Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2026 (23/02/2026 - 20/06/2026)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Economics School
This course will contain two or three modules focusing on an integrated PPE approach towards addressing some of the world's 'wicked problems' taught in seminar mode or online. The modules will be taught by leading academics from across UQ's school, faculties and institutes or by eminent international academics or visitors, acting as a means of facilitating their engagement with UQ teaching and learning in an intensive period.
In this course, students examine how complex social systems have been analysed, interpreted, and modelled across different intellectual traditions. The course introduces key conceptual frameworks that have shaped the study of economic and social phenomena, with particular attention to how thinkers have sought to understand coordination, conflict, and change in complex societies. Emphasis is placed on the interaction between economic, political, and institutional factors, as well as on the methodological tools used to study them. The course also engages with normative questions concerning the role of markets, the state, and social institutions, encouraging students to critically assess competing analytical approaches to complex systems.
This course places strong emphasis on active participation in tutorials. Tutorials are designed as interactive sessions in which students work collaboratively on analytical tasks, group discussions, and in-class assessments that are central to the learning experience. As such, tutorials are not recorded and cannot be replicated through independent study. Regular attendance and engagement in tutorials are therefore essential for successful completion of the course and for meaningful participation in group-based learning and assessment activities.
Course requirements
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
Minimum 32 units from the BPPE(Hons) list
Restrictions
Restricted to students enrolled in the BPPE(Hons)
Course contact
School enquiries
School 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 toﾠenquiries@economics.uq.edu.au.ﾠ
Enquiries relating specifically to course content should be directed to the Course Coordinator/Lecturer.
Course staff
Lecturer
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Lectures commence in Week 1.
Tutorials/Workshops 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: Fri 3 April (Good Friday), Mon 4 May (Labour Day).
- Mid-Semester Break: 6 April - 10 April. Semester 1 classes recommence on Mon 13 April.
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 is designed to equip students with conceptual frameworks and empirical methods for investigating and understanding complex social issues. The primary focus of this course is on positive analysis, with a particular emphasis on the interactions between economic and political factors. Related normative issues will also be explored.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Analyse complex economic and social systems by identifying key agents, interactions, and mechanisms that generate aggregate outcomes, using major frameworks from the history of economic thought.
LO2.
Compare and critically assess alternative analytical frameworks developed by influential economic thinkers, with particular attention to how they explain coordination, instability, growth, and change.
LO3.
Evaluate the role of models, abstraction, and formalisation in economic analysis, recognising both their explanatory strengths and their limitations in the study of complex systems.
LO4.
Construct clear and coherent analytical arguments in both written and oral form, drawing on appropriate concepts and evidence from the course material.
LO5.
Apply historical and counterfactual reasoning to explore how alternative institutional or historical trajectories could have shaped economic systems differently, and to reflect on the normative implications of different analytical approaches.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presentation |
Group Analytical Exercise
|
30% |
15/04/2026 - 29/04/2026 |
| Essay/ Critique |
Individual In-Class Essay
|
30% |
6/05/2026 12:00 pm |
| Presentation |
Group Uchronia Presentations
|
40% |
20/05/2026 - 27/05/2026 |
Assessment details
Group Analytical Exercise
- Team or group-based
- In-person
- Mode
- Oral
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
15/04/2026 - 29/04/2026
- Other conditions
- Peer assessment factor.
Task description
In this assessment, students work in small groups to deliver a structured analytical presentation addressing a conceptual question drawn from the course material. Each group is required to analyse and compare economic frameworks discussed in the course, focusing on how different thinkers explain coordination, instability, growth, or change in complex economic systems.
All groups complete the same analytical task, but each group is assigned a different prompt. The presentation should demonstrate clear understanding of the relevant frameworks, explicit comparison where appropriate, and a coherent analytical argument. Presentations take place during scheduled tutorial sessions and include a short question period.
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
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.
Individual In-Class Essay
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
6/05/2026 12:00 pm
Task description
In this assessment, students complete an individual, time-limited, in-class essay responding to a conceptual prompt based on the course material. The essay requires students to develop a clear and coherent analytical argument, drawing on economic frameworks and thinkers studied in the course to address a question concerning coordination, instability, uncertainty, modelling, or methodological issues in the analysis of complex systems.
