LEARNING OUTCOMES

The objective of the course is to ensure that students have command of the main tools used in public finance analysis in simple and advanced theoretical models. Students are introduced to economics of information and to “mathematical modes of analysis” and provided with sufficient command of such analysis to enable them to undertake advanced work in areas such as public economics, health economics, fiscal policy, credit and insurance markets

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Knowledge and understanding. Students should be able to apply the main tools used in public finance analysis.

Applying knowledge and understanding. Students should be able to understand, in a context of asymmetry in information, interactions and strategic behaviors of economic agents

Making judgments.  Students are expected to cope with new problems and scenarios, grasping all the relevant information necessary to undestanding of market equilibria and inefficiency.

Communication skills. Students should improve their economic understanding and terminology in order to properly relate with researchers and field experts.

Learning skills. Students should improve their learning and comprehension abilities in order to master economic theory.

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures

Project work (in team) and economic data analysis

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

- General equilibrium and welfare
- Economics of information: uncertainty, information, advertising, incentives
- Inefficient markets analysis (credit market, insurance market, job market and others)

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

The course is structured around teacher’s handouts and original papers, which will be made
available by aulaweb.
Additional readings (optional) are the following textbooks:
- Tresch, Public Finance - A Normative Theory (Academic Press, 2014)
- Stadler and Castrillo, An Introduction to the Economics of Information - Incentives and Contracts (Oxford Univrsity Press, 2009)