EC534
Public Economics for Research Students
This information is for the 2020/21 session.
Teacher responsible
Dr Johannes Spinnewijn 32L.3.24, Dr Xavier Jaravel 32L.3.14 and Dr Daniel Reck 32L.3.16
Availability
This course is available on the MRes/PhD in Economics. This course is not available as an outside option.
Course content
The course will cover the economics of the public sector, including material on taxation, public expenditures and political economics. The course, which covers both theory and empirics, aims to give students a broad overview of this growing field and bring them to the research frontier.
The specific topics covered may vary from year to year, but the following general areas would typically be included:
- Income and wealth inequality
- Behavioural responses to taxes and transfers
- Optimal taxation
- Dynamic taxation
- Behavioural public economics
- Social insurance
- Optimal public good provision
Teaching
30 hours of lectures in the MT. 30 hours of lectures in the LT.
This year, at least for Michaelmas term, some or all of the teaching for this course may have to delivered through a combination of virtual webinars, online videos and virtual classes.
Formative coursework
Students will discuss papers in lectures.
Indicative reading
Readings will be mainly from journal articles; a list will be supplied at the start of the term. Although the course will not be based on a textbook as such, it will make extensive use of:
- Handbook of Public Economics Vol. 1-4 (A.J. Auerbach and M. Feldstein, eds.)
- Lectures in Public Economics, A.B.Atkinson and J.E.Stiglitz, Princeton University Press, 2015.
Assessment
Problem sets (40%) and exercise (30%) in the MT and LT.
Take-home assessment (30%) in the ST.
The assessment for this course is as follows:
1) Four problem sets due throughout the MT and LT terms (40%)
2) An "extended replication exercise" (30%), consisting of:
- a written referee report on that paper (MT)
- a replication of a paper (empirical paper or paper based on simulations), (beginning of LT)
- an extension of that paper (which requires developing a research design, positioning the question of the extension in the literature, etc.), (end of LT, start of ST)
3) A take-home exam in the ST (30%)
Important information in response to COVID-19
Please note that during 2020/21 academic year some variation to teaching and learning activities may be required to respond to changes in public health advice and/or to account for the situation of students in attendance on campus and those studying online during the early part of the academic year. For assessment, this may involve changes to mode of delivery and/or the format or weighting of assessments. Changes will only be made if required and students will be notified about any changes to teaching or assessment plans at the earliest opportunity.
Key facts
Department: Economics
Total students 2019/20: 10
Average class size 2019/20: Unavailable
Value: One Unit
