Faculty Contact Information:
Dr. John Fletcher
jfletcher@faculty.ed.umuc.edu
fletcher@pt.lu (gives immediate text message alert on handy)
handy number office | |
Consultation:
a half hour before and after class or by appointment
Class meeting dates: 23/24 OCT;6/7 & 20/21 NOV;11/12DEC | |
Required Texts and Readings:
Text used exclusively for this course--
Hyman, D.N. 2002. Public finance: A contemporary application of theory to policy (7th ed.). Fort Worth: Dryden Press.
Text used in multiple courses--
American Pyschological Association. Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington D.C.: Author. | |
Supplementary Readings:
| Each instructor has his or her preferences for supplementary reading material that may be added here. In addition, all graduate students should be prepared to utilize the UMUC online library. The library contains a large number of full text academic journals that are free of charge and immediately available. The library homepage also contains a number of links related to improving students' research and writing skills. | |
Recommended Journals:
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Course Description:
| Prerequisites: ECON 201 Principles of Economics-Macro and ECON 203 Principles of Economics-Micro, or ECON 505, or equivalent, and undergraduate American political science or American government, or permission of the Program Director. An analysis of the elements, structure, functions, and processes of public finance. This course covers theory and practice of the allocation, distribution, and stabilization roles of the government at national, state, and local levels. | |
Course Goals:
Upon completion of the course, participants should have an understanding of:
- The rationale for the economic activity of the government in a capitalistic economy
- The use of visual and mathematical economic analysis
- The structure, sources, functions, and trends of U.S. public funds
- The role of government in resource allocation, distribution, and stabilization policies
- Economic policy options in a capitalistic economy
- The specific structure of the U.S. personal and corporate income tax structure
- The nature of the federal deficit and debt
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Course Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course the student will be able to:
- Analyze how a market system operates with government influence
- Evaluate issues of market failure such as externalities and public goods
- Critique government policies that effect the market economy
- Develop a feeling for the complex nature of the business/government environment
- Utilize government-provided data to evaluate economic performance
- Prepare a written project to discuss some aspect of the public sector
- Provide an oral presentation covering the written project information
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Grading Information:
Grades for this course will be assigned as follows:
A 90%
B 80 – 89%
C 70 – 79%
F Below 70%
Please note that Bowie State University does not use "D" for graduate students. The grade F(a) is used to designate academic failure. F(n) is used to designate failure for non-completion. Grades of Incomplete or Withdrawal are governed by UMUC-Europe policies. For further details, please refer to the UMUC-Europe Graduate Catalog. Hard copies of the catalog are available in your local Education Center. | |
Course Requirements:
Graduate school at the masters level focuses on helping students obtain the education needed for success as professionals in their chosen fields. Thus, UMUC-Europe Graduate Programs and Bowie State University share the common goals of promoting excellence in academic scholarship through thoughtful inquiry and the skillful application of knowledge and theory for the betterment of society. In order to maximize your graduate educational experience in general and this course in particular, you are required to:
Participate in classroom discussions 25%
Write graduate level papers or case studies 30%
Orally/visually present prepared material 20%
Complete one or more written examination(s) 25% | |
Description of Course Requirements:
Successful graduate students in American universities dedicate approximately three hours of preparation/study time for every hour spent in the face-to-face classroom. Thus, the following course requirements were developed on the assumption that students would be prepared to spend approximately 150 hours of their own time working on them. In an 8-week term, that is the equivalent of a half-time job. Most 14-week graduate distance education courses require at least 10 hours per week of dedicated time, plus time spent in the virtual classroom.
Participate in classroom discussions: You are expected to come to class prepared to engage in all discussions in a professional and informed manner. Usually this requires two to three hours of additional for every hour of a face-to-face class and approximately ten hours of preparation per week for a DE class.
Write graduate level papers or case studies: You are required to conduct professional-level research, including appropriately citing works of others and avoiding plagiarism. Resubmission of course work from previous classes (whether or not taken at UMUC, UMUC-Europe or BSU), partially or in its entirety, is not acceptable in this course and will result in an automatic failure on the assignment.
