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Microeconomics and the Australian Tax System - ATAX0103
Library

 
Faculty: Australian School of Business
 
 
School:  Australian School of Taxation and Business Law
 
 
Course Outline: See below
 
 
Campus: ATAX Campus
 
 
Career: Postgraduate
 
 
Units of Credit: 6
 
 
EFTSL: 0.12500 (more info)
 
 
Indicative Contact Hours per Week: 0
 
 
Enrolment Requirements:
 
 
Restricted to students enrolled in Programs 7541, 5541 or 9257
 
 
Excluded: ATAX0003
 
 
CSS Contribution Charge:Band 3 (more info)
 
 
Tuition Fee:See Tuition Fee Schedule
 
 
Further Information: See Class Timetable
 
 

Description

This course provides an introduction to basic microeconomic concepts and skills, and demonstrates their use in order to gain a clear understanding of economic problems and policy issues relevant to the Australian economy. It introduces students to the economic behaviour of small decision-making units such as households, firms and government agencies, with particular reference to the effects of taxation on markets. Emphasis is placed on analytical skills and key concepts which are relevant to tax professionals including, for example, opportunity cost, market equilibrium, elasticity, substitution and income effects, tax incidence and excess burden.


Recommended Prior Knowledge

None

Course Objectives

This course seeks to help you to develop:
  • An ability to recognise economic problems as choice problems arising from scarcity
  • A thorough familiarity with the working of markets through the interaction of demand and supply
  • An understanding the effects of regulation and taxes on the allocation of resources

Main Topics

  • Fundamentals of microeconomics
  • Market demand and supply
  • Consumer behaviour and the demand curve
  • Firm behaviour and the supply curve
  • Market outcomes under perfect competition
  • Market outcomes under other market structures
  • Microeconomics of taxation
  • The use of taxation to correct market failure
  • International trade: theory and policy

Assessment

2 Assignments
1 Exam

Course Texts

Prescribed
Information regarding the Atax Textbook Lists for Semester 1 will be available on the UNSW Bookshop website from 1 February.

Information regarding the Atax Textbook Lists for Semester 2 will be available on the UNSW Bookshop website from 1 July.

Recommended
Refer to Course Profile supplied by Lecturer.

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© The University of New South Wales (CRICOS Provider No.: 00098G), 2004-2011. The information contained in this Handbook is indicative only. While every effort is made to keep this information up-to-date, the University reserves the right to discontinue or vary arrangements, programs and courses at any time without notice and at its discretion. While the University will try to avoid or