The Diploma in Public Policy and Program Evaluation offers the following courses:
PADM 5441
Introduction to Policy and Program Evaluation
Survey of evaluation in Canada and internationally. Topics include: Canadian context for public sector evaluation practice; approaches to research in evaluation; essentials of effective evaluation design, including logic modeling, theories of change/action, and contribution/attribution constructs.
PADM 5442
Quantitative Research Methods in Evaluation
Descriptive and inferential statistics, probability theory and sampling distributions, hypothesis testing of quantitative and qualitative population parameters, and regression analysis as these apply to the field of program evaluation.
PADM 5443
Qualitative Research Methods in Evaluation
Methods used in qualitative evaluation research. Topics include: formulating evaluation research questions; deriving research designs from questions; qualitative data gathering techniques and approaches; managing evidence, ethics reviews, and analysis of qualitative data.
PADM 5444
Benefit-Cost Analysis for Program Evaluation
Approaches to benefit-cost analysis in the Canadian evaluation context. Topics include: the role of benefit-cost analysis within program evaluation; its application to public sector investments, pricing and other forms of policy valuation; discount rates, marginal cost, and shadow pricing; risk and uncertainty.
PADM 5445
Program Evaluation Planning and Designs
Application of specific evaluation research designs to actual projects. Topics include: designs for formative, summative and developmental programs; designs for policy evaluation; attribution and contribution analysis; applied logic modeling; and managing evaluation projects at the planning stages.
PADM 5446
Program Evaluation Conduct, Analysis and Reporting
Application of evaluation conduct to actual projects. Topics include: selecting data analysis methods specific to a project; forming evaluation findings and recommendations; data visualization; reporting techniques; and management of evaluation projects at the conduct stages.
Not all courses listed are offered in a given year. For an up-to-date statement of course offerings for the current session and to determine the term of offering, consult the class schedule at central.carleton.ca