PP410 Half Unit
Public Economics for Public Policy
This information is for the 2022/23 session.
Teacher responsible
Prof Johannes Spinnewijn
Availability
This course is available on the Double Master of Public Administration (ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳-Columbia), Double Master of Public Administration (ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳-Sciences Po), Double Master of Public Administration (ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳-University of Toronto), MPA Dual Degree (ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ and Columbia), MPA Dual Degree (ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ and Hertie), MPA Dual Degree (ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ and NUS), MPA Dual Degree (ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ and Sciences Po), MPA Dual Degree (ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ and Tokyo), Master of Public Administration and Master of Public Policy. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.
Pre-requisites
Students must have taken PP440 Macro and Microeconomics (for Public Policy) or an equivalent course.
MPA Dual Degree students spending Year 2 at ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ will require permission from the course lecturer to attend the course.
Course content
This is a course in theoretical and applied public economics using intermediate economic theory. Topics include: issues of equity and efficiency; models of public goods and externalities, including environmental policy; income inequality, poverty alleviation and the role of welfare programmes in theory and in practice; social insurance and social security; health and education policy; the effects of taxes and transfers on labour supply and government budgets; optimal taxation, tax evasion, and taxation in developing countries; and current topics in public finance. The main institutional references will be to the UK and the US, but some attention will also be given to broader international experience.
Teaching
This course is delivered through a combination of classes and lectures totalling a minimum of 29 hours in the Lent Term, and a 1 hour review class in the Summer Term.
Formative coursework
Students will complete and be given feedback on two sets of practice questions, which are similar in style and format to the final examination. Students will also be given feedback on a draft introduction and outline of their policy essay.
Indicative reading
- J Gruber (2011) Public Finance and Public Policy, 3rd edition, Worth Publishers. [CC HJ141 G88] [or Gruber (2007), 2nd edition].<