EC905-7-SP-CO:
Political Economy
PLEASE NOTE: This module is inactive. Visit the Module Directory to view modules and variants offered during the current academic year.
2025/26
Economics
Colchester Campus
Spring
Postgraduate: Level 7
Inactive
Monday 12 January 2026
Friday 20 March 2026
20
25 October 2023
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
This module is designed as an introduction to Political Economy. Modern Political Economy should not be confused with the classical sense of Political Economy: a broad and overreaching approach to study society.
Although Modern Political Economy has focused on how the political processes affects the selection of economic policies, lately it has been more concerned with understanding how institutions affect economic performance. Because of the recent interest in economic performance the boundaries of Political Economy are more blurry and it can be seen as part of a course in Development.
The aim of this module is:
- To introduce students to the application of economic methods to understand political phenomena that impacts the choice of different economic policies.
By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:
- Reinforce the skills of mathematical problem solving and information gathering as background read.
- To explore abstract topics like social choice and applied topics such as the influence of lobbies in policymaking.
The module will explore meaningful questions such as: What is the driving force behind societies choosing different taxation schemes and level of redistribution? What are the sources for the different retirement benefits that we see in different societies? What drives the selection of politician in societies? Does this selection impact the choice of policies?
Feedback for this module will occur through class meetings where we will go over the answers to problem sets and where you will be able to ask questions about your own method of solution; answers that will be posted on the website for the module that will give you written guidance on the appropriate method to approach the problems, assignments, and tests: and office hours where any additional questions can be addressed. You should be sure that you use these methods to understand how to improve your own performance.
This module will be delivered via:
- One 2-hour lecture per week.
- One 2-hour class per fortnight.
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Exam |
Main exam: In-Person, Open Book, 120 minutes during Summer (Main Period)
|
| Exam |
Reassessment Main exam: In-Person, Open Book, 120 minutes during September (Reassessment Period)
|
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Prof Daniel Garrett, email: d.garrett@essex.ac.uk.
Lectures and classes: Prof Daniel Garrett
For further information, send an email message to pgteco@essex.ac.uk.
Yes
No
No
Dr Domenico Moro
university of Birmingham
Lecturer
Available via Moodle
Of 190 hours, 29 (15.3%) hours available to students:
161 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s).
Economics
* Please note: due to differing publication schedules, items marked with an asterisk (*) base their information upon the previous academic year.
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