Dr Camille Landais and Dr Daniel Reck

This course is available on the Executive Master of Public Administration and Executive Master of Public Policy. This course is not available as an outside option.

Students must have completed Empirical Methods for Public Policy (EC455E) and Economic Policy Analysis (EC440E).

This is a course in theoretical and applied public economics using intermediate economic theory. Topics include issues of equity and efficiency and alternative theories of the role of the state. Models of public goods and externalities, including environmental policy. Who really pays taxes: issues of tax incidence and tax evasion. Income inequality, poverty alleviation and the role of welfare programmes in theory and in practice. Health and education policy. The effects of taxes and transfers on labour supply and migration; The optimal taxation of commodities and incomes. Current topics in public finance. The main institutional references will be to the UK and the US, but some attention will also be given to broader international experience.

A one-week modular teaching block.

One mock examination will be offered.

A full reading list will be distributed prior to the beginning of the course.

Project (50%, 2000 words) and online assessment (50%).

Please note that online examinations take place on the third Friday after module teaching concludes. The project will consist of a 2,000 word data analysis exercise. Data analysis exercises are due on the sixth Friday after module teaching concludes. Further details will be provided at the Executive MPP/ Executive MPA programme inductions.