Academic Year/course:
2023/24
523 - Master's in Sociology of Public and Social Policy
67504 - Economics and the policy of public intervention
Syllabus Information
Academic year:
2023/24
Subject:
67504 - Economics and the policy of public intervention
Faculty / School:
109 - Facultad de Economía y Empresa
Degree:
523 - Master's in Sociology of Public and Social Policy
ECTS:
6.0
Year:
1
Semester:
First semester
Subject type:
Compulsory
Module:
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1. General information
This subject analyses the institutional side of the economy -the rules of the game, as well as the agents that play the leading role-, which, to the extent that we coexist in States of law and welfare, is extremely broad.
Within an interdisciplinary master's degree on public policies, this subject provides methods and theoretical frameworks to evaluate them in terms of their efficiency, equity, stability and sustainability through mature, critical and shared learning, the result of reading and study, as well as the presentation and debate of arguments, all based on a continuous, personal and group effort.
The applicable SDGs would be 8, in terms of economic growth (rather, development), 11, sustainable communities and cities, and 16, peace, justice and strong institutions.
2. Learning results
It is intended to advance towards the following goals:
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Acquire the habit of arguing from the attentive observation of social reality combined with reasoning inspired by theoretical frameworks that analyse the role of the economy, development, and equity and cohesion, with reference to open, cohesive and sustainable societies.
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Be able to identify and interpret market failures and government failures, as well as collective decision processes.
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To have criteria to evaluate economic policies.
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Maintain and, if possible, expand intellectual curiosity along with a willingness to internalize arguments from other parties, based on evidence, with an ethical sense about their conclusions.
3. Syllabus
Topic 1. Economics, politics, Political Economy and Economic Policy.
Topic 2. Justification and review of public intervention.
Topic 3. Agents and rules.
Topic 4. Growth and development policies.
Topic 5. Fiscal policy and budget
Topic 6. New economic policies.
4. Academic activities
Expository classes.
Preparation of communications/working papers/posters and their discussion.
Collective and individual exercises and their joint resolution.
Presentations by external experts.
Tutoring.
5. Assessment system
There are two ways to pass the subject:
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Continuous evaluation system (recommended).
Prerequisites:
- Attendance at a minimum of 75% of the sessions(full time) of the subject.
- Completion of all exercises and work, individual and collective.
It consists of the following tests:
-A 35% of the grade derives from the resolution of different problems and case studies by a team composed of up to 4 people (invariable throughout the term) during the second half of the following week's class. If any of the team members is not able to argue consistently, they will be graded individually with a 0.
-30% for the writing and defence of a document equivalent to a poster or congress communication on a specific economic policy, and of the reasoned commentary of the document of another colleague assigned to evaluate. It can be done individually or in teams of up to 3 people. The critical commentary by other colleagues (cross-appraisal method) will also be expository matter, trying to simulate the methodology of an academic meeting.
-The remaining 35% will be given by the evaluation of an individual written test on the theoretical and practical contents of the subject as a whole. It will be structured around two parts: in the 1st (weight of 40% of the final grade of the test) short questions will be formulated where the student's knowledge and understanding of concepts, theories and basic procedures within the subject will be assessed; in the 2nd (weight of the remaining 60%), exclusively, the materials offered for the monitoring of the subject may be used, and the analysis of one or several public interventions must be carried out. Important: obtaining a grade below 3.5 in this test will result in “fail” of the subject in the continuous evaluation mode.
4. On a voluntary basis, an individual work can be proposed in which a literary, cinematographic or any other type of work, but with a fundamentally cultural and creative content, is interpreted with the analytical tools of the subject, appreciating the role that economic policies play in its plot. It would account for 15% of the grade that would be subtracted from the team exercises a), the communication b) and the written test grade [c) at the rate of 5% in each of them.
2. Final evaluation system:
The completion of this global test is optional for those who have passed the subject through continuous assessment and wish to improve their grade, and it is mandatory for those who have not.
It will consist of two parts with an evaluation of 5 points. In order to pass, the following will be required:
-to obtain a final grade of 5 points on the overall test
-obtain at least a grade of 2 points in each of the two parts that make up the overall test