Course coordinator
Dr Todd Morris
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2025 (28/07/2025 - 22/11/2025)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Economics School
This course focuses on the role of the government in the economy. Public policy issues are analysed theoretically and empirically. The course covers topics in government expenditure, taxation and political economy.
Course requirements
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
(ECON2010 + 2020) or ((7010 or 7110) + (7020 or 7021))
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
ECON3450 or 6420
Course contact
School enquiries
Student Enquiries, School of Economics
All enquiries regarding student and academic administration (i.e. non-course content information, e.g., class allocation, timetables, extension to assessment due date, etc.) should be directed to enquiries@economics.uq.edu.au.
Enquiries relating specifically to course content should be directed to the Course Coordinator/Lecturer.
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Todd Morris
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Lectures commence in Week 1.
Tutorials commence in Week 2.
Please see the Learning Activities section of this Course Profile for the timetabling implications of public holidays.
Important Dates:
· Public Holidays: Wed 13 August (Royal Queensland Show Holiday), Mon 6 October (King’s Birthday public holiday).
· Mid-Semester Break: 29 September – 3 October. Semester 2 classes recommence on Tue 7 October.
Students should refer to the timetable prior to the commencement of classes to ensure that they have the most up to date information, as from time to time late room changes may occur.
Aims and outcomes
This course aims to provide students with an opportunity to understand when markets fail and how government intervention may improve economic and social outcomes. It also aims at providing students some conceptual frameworks to think about how public policy is made in political processes and its implications.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Understand aspects of market failures and how government interventions may improve economic and social outcomes.
LO2.
Understand how public policy is influenced by efficiency and equity objectives.
LO3.
Understand economic and policy issues related to education and social insurance.
LO4.
Understand fundamental issues of taxation.
LO5.
Understand political institutions under which public policies are made.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tutorial/ Problem Set | Assignment 1 | 25% |
8/09/2025 4:00 pm |
| Presentation |
Group presentation
|
20% |
13/10/2025 - 31/10/2025
Due by the end of the lecture/tutorial on either Week 11, 12 or 13 (depends when the group's presentation is scheduled). |
| Reflection | Personal reflection on group presentations | 5% |
28/10/2025 4:00 pm |
| Examination |
End-of-Semester Exam
|
50% |
End of Semester Exam Period 8/11/2025 - 22/11/2025 |
Assessment details
Assignment 1
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Tutorial/ Problem Set
- Weight
- 25%
- Due date
8/09/2025 4:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
It will cover the material discussed up to week 5. The assignment may involve a mix of short answers, problem-solving and empirical analysis, and/or short essays.
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
Submission guidelines
The assignment must be submitted in a single PDF file through Blackboard.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 7 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
The maximum extension is 7 calendar days. This is required to ensure timely feedback to students.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Group presentation
- Team or group-based
- In-person
- Mode
- Oral
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
13/10/2025 - 31/10/2025
Due by the end of the lecture/tutorial on either Week 11, 12 or 13 (depends when the group's presentation is scheduled).
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05
Task description
A number of topics related to the course materials will be provided for an in-person group presentation. The presentations will be scheduled during lectures and tutorials of weeks 11 and 12 (with additional presentations in week 13 if needed). Each group is assigned a different topic. Students can choose which group to enrol in, subject to all students in the group belonging to the same tutorial group. Depending on the number of enrolled students, the duration of presentation and maximum group size will be announced. Group enrolment through Blackboard (UQ Learn) will be due at the end of Week 4 (Friday at 5pm). Students without a group would either receive a zero mark for this assessment or, with the approval of the course coordinator, deliver a virtual presentation on their own with a 20% discount on their "group" presentation mark. Students are encouraged to select their topics and enrol in the corresponding groups early, as topics and group slots are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Submission will involve delivering an in-person group presentation during the scheduled lecture or tutorial time.
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Group presentations will occur in person during the scheduled lecture or tutorial times, and students will be expected to attend other presentations (and reflect on them in Assessment 3). As such, no extensions or late submissions will be possible.
Late submission
You will receive a mark of 0 if this assessment is submitted late.
Personal reflection on group presentations
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Reflection
- Weight
- 5%
- Due date
28/10/2025 4:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L05
Task description
Students will write a short reflective piece on what they learned from their own and other group presentations.
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
Submission guidelines
The assignment must be submitted in a single PDF file through Blackboard.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension is 7 calendar days. This is required to ensure timely feedback to students.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
End-of-Semester Exam
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 50%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
8/11/2025 - 22/11/2025
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05
Task description
The final exam is designed to cover all learning objectives and to test both depth and breadth of students’ knowledge relevant to the course. The final examination will cover the course material for the whole semester (including lectures and tutorial exercises).
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Calculator options | (In person) Casio FX82 series only or UQ approved and labelled calculator |
| Open/closed book | Closed book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0% - 29% |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 30% - 46% |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 47% - 49% |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50% - 64% |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65% - 74% |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75% - 84% |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85% - 100% |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Additional course grading information
A student’s final overall end of semester percentage mark will be rounded to determine their final grade. For example, 64.5% rounds to 65%, while 64.4% rounds to 64%.
ﾠ
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Using AI at UQ
Visit the AI Student Hub for essential information on understanding and using Artificial Intelligence in your studies responsibly.
Plagiarism
The School of Economics is committed to reducing the incidence of plagiarism. You are encouraged to read the UQ Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy available in the Policies and Procedures section of this course profile.
The Academic Integrity Module (AIM) outlines your obligations and responsibilities as a UQ student. It is compulsory for all new to UQ students to complete the AIM.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (28 Jul - 03 Aug) |
Lecture |
Week 1 Introduction and empirical methods in public economics Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Week 2 (04 Aug - 10 Aug) |
Lecture |
Week 2 Externalities Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial (covering Week 1 Lecture) |
|
Week 3 (11 Aug - 17 Aug) |
Lecture |
Week 3 Public Goods and Education Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial (covering Week 2 Lecture) |
|
Week 4 (18 Aug - 24 Aug) |
Lecture |
Week 4 Taxation, Lecture 1 Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04, L05 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial (covering Week 3 Lecture) |
|
Week 5 (25 Aug - 31 Aug) |
Lecture |
Week 5 Taxation, Lecture 2 Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04, L05 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial (covering Week 4 Lecture) |
|
Week 6 (01 Sep - 07 Sep) |
Lecture |
Week 6 Social insurance, Lecture 1 Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial (covering Week 5 Lecture) |
|
Week 7 (08 Sep - 14 Sep) |
Lecture |
Week 7 Social insurance, Lecture 2 Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial (covering Week 6 Lecture) |
|
Week 8 (15 Sep - 21 Sep) |
Lecture |
Week 8 Equity and redistribution Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial (covering Week 7 Lecture) |
|
Week 9 (22 Sep - 28 Sep) |
Lecture |
Week 9 Labour market policy Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial (covering Week 8 Lecture) |
|
Mid Sem break (29 Sep - 05 Oct) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Mid Sem break No classes during the break |
Week 10 (06 Oct - 12 Oct) |
Not Timetabled |
Week 10 King's Birthday public holiday – No lecture or tutorial this week |
Week 11 (13 Oct - 19 Oct) |
Lecture |
Week 11 Group presentations Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial (covering Week 9 Lecture) |
|
Week 12 (20 Oct - 26 Oct) |
Lecture |
Week 12 Group presentations Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial Group presentations |
|
Week 13 (27 Oct - 02 Nov) |
Lecture |
Week 13 Review Lecture Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial (review) |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.