Learn Public Policy

Designing, evaluating, and improving policy. A free, structured curriculum: 5 units · 20 lessons · self-paced.

Unit 1: Components of Public Policy

Lesson 1.1: What Is Public Policy: The System Overview

Lesson 1.2: Identifying Key Components

Lesson 1.3: How Each Component Functions

Lesson 1.4: Inputs, Outputs, and Boundaries

Unit 2: How the System Interacts

Lesson 2.1: Relationships Between Components

Lesson 2.2: Feedback Loops and Dependencies

Lesson 2.3: Flow of Information and Resources

Lesson 2.4: Bottlenecks and Failure Points

Unit 3: Analyzing Public Policy

Lesson 3.1: Measuring System Performance

Lesson 3.2: Key Metrics and Indicators

Lesson 3.3: Diagnostic Frameworks

Lesson 3.4: Comparing Alternative System Designs

Unit 4: Optimization and Improvement

Lesson 4.1: Identifying Optimization Opportunities

Lesson 4.2: Trade-Offs and Constraints

Lesson 4.3: Strategies for System Improvement

Lesson 4.4: Scaling and Sustainability

Unit 5: Public Policy in the Real World

Lesson 5.1: Real-World System Case Studies

Lesson 5.2: Policy and Decision Making

Lesson 5.3: Stakeholders and Competing Interests

Lesson 5.4: Future Trends and Disruptions

Sample lesson preview

What Is Public Policy: The System Overview

Understand what Public Policy is and why it matters.

Public Policy is best understood through its purpose: what problem does it solve, or what need does it address? Rather than starting with a textbook definition, think about when and why people encounter Public Policy in real life. Understanding the "why" first makes the technical details much easier to grasp. The simplest test of understanding: can you explain it in one sentence to someone who's never heard of it?