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ECON 475

Public Economics

Economics College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Course Description

Evaluation of the role of government from an economic perspective. Typical topics include taxation, externalities, public goods, corruption, public choice, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, education, income redistribution, and crime.

When Taught

Contact Department

Grade Rule

Grade Rule 8: A, B, C, D, E, I (Standard grade rule)

Min

3

Fixed

3

Fixed

3

Fixed

0

Title

Econ 475 students will be able to

Learning Outcome

Discuss the revenue, expenditure, and debt patterns of the U.S federal government. Analyze how modifying the neoclassical assumptions learned in 380 can affect the welfare implications of markets. In particular, how the welfare implications are affected by Externalities and Public Goods Fixed Costs or Increasing Returns Poorly Enforced Property Rights Information Problems Hyperbolic Discounting or Loss Aversion Demonstrate an understanding of the function and incentive effects of the major redistribution programs in the United States. Discuss the efficiency and distributional effects of taxation and the theory of optimal taxation for both income and commodity taxes. Read papers in the public economics literature and Provide written and oral critiques of the papers Apply modern tools of econometric analysis in discussing the papers