ECM184-Economics of Public Policy

Module Provider: School of Politics, Economics and International Relations
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:7
Terms in which taught: Autumn term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Prof Giovanni Razzu
Email: g.razzu@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:
This module introduces and examines key economic tools for the analysis of public policy. Threshold concepts and tools will be applied to and illustrated through a range of public policy problems. Seminars will enable and further prepare students to apply critical analysis to current public policy issues.

Aims:
The aim of the module is to provide students with key micro- and macro-economic tools used to analyse and evaluate public policies. Policies will be examined according to efficiency, equity and practicality criteria with seminar time devoted to debating the meaning, measurement and relative importance of these criteria under different assumptions, global perspectives and economic systems.

Assessable learning outcomes:

At the end of the module, students should:

• have developed an understanding of key economic tools and concepts employed in economic analysis of public policy;


• be able to identify and critique key assumptions associated with the economic tools and concepts;


• be able to analyse and evaluate alternative policy outcomes against different evaluation criteria (efficiency, equity and practicality).

Additional outcomes:
Strengthen students' understanding of how economic analysis informs public policy; develop debating and analytical writing skills; present a coherent argument orally and in writing on topics in public economics; introduction to global perspectives and socio-culturally contingent understanding of evaluation criteria.

Outline content:

The module is roughly structured into two parts. In the first part, students will be taught the key theoretical approaches in both macroeconomics and welfare economics to understand the rationale for government intervention. The second part will focus on applying the key concepts to a range of real-world issues, such as inequality, financial and debt crises, the labour market, education and so on.

Global context:
Many public policy challenges are common to governments across the globe - use of international case studies in lectures and seminars will enrich the understanding of key tools and concepts.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:
Lectures will be devoted to formally covering the main module material and to introducing theoretical tools. Seminars will be used to explore key concepts and tools in practice and develop a global perspective of criteria for evaluation of public policies. Attendance at seminars is compulsory. Students are expected to prepare for seminars and actively contribute to discussions and debate as students’ experience, prior learning and cultural context will form an essential part of broadening the perspective of the assessable learning outcomes. Lecture slides and additional teaching material (news articles, BBC/ABC podcasts and academic articles) will be posted on blackboard. Assessment is by coursework only and feedback on coursework will form an integral part of the learning process.