ECC3810 - Public finance - 2019

The relationship between the public and private sectors is explored from the perspective of both public finance and political economy. Theories of public expenditure and revenue generation are introduced to assess the proper scope of the public sector. Additionally, theories of public choice are presented to examine the effectiveness and decision-making process of the public sector. A project forms a significant part of the assessment in this unit.

The learning goals associated with this unit are to:

1. understand the basic economic concepts and principles applied in the public finance area
2. analyse specific policy issues in the area of public expenditure and taxation from the perspectives of both traditional public finance and public choice
3. critically evaluate contemporary public debate on topics in public finance
4. understand the usefulness and limitations of economic analysis in the public finance area
5. identify both market failure and government failure and understand the causes of each.

Within semester assessment: 40% + Examination: 60%

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