Seldom has it been more necessary for career civil servants to fully appreciate the many implications the political environment has on their ability to meet ever increasing public demands. This program on the policymaking process is designed to give government executives and managers an in-depth knowledge of the procedures, practices and personalities engaged in governmental decisionmaking at its highest levels.

With a comprehensive understanding of the federal government and its procedures, you will be able to develop strategies to capitalize on the political environment and potentially reshape it. This class will explore how you can engage effectively in agenda setting and policy networks. The program also will better prepare you to monitor and analyze national and international social, political and economic trends. Your political savvy will be honed so you can ensure your organizational policies reflect the public interest and emerging concerns can be incorporated into programs.

This course is part of the Executive Pathways series, and is required for the Master of Science in Leadership.

OPM Competencies

• External awareness
• Political savvy