The module is one in which student participation and discussion are encouraged at all times. Students will be assessed by a combination of examination and coursework in which they will be required to demonstrate acquired analytical skills, policy and factual knowledge. Because the course covers different aspects of policy, there is in practice some scope for students to focus their attention on particular elements of the module according to their personal interests. However, some elements overlap and assessment reflects this. The course will focus on current policy issues, and will consider the development of current policy thinking in the light of recent experience.
Topics covered include UK monetary policy and European monetary union.
This part of the course will focus on labour market issues, considering trends in unemployment and unemployment duration. It will explore the link with labour market institutions, technical change and overseas competition and consider the implications for education and training and labour market policy. This part of the module considers market and regulatory failures in road transport and energy in the UK and appraises recent and proposed policy responses. Quantified congestion and external costs of read transport, road user charging, determinants of the changing fuel mix in electricity generation, and the Climate Change Levy are among the topics discussed.