Thom Blaylock

Open only to students in the MSPP program. Communication Skills for Policy Analysts is a seminar course that simulates a fast-paced public policy environment where different stakeholders require a constant flow of written and oral communication work products. Each work product assignment will be treated as a case with a specific audience, background information and real-world situation and will require outside research and collaboration. MS in Public Policy students will draw on knowledge and techniques being learned in their other Fall coursework. There are five graded revised assignments, but a new work product will be due every week that the seminar meets and will include: 1) Issue Briefs; 2) Memos; 3) Oral Presentations; 4) Press Releases; 5) A Social Media Campaign; 6) Research Grant Intent Letters; and 7) Professional Email Communications.

The goal of the course is to help students get the most out of every form of communication: to change minds with the written word, win allies in person, to sway audiences in presentations, and to get what they want out of the various forms of communication most common in the careers of recent NYU Wagner graduates.  Students will work both individually and collaboratively on a series of communications deliverables including: 1) Issue Briefs; 2) Memos; 3) Oral Presentations; 4) Press Releases; 5) Talking Points; 6) one-pagers; 7) Podcast; 7) A short video; and 8) A final unified campaign putting much of these forms together to enact a change you are passionate about. Each work product will be treated as a case study with specific audiences and a well-defined purpose.

Public service work involves some amount of writing and communications. But the tools for success have dramatically changed in the last few years with the development and deployment of Large Language Models and Artificial Intelligence. This communications course will equip students with the skills to leverage AI tools, such as GPT, GrammarlyGo, and other AI products, to produce compelling and persuasive communication  deliverables. Students will engage in hands-on activities and assignments to gain practical experience using these tools to enhance their communication skills while improving their expertise in a single content area of their choosing.

Open only to students in the MSPP program. Communication Skills for Policy Analysts is a seminar course that simulates a fast-paced public policy environment where different stakeholders require a constant flow of written and oral communication work products. Each work product assignment will be treated as a case with a specific audience, background information and real-world situation and will require outside research and collaboration. MS in Public Policy students will draw on knowledge and techniques being learned in their other Fall coursework. There are five graded revised assignments, but a new work product will be due every week that the seminar meets and will include: 1) Issue Briefs; 2) Memos; 3) Oral Presentations; 4) Press Releases; 5) A Social Media Campaign; 6) Research Grant Intent Letters; and 7) Professional Email Communications.

The goal of the course is to help students get the most out of every form of communication: to change minds with the written word, win allies in person, to sway audiences in presentations, and to get what they want out of the various forms of communication most common in the careers of recent NYU Wagner graduates.  Students will work both individually and collaboratively on a series of communications deliverables including: 1) Issue Briefs; 2) Memos; 3) Oral Presentations; 4) Press Releases; 5) Talking Points; 6) one-pagers; 7) Podcast; 7) A short video; and 8) A final unified campaign putting much of these forms together to enact a change you are passionate about. Each work product will be treated as a case study with specific audiences and a well-defined purpose.