This course is for those who are relatively new to policy work, aspiring to work in policy areas or wanting to understand how to link implementation and policy more closely. It explains how policy is made at the national level, highlighting the importance of understanding your minister and the government for whom you work. It shows how academic concepts and frameworks can help you understand how policy issues are identified and analysed, and how keeping a strong focus on implementation improves policy making, particularly in advising on the choice of instruments for implementing a policy.