by the class. Each student shall have an opportunity to make at least one presentation during the Module. The class will be expected to respond critically and evaluatively to the presentation, and their response, individually and collectively, will be assessed by the tutor in order to develop their individual and team skills in applying their knowledge and critical abilities to proposition and debates. In some instances, core reading may be provided or students may be asked to perform the role of discussants to facilitate class discussions.

Intellectual Skills:

·         Critically reflect on the wider theoretical and conceptual issues highlighted by analysing public policy at the devolved level

·         Identify the core factors which have shaped the character of the policy-making process within the post-devolution context

·         Identify the key drivers of policy divergence and convergence within a specific policy field

·         Critically evaluate the potential impact of diverging policy outputs and outcomes within the wider UK context and the consequences for the future of the Union

Discipline Specific (including practical) Skills:

·         Analyse key policy documents across a range of policy fields

·         Access and use House of Commons, National Assembly for Wales and Welsh Government websites 

·         Access and use stakeholder and interest group websites

·         Apply core understandings about the policy-making process and policy outputs/outcomes to the devolved context within Wales

Transferable Skills:

·         Communicate ideas effectively and fluently

·         Gather, organise and deploy evidence, data and information from a variety of sources including academic and non-academic search engines/websites

·         Prepare and deliver a presentation

·         Write coherently and succinctly on a subject chosen from a limited range of topics

·         Work independently, demonstrating initiative, self-organisation and time management

The summative assessment takes the form of an independently researched and written essay of no more than 3,500 words, at the end of the Module. The essay should exhibit the student’s ability to discharge the subject-specific, general transferable and key skills which both the module and the degree scheme are intended to engender. There will be at least one formative assessment during the course of the Module for which the student will receive written feedback in order to develop the skills in question and oral feedback will be provided by the tutor upon student’s contributions within the seminar and their preparation for it.

Submission Deadlines:

Policy Brief = 11am 11th April 2014

Essay = 11am 9th May 2014

The opportunity for reassessment in this module

Reassessment will be available through the resubmission of the essay in the summer.

This module will offer a critical analysis of the impact of devolution in four key policy areas: Health, Education, Economic Development and Transport. It will draw on themes highlighted within the wider public policy literature to provide a theoretical and empirical account of the changing nature of the policy-making process and policy outputs/outcomes since the introduction of devolution.

Indicative topics that will be included in seminars/lectures include:

·         Introduction to the key themes and debates related to devolution and public policy: the changing powers of the National Assembly for Wales; the Welsh Government’s approach to policy-making; the emergence of ‘territorial policy communities’; and analysing policy divergence and convergence across the UK;

·         Health and the policy-making process: the pre-devolution context; powers devolved by the Government of Wales Act 1998 and the changing character of policy communities within Wales

·         Health and policy outputs/outcomes: pursuing a ‘localist’ agenda and assessing key indicators of performance

·         Education and the policy-making process: the pre-devolution context; powers devolved by the Government of Wales Act 1998 and the changing character of policy communities within Wales

·         Education and policy outputs/outcomes: the impact of ‘Clear Red Water’ through the creation of the Foundation Phase and Welsh Baccalaureate;

·         Economic Development and the policy-making process: the WDA and the pre-devolution context; powers devolved by the Government of Wales Act 1998; and the changing character of policy communities

·         Economic Development and policy outputs/outcomes: pursuing a precautionary economic policy agenda – the Bonfire of the Quangos; assessing Wales’ economic performance; and the Welsh Government’s response to the economic and financial crisis

·         Transport and the policy-making process: the pre-devolution context; pursuing the devolution of further powers via the Railways Act 2005 and Transport (Wales) Act 2006; and the changing character of intergovernmental relations and policy communities

·         Transport and policy outputs/outcomes: pursuing an integrated transport policy; transport as a nation-building tool; and the reorganisation of governance arrangements

·         The Future of the UK - comparing key themes across the four policy areas and the future of policy divergence and convergence within the UK