Postgraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2020-2021 (archived)
Module ECON41115: PUBLIC ECONOMICS
Department: Economics and Finance
ECON41115: PUBLIC ECONOMICS
| Type | Tied | Level | 4 | Credits | 15 | Availability | Available in 2020/21 | Module Cap |
|---|
| Tied to | L1T109 |
|---|---|
| Tied to | L1T209 |
| Tied to | L1T309 |
| Tied to | L1T409 |
| Tied to | N3K709 |
Prerequisites
- None
Corequisites
- None
Excluded Combination of Modules
- None
Aims
- To provide students with advanced knowledge and critical analytical skills of the theory and practice of public economics.
Content
- theoretical and practical issues in taxation and public expenditure;
- second-best problems regarding taxation and public expenditure, and their applications;
- political economy aspects of public economics, including the effects of government policy on, e.g., economic performance, distribution and welfare;
- the normative theory of government policy, e.g., evaluation of tax systems on the basis of efficiency, redistribution, and correction of market imperfections.
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge:
- have an advanced knowledge and critical understanding of the positive aspects of taxation and public expenditure policies;
- have an advanced knowledge and critical understanding of the normative aspects of taxation and public expenditure policies;
- have an advanced understanding of second-best analysis;
- have explored, understood and appreciated the complexity and diversity of the current academic literature and its implications for professional practice, and be able to identify open questions for their own research.
Subject-specific Skills:
- be able to apply their knowledge of public economics to the resolution of complex practical problems.
Key Skills:
- Written Communication;
- Planning, Organising and Time Management;
- Problem Solving and analysis;
- Using Initiative;
- Numeracy;
- Computer Literacy.
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
- A combination of lectures, seminars and guided reading will contribute to achieving the aims and learning outcomes of this module. The summative written examination will test students' knowledge and critical understanding of the material covered in the module, their analytical and problem-solving skills.
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
| Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total/Hours | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 10 | 1 per week | 2 hours | 20 | |
| Seminars | 4 | fortnightly | 1 hour | 4 | ■ |
| Preparation & Reading | 124 | ||||
| Revision Session | 2 | 1 hour | 2 | ||
| Total | 150 |
Summative Assessment
| Component: Examination | Component Weighting: 100% | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Element | Length / duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
| Unseen written examination | 2 hours | 100% | |
Formative Assessment:
Work prepared by students for seminars; answers to questions either discussed during a seminar, or posted on DUO; feedback on discussions with teaching staff during consultation hours, or via e-mail.
■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University