Objectives of Programme's Learning Outcomes

• Understand the fundamentals (theories and tools) in human and social sciences
• Identify and explain the basic theoretical trends in various fields of human sciences (law, economics, management, history, psychology, etc.) and their applications.
• Understand the social environment and the way it works, as well as the role played by different social, economic and political agents
• Analyse historical and contemporary phenomena of societies.
• Political Science option : Understand the fundamentals in the field of political science
• Apply understanding of the political field to sociology, anthropology, economics, management and statistics.
• Master the principles and methodologies of scientific approaches applicable in the disciplines within social and human sciences
• Know the principles of different methodological approaches.
• Appropriately collect, analyse and interpret empirical data on issues within social and human sciences.
• Process empirical data collected with care.
• Communicate in a clear, structured and justified manner on issues related to human and social sciences
• Demonstrate analytical skills.
• Apply transferable skills, such as analysis and critical thinking, thoroughness, independence, and teamwork
• Demonstrate a critical mind, ethical values and independent judgment issues of human and social sciences.
• Mobilise acquired knowledge and skills to develop learning strategies required at the chosen Master level.

Learning Outcomes of UE

This UE first covers public finance, whose learning outcomes are the following ones :
- Explain and comment the evolution of public expenditure in OECD countries
- Explain Wagner’s law.
- Explain, prove and draw the conclusions of the Median Voter Theorem
- Explain the general scheme of budget analysis, interpret the fiscal balances, establish and use correctly the formula of the snowball effect. Give and comment the quality criteria for assessment of budget policies, calculate a budget path in function of given assumptions.
- Give and explain the budget principles and the procedure for their implementation
- Explain the timing of the preparation of budgets
- Give and explain the principles of fiscal federalism. Prove and draw the conclusion of the theorem of decentralization.
- Set in their context and explain the funding mechanisms for regions and Communities emerging from the 1970, 1980, 1988-1989, 1993, 2001 and 2014 reforms.
- Give and explain the fiscal constraints imposed by the EU.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             It also covers labour economics. At the end of this course and through a specific analysis of the labour market, the students will be able to analyse labour supply from either quantitative (participation) and qualitative (human capital) perspectives, labour demand and the role played by wages and other labour costs. The students will also be able to tackle numerous and simultaneous interrelations that appear between households and firms on this market, together with their effects in terms of wages and employment. From an individual point of view, the course will also allow them to apprehend decision processes in terms of education, training or migration.

Content of UE

This UE first covers public finance, whose contents are the following ones : - Introduction
- Importance of public expenditure in OECD countries
- Fundamental workings of budgets : expenses, revenues, balances, debt
- The budget: definition, characteristics, constitutional principles
- The preparation of budgets
- Principles of fiscal federalism
- 1970 - 1689: historical roots and interests at stake
- The funding of Communities
- The 6th State Reform
- European constrains                                                                                                                                                                         It also covers labour economics, whose contents are the following ones :- Labour supply : definition, participation; hours worked and effort; investment in human capital
- (Short run) labour demand, productivity and wages
-  (Long run) demand, substitution and scale effects, technology
- Supply and demand, wages and employment
- Adjustments on the labour market and wage cycles
- Search process
- Migration
- Vacancies and unemployment, structural and demand-related unemployment, unemployment dynamics

Prior Experience

Political economy

Type of Assessment for UE in Q1

• Oral examination
• Written examination

Q1 UE Assessment Comments

The examination in public finance is oral. The written examination in labour economics lasts 2 hours. 4 first multiple choice questions test the capabilities to understand and apply concepts, while two long questions evaluate the way concepts are understood and assimilated.

Type of Assessment for UE in Q3

• Oral examination
• Written examination

Q3 UE Assessment Comments

The examination in public finance is oral. The written examination in labour economics lasts 2 hours. 4 first multiple choice questions test the capabilities to understand and apply concepts, while two long questions evaluate the way concepts are understood and assimilated.

Type of Resit Assessment for UE in Q1 (BAB1)

• N/A

Q1 UE Resit Assessment Comments (BAB1)

Not applicable