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POL36270

Academic Year 2026/2027

Understanding Government: Theory and Reality (POL36270)

Subject:
Politics
College:
Social Sciences & Law
School:
Politics & Int Relations
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Assoc Professor Stefan Muller
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

Why does it seem like good government is so hard to deliver? And how do we know ‘good government’ when we see it? This module examines the realities of policymaking by contrasting academic theories and normative expectations with the political, social, and institutional constraints that shape outcomes in practice. Focusing on Ireland as the primary case study, the module investigates the tensions between ideal policy frameworks and the compromises required in real-world governance. High profile experts with deep, practical experience of different aspects of government will join different modules to help bring real world case studies to life. The module also includes a visit to Leinster House, where students can see the setting of these policy debates first-hand.

Students will critically engage with academic literature on public policy, governance, and political institutions to analyse how policies are designed, negotiated, and implemented. The module provides tools to understand government-opposition dynamics, assess the stages of the policy process, and evaluate the role of political parties, the civil service, special interest groups, traditional and social media, public opinion, and administrative capacity in shaping decisions.

Contributors to the module will include prominent actors directly involved in or closely observing the policymaking process, including former ministers, senior civil servants, political advisors, agency leads, and journalists. Their insights will offer students an opportunity to test theoretical models against real experiences and provide suggestions for improved policymaking.

Central to the module are detailed case studies of policymaking and policy implementation in Ireland. These will serve as the basis for examining how – and why – theory and reality so often diverge. Students will learn to critique policies with reference to both theoretical expectations and the context and the constraints faced by those who create them and then have to implement them.

By combining theoretical analysis with real world case studies, the module equips students with a critical and applied understanding of policymaking, highlighting the interplay between ideas, institutions, and power.

You can read more about the module and the practitioners involved in the last academic year at: https://www.ucd.ie/spire/newsandevents/newsandevents2025/newucdmodulebringsirelandspolicymakersandshapersintothelecturehall/


About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

1. Understand and apply policy analysis frameworks to critique real-world policies and governance.
2. Understand the dynamics of policymaking in a parliamentary system.
3. Critically assess the influence of political and social factors on government policy making and policy outcomes.
4. Reflect on the roles of stakeholders, including politicians, civil servants, political advisors, journalists, and the public, in the policymaking process.
5. Obtain and evaluate first-hand insights from government insiders, policymakers and practitioners.
6. Discuss and communicate policies in an audiovisual format.

Indicative Module Content:

Climate and environmental policy: translating evidence-based plans into political narrative, and the challenges of cross-government delivery

Coalition politics: how smaller parties shape and defend policy positions within government

EU policy and lobbying: how directives are negotiated, contested, and eventually rise or fall, and how trade deals are agreed across member states

Crisis management: leading departments through COVID-19, Brexit, and other unforeseen shocks

Economic policy: designing responses to unemployment and recession during periods of crisis

Media and communications: how journalists cover policymaking, and how disinformation and social media reshape that coverage

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

 The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Proficient

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Proficient

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Competent

Strategic

 The ability to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainability at the local level and further afield. Not addressed

Integrated Problem Solving

 The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the competencies in this list. Proficient

Self-awareness

 The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Novice

Normative

 The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Advanced Beginner

Anticipatory

 The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes. Proficient

Digital Literacy and Judgement

 The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Proficient

AI Literacy & Agency

 The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Proficient

Wellbeing

 Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Novice

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24
Autonomous Student Learning

176
Total

200

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The module will be delivered in-person. Attendance and active participation is required.

The key teaching and learning approaches that will be used in this module include traditional lectures, workshop and seminar-based approaches, problem-based learning, debates, case-based learning, simulations, case-study analysis and discussion, participative learning through class discussion, group work, and individual assignments.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Group Work Assignment: Group work: Concept for audiovisual output and detailed workplan Week 5 Graded No
10
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Evidence Triangulation Essay: Students select a predefined policy question and focus on three dimensions: the AI output, conclusions based on academic literature, and the insider perspective. Week 12 Graded No
35
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Individual assignment: Across six discussion sessions (across weeks 4–12), students develop one question for the guest speaker in advance and prepare a short response paper after the panel discussion. Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 9, Week 11, Week 12 Graded No
25
 No
Group Work Assignment: Group work: Audiovisual output (e.g., podcast, video, explainers), associated shownotes, and personal reflections Week 10 Graded No
30
 No

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Thurs 14:00 - 15:50
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