ECC5810 - Public economics - 2018

Topics in the theory of public goods including optimum conditions analysis; market failure and problems of political decision-making in relation to the supply of pure and impure public goods; separation of equity and efficiency aspects; possible applications to such issues as income redistribution, merit wants, pollution control and multi-level government.

The learning goals associated with this unit are to:

1. be familiar with the welfare framework, economic concepts and theoretical economic analysis of public goods at an advanced level
2. be familiar with advanced economic analysis of political decision-making in the public choice literature
3. have a sophisticated understanding of the implications of public goods analysis for government policy in major areas of public expenditure
4. have a sophisticated appreciation of the limitations and deficiencies of theoretical and empirical economic analysis in this general area.

Within semester assessment: 100%

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