Students are expected to demonstrate critical engagement with course concepts, selective and appropriate use of examples, and clarity of reasoning. The essay is completed during the scheduled tutorial session and is open book, but no external assistance is permitted.
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
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.
Group Uchronia Presentations
- Team or group-based
- In-person
- Mode
- Oral
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
20/05/2026 - 27/05/2026
- Other conditions
- Peer assessment factor.
Task description
In this component, student groups develop and present a structured counterfactual (“uchronia”) analysis exploring how a major economic system or historical trajectory might have evolved differently under an alternative set of conditions. Groups are required to formulate a plausible counterfactual scenario and analyse it using analytical frameworks and concepts developed throughout the course.
The presentation should demonstrate:
- clear articulation of the counterfactual scenario,
- disciplined use of course frameworks,
- internal coherence and plausibility of the analysis, and
- the ability to communicate a structured analytical argument orally.
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
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.
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.
Additional learning resources information
Additional learning resources will be listed on the course blackboard site.
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 (23 Feb - 01 Mar) |
Lecture |
Week 1 What is a complex social system? |
Week 2 (02 Mar - 08 Mar) |
Lecture |
Week 2 Markets and Spontaneous Order: Adam Smith |
Tutorial |
Week 2 Guided discussion and small-group work identifying agents, interactions, and emergent outcomes in complex social and economic systems, building on the Week 1 lecture. |
|
Week 3 (09 Mar - 15 Mar) |
Lecture |
Week 3 Growth, Scarcity, and Limits |
Tutorial |
Week 3 Close reading and group reconstruction of Adam Smith’s argument on market coordination, focusing on assumptions, mechanisms, and outcomes. |
|
Week 4 (16 Mar - 22 Mar) |
Lecture |
Week 4 Alternative to Markets: Utopian Socialism |
Tutorial |
Week 4 Structured comparative exercises examining different classical views on growth, scarcity, and long-run outcomes. |
|
Week 5 (23 Mar - 29 Mar) |
Lecture |
Week 5 Capitalism as a Historical System: Marxism |
Tutorial |
Week 5 Group-based evaluation of non-market coordination mechanisms, drawing on utopian socialist critiques and designs. |
|
Week 6 (30 Mar - 05 Apr) |
Lecture |
Week 6 Instability, Crisis, and Breakdown |
Tutorial |
Week 6 Group analytical exercises examining capitalism as a system of coordination and conflict, preparing students for assessed presentations. |
|
Mid-sem break (06 Apr - 12 Apr) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Mid-sem break No classes this week |
Week 7 (13 Apr - 19 Apr) |
Lecture |
Week 7 Keynes and Fundamental Uncertainty |
Tutorial |
Week 7 Assessed group analytical presentations applying course frameworks to questions of instability and crisis in economic systems. |
|
Week 8 (20 Apr - 26 Apr) |
Lecture |
Week 8 Knowledge, Coordination, and the Limits of Planning |
Tutorial |
Week 8 Assessed group analytical presentations comparing alternative explanations of economic coordination under uncertainty. |
|
Week 9 (27 Apr - 03 May) |
Lecture |
Week 9 Models as Ways of Knowing |
Tutorial |
Week 9 Assessed group analytical presentations focusing on coordination problems, knowledge, and modelling assumptions. |
|
Week 10 (04 May - 10 May) |
Lecture |
Week 10 Formalisation and the Authority of Economics |
Tutorial |
Week 10 Individual, time-limited, in-class essay assessing students’ ability to construct a coherent analytical argument based on course material. |
|
Week 11 (11 May - 17 May) |
Lecture |
Week 11 Historical Contingencies and Path Dependence |
Tutorial |
Week 11 Group workshops developing counterfactual scenarios and preparing uchronia projects, with peer feedback. |
|
Week 12 (18 May - 24 May) |
Lecture |
Week 12 Counterfactuals and Uchronia |
Tutorial |
Week 12 Assessed group uchronia presentations (Part I) |
|
Week 13 (25 May - 31 May) |
Lecture |
Week 13 Integration and Reflection |
Tutorial |
Week 13 Assessed group uchronia presentations (Part II) |
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
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.