Text used exclusively for this course--
Hyman, D.N. 2005. Public finance: A contemporary application of theory to policy (8th 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.

1. The rationale for the economic activity of the government in a capitalistic economy,
2. The structure, sources, functions, and trends of U.S. public funds,
3. The role of federal, state, and local governments in resource allocation, distribution, and stabilization policies, and how these governments interrelate with regard to funding,   
4. The specific structure of the U.S. personal and corporate income tax structure,
5. The nature of the federal deficit and debt, and how economic policy decisions are both constrained by and affect both, and
6. How economic analysis influences various models of policy analysis. 

1. Analyze how a market system operates with government influence,
2. Evaluate issues of market failure such as externalities and public goods,
3. Critique government policies that effect the market economy and propose modifications to existing policies or new policies,  
4. Analyze how policy decisions are influenced by and influence the complex nature of the federal/state/local environments and the business/government environment,
5. Utilize government-provided data to evaluate economic performance when developing or analyzing policy,
6. Prepare written economic critiques of existing public policies and propose new policies based on economic considerations,
7. Incorporate visual and mathematical economic analysis in written economic critiques of policy decisions, and  
8. Present orally an economic criticism of a new publicp policy for review by peers.