ECX2650 - Contemporary economic policy and general equilibrium - 2017

The unit will examine a variety of major economic policy issues within the general equilibrium framework. The issues will be of major importance for many countries, such as: carbon emissions abatement, free-trade agreements, direct and indirect taxation reforms, industrial relations, domestic and international immigration, macroeconomic stimulus, infrastructure and other major project evaluation, and catastrophic events such as terrorist attacks and global pandemics.

The learning goals associated with this unit are to:

1. strengthen understanding of contemporary policy issues and their potential impacts on society via analyses within the general equilibrium conceptual framework
2. foster an appreciation of the role of formal quantitative analysis in the process of economic policy decision-making
3. build confidence in applying economy-wide thinking to a diverse range of policy issues
4. develop the skills required to be critical users of quantitative assessments of economic policy proposals.

Within semester assessment: 50% + Examination: 50%

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Independent study may include associated readings, assessment and preparation for scheduled activities. The unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

See also Unit timetable information

Students must have passed ECC1000, ECF1100, ECP1100 or ECB1101 before undertaking this unit.