Orally/visually present prepared material: You are required to present your research in a professional manner. In a face-to-face course, this typically means an oral presentation accompanied by appropriate visual material. In a DE class, this means creating a visual/textual presentation for your instructor and classmates.
Complete one or more written examination(s): The examination process in this class will assist you in developing the writing and critical thinking skills necessary to successfully passing the comprehensive exam required of all graduate students. The questions used for this course will either be taken directly from past comprehensive exams or written as though to be included on a comprehensive exam. | |
Course Schedule:
This schedule presents 16 units or modules, with each unit corresponding to a regular three-hour weekday meeting, a half-day on weekends, or a full week of DE.
23/24 OCT;6/7 & 20/21 NOV;11/12DEC
Initial meeting: Sat am, Oct 23
Introductions
Review of syllabus
Clarification of goals, objectives and requirements
Orientation to subject
Second meeting: Sat pm, Oct 23 : chapters 1 and 2 of text
Third meeting: Sun am, Oct 24: chapters 3 and 4 of text
Fourth meeting: Sun pm, Oct 24: chapter 5 of text and selection of research topics for paper and presentqtion to be delivered in final sessions
Fifth meeting: Sat am, Nov 6: chapters 6 and 7 in text
Sixth meeting: Sat pm, Nov 6: chapters 8 in text discuss assigned articles
Seventh meeting: Sun am Nov 7: chapter 9 in text ; discuss assigned articles
Eighth meeting: Sun pm Nov 7, chapter 10 in text and summarize techniques of economic analysis; develop applications of analytical tools
Ninth meeting: Sat am Nov 20; chapter s 11 and 12 in text
Tenth meeting: Sat pm Nov 20 first exam (10 points) 3 essay questions from six available questions requiring development of sound analysis using a relevant economic model,
Eleventh meeting: Sun am Nov 21 chapters 13 ,14and 15 of text
Twelfth meeting: Sun pm chapters 16 and 17 of text
Thirteenth meeting: Sat am Dec 11, chapter 18 in text ; review economic models applicable to public finance
Fourteenth meeting: Sat pm Dec 11
Second exam (15 points): 2 essay questions (from total of 5) taken from previous comprehensive Examination
Fifteenth meeting: Sun am Dec 12
Student presentations
Sixteenth meeting: Sun pm Dec 12
Student presentations
Course evaluations | |
Academic Policies:
Note: Any written assignment in this course may be submitted to TurnItIn.Com. This statement constitutes prior notice.
The official university policy on Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty can be found at http://www.umuc.edu/policy/aa15025.shtml. Section I.C. states: "Faculty may determine if the resubmission of course work from previous classes (whether or not taken at UMUC), partially or in its entirety, is acceptable when assigning a grade on that piece of course work. Faculty must provide this information in their written syllabi. If the resubmission of course work is deemed to be unacceptable, a charge may not be brought under this Policy and will be handled as indicated in the written syllabi."
Please refer to Description of Course Requirements for specific information on how resubmissions will be treated in this course and to the UMUC-Europe Graduate Catalog for information on the following:
Academic Integrity
Course Load
Exception to Policy
Grade Appeal Process
Make-up Examinations
Nondiscrimination
Students with Disabilities
Hard copies of the catalog are available at your local Education Center. | |
Faculty Bio:
| Dr. John Fletcher: adviser to the Board and facilitator of management simulations in large organizations, Former Professor and Dean of Academics for Lake Forest Graduate School of Management (Chicago 81 thru 86): Union Pacific Railroad, Director Industrial Engineering and Audit: Borg Warner Corp Director telecommunications and Control Evaluation: Professor of Economics and Management USAF Academy (73-76): Special Assistant for Plans and Programs PACAF (76-77): Master Scuba Diver Trainer: Doctor of Business Administration (business policy and finance) University of Colorado (81). | |