Economics & Government

Curriculum guideline

Effective Date:
Return to Course
Print Guideline
Course
ECON 1104
Discontinued
No
Course code
ECON 1104
Descriptive
Economics & Government
Department
Economics
Faculty
Commerce & Business Administration
Credits
3.00
Start date
End term
202030
PLAR
No
Semester length
15 Weeks X 4 Hours per Week = 60 Hours
Max class size
35
Contact hours
Lecture: 3 Hours Discussion: 1 Hour
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Learning activities

Lecture and tutorial.

Course description
Economics and Government examines the role played by government in a modern economy such as Canada’s. Economic analysis will be employed to identify the areas where market determined outcomes are efficient and where government intervention may improve upon the market determined outcomes. Economics underlies many of the decisions made by government and the economic way of thinking can help politicians make these decisions more reasonably. The course will address a number of issues including social insurance, externalities, public education and healthcare, income inequality and poverty, tax policy, inflation and monetary policy, and issues surrounding the government debt.
Course content

This course will examine a number of topics, including:

  1. The role and size of government in the Canadian economy.
  2. The invisible hand and markets in allocating society’s resources.
  3. Market failure and a role for government.
  4. Externalities and government intervention.
  5. Social insurance.
  6. Public vs private education.
  7. Health Care policy.
  8. Inequality, poverty, and the role of the state.
  9. Financing government: tax policy
  10. Demographic trends and their impact on the delivery of social services.
  11. The National Debt and Fiscal Policy
  12. Inflation and Monetary Policy
Learning outcomes

In this course the student will:

  1. Demonstrate knowledge of the role played by government in Canada’s economy;
  2. Explain how market determined outcomes lead to an efficient allocation of resources;
  3. Examine the conditions where government intervention may improve upon market determined outcomes;
  4. Analyze demographic trends and their impact upon public policy;
  5. Explain the economic issues facing government in the provision of public services such as education and health care;
  6. Analyze the role of government in dealing with income inequality and poverty;
  7. Examine tax policy and the financing of government;
  8. Evaluate macroeconomic policy issues such as economic growth, inflation, unemployment
Means of assessment
Paper  0% - 20%
Assignments  0% - 30%
Term Tests  0% - 20%
Midterm Exams        20% - 40%
Final Exams 20% - 40%
Total        100%
Textbook materials

Textbooks and Materials to be Purchased by Students

Course pack of collected readings.