Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2026 (27/07/2026 - 21/11/2026)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Economics School
Selected issues such as market failures, externalities, pollution control, species preservation, natural areas, sustainable development, common property resources, global environmental and natural resources, conservation of renewable and non-renewable resources, and evaluation techniques.
This course covers advanced topics in ecological and environmental economics with an emphasis on independent research and reading.ﾠThe main objective of this course is to apply ﾠeconomic principles to environmental and ecological issues at a local and global scale and to consider management of these issues within the context of economics.
Course requirements
Assumed background
Basic knowledge about applied microeconomics.
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
ECON2010 or 7010 or 7110
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
ECON6700
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 Juan Soto
Tutor
Miss Guan-Jia Huang
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Each week we will have a two hour lecture and a one hour tutorial.
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 12 August (Royal Queensland Show Holiday), Mon 5 October (King’s Birthday public holiday).
· Mid-Semester Break: 28 September – 2 October. Semester 2 classes recommence on Tue 6 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 enhance students' ability to apply microeconomic principles to environmental issues. The course will provide students with economic concepts that can be used to critically evaluate causes of environmental issues and to analyse management mechanisms which could be used to deal with such issues. The course also aims to encourage students’ critical thinking about topics related to environmental issues, such as, sustainable development, population growth and the complexities of environmental decision-making.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Conceptualise environmental issues using microeconomic theory.
LO2.
Critically apply microeconomic concepts and evaluation techniques across a range of environmental issues.
LO3.
Critically assess environmental policy and management mechanisms conceptually.
LO4.
Have an in-depth knowledge of exiting policy and mechanisms, both locally and globally, and critically assess their strengths and weaknesses in addressing environmental issues.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Policy Briefing - Research Proposal | 10% |
21/08/2026 5:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Policy Briefing - Final Report | 40% |
9/10/2026 5:00 pm |
| Examination |
Final Exam
|
50% |
End of Semester Exam Period 7/11/2026 - 21/11/2026 |
Assessment details
Policy Briefing - Research Proposal
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 10%
- Due date
21/08/2026 5:00 pm
Task description
The purpose of the Research Proposal is to identify an appropriate environmental problem and relevant academic resources to analyse in your Policy Briefing. Students will get feedback from the marker on their proposed environmental problem and resources, which they can incorporate when developing their final Policy Briefing. Detailed instructions and the marking criteria will be provided on the course Blackboard site.
Assessment security
Open assessment: In this assessment you can use resources such as your notes, course materials, and other tools, including AI, while completing the task. The focus is not on memorising information, but on understanding, applying judgement, and demonstrating your own thinking.
Submission guidelines
Submit proposal electronically via Turnitin on Blackboard by the deadline date and time.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
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.
Policy Briefing - Final Report
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
9/10/2026 5:00 pm
Task description
You are working as an environmental economist for the Minister for the Environment. Your task is to write a policy briefing for the Minister on an environmental problem of your choice with a recommendation on how to best address the problem using environmental economics tools. The briefing should demonstrate your understanding about causes of environmental issues from an economic perspective and identify and critically analyse possible environmental economic tools that could be used to deal with the problem drawing from the relevant academic literature. Detailed instructions and the marking criteria will be provided on the course Blackboard site.
Assessment security
Open assessment: In this assessment you can use resources such as your notes, course materials, and other tools, including AI, while completing the task. The focus is not on memorising information, but on understanding, applying judgement, and demonstrating your own thinking.
Submission guidelines
Submit proposal electronically via Turnitin on Blackboard by the deadline date and time.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
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.
Final Exam
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 50%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
7/11/2026 - 21/11/2026
- Other conditions
- Secure.
Task description
A comprehensive final exam covering all course content incluing multiple choice, short answer, and calculation questions.
Assessment security
Secure assessment: This assessment is designed to protect academic integrity and assess your understanding of course concepts. You must only use the approved materials and tools for this assessment task. Use of prohibited materials in this task may be investigated and treated as academic misconduct. See assessment instructions for more details.
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%.
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 |
Lecture |
Lecture 1: Introduction and The Economics Approach |
Week 2 |
Lecture |
Lecture 2: The Economics Approach |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 1 |
|
Week 3 |
Lecture |
Lecture 3: The Economics of Pollution Control I |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 2 |
|
Week 4 |
Lecture |
Lecture 4: The Economics of Pollution Control II |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 3 |
|
Week 5 |
Lecture |
Lecture 5: Air & Water Pollution |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 4 |
|
Week 6 |
Lecture |
Lecture 6: Climate Change I |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 5 |
|
Week 7 |
Lecture |
Lecture 7: Climate Change II |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 6 |
|
Week 8 |
Lecture |
Lecture 8: Evaluating Tradeoffs |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 7 |
|
Week 9 |
Lecture |
Lecture 9: Valuing the Environment |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 8 |
|
Mid-sem break |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Mid-Semester Break Due to mid-semester break there will be no lecture or tutorials this week. |
Week 10 |
Lecture |
Lecture 10: Practical Applications of Valuation and CBA |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 9 |
|
Week 11 |
Lecture |
Lecture 11: Ecosystem Services |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 10 |
|
Week 12 |
Lecture |
Lecture 12: Sustainable Development |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 11 |
|
Week 13 |
Lecture |
Lecture 13: Review |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 12 |
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
- AI for Assessment Guide
- Recording of Teaching Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.