Public Policy and Finance

Catalog description

Section information text: Public policy makers often rely on microeconomic and macroeconomic models to formulate new policies and reevaluate existing policies. In this course, students examine the use of such models in the federal, state, and local public policy and nonprofit settings and assess how public finance influences policy choices, intergovernmental interactions, and implementation alternatives. Through weekly, analytical writing assignments and peer discussions, students explore tax policies and tax incentive models, public sector budgeting, public/private models, market influences on policy, the impact of government expenditures on income redistribution, economic considerations of social support, and outsourcing of public programs. Synthesizing course content and applying critical-thinking skills, students assess the annual budget of a local government jurisdiction or nonprofit organization, examine the decisions of policy makers, and recommend improvements based on economic models.