| Unit name | The Economics of Public Policy |
|---|---|
| Unit code | SPOLM1062 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Yiming Wang |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | School for Policy Studies |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
This unit examines key ideas from mainstream economics, their relevance to public policy, and their application to public policy analysis.
The unit also introduces alternative perspectives, such as behavioural economics, to complement the mainstream approach.
The specific topics covered in the unit include, but are not limited to, the welfare economics of market intervention, the economic critique of government, the marketisation of public services, the ethics and economics of public policy, and the application of economic thinking to practical public policy issues, such as labour market transition and minimum wage, transport infrastructure development and land value capture, and the financialisation of urban economy in general and the housing market in particular.
The unit seeks to set the economic approach to policy alongside other criteria that could be used to inform thinking about public policy.
On successful completion of this unit, the student should:
This unit will be delivered in sessions of 2 hours. Some sessions consist of introductory lectures while others are organised as policy seminars made up of student presentations, discussions and debates.
Students will complete one 4,000 word written assignment through which they will demonstrate an understanding of ILOs 1-4 (100%).
