GSPA

Course Description: This course provides a top-level introduction to the economics of the public sector. It also introduces concepts that are essential for decision making at the federal, state and local government levels.

In addition to the text, this course uses case materials to illustrate the application of economic theory to public sector management and decision making. Topics covered will include public finance, the environment, defense spending, taxes, size of government, health care financing, welfare spending, demand and cost of public services, pricing mechanisms for publicly produced goods and services, evaluation of government regulation, and the use of benefit-cost analysis to evaluate public policy.

There is plency of material to cover, and it will require diligent application and hard work on your part. Hopefully, you will have a different perspective on some of the above issues and concepts when you finish the course.

The textbook material is somewhat dry, but absolutely necessary! The case studies are more exciting because they provide a link between theory (from the text) and the political arena (the real world?) The instructor will supplement the text and case studies with handouts, articles, and dicussions of news stories taken from the Wall Street Journal, U.S. News and World Report, Newsweek, etc..

Course Objectives: The primary course objective are to: Demonstrate how the tools of economic analysis can be used to make sound public policy decisions; gain an increased awareness of the complexity of good government policy planning and management in a world of uncertainty; stimulate intellectual growth through class preparations, discussions, and open-ended exams.

This course will include the economic aspects of current public economic issues, therefore the schedule of lessons and the assigned material may be revised slightly as the course progresses and new material becomes available.

You should come to class prepared to discuss the assigned material. You are expected to demonstrate the ability to maturely and critically discuss the assigned topics.

Grading: There will be 100 points possible in this course, as follows: 2 Exams, 50 points; case write-ups and class participation, 10 points; final exam, 40 points.

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