What Is and What Should Be In University Policy Studies?

This article is designed to serve two purposes. The first purpose in the order presented is to describe what is happening in university policy studies activities within political science departments and within interdisciplinary programs. The second purpose is to analyze a set of prescriptions for improving policy studies activities, which have been recommended by academics and by government practitioners. By policy studies activities in this context political scientists mean research, teaching, and related activities that deal with the applications of political and social science to the study of the causes and especially the effects of alternative governmental policies. Causes include among other things the role of public administrators in making policies or prospective decisions, and effects include the varied implementation of governmental policies. The main conclusion to be drawn from the questionnaire responses is that policy studies are alive and well in political science departments and interdisciplinary programs across the country, and still growing rapidly although possibly at a less rapid rate than in the early 1970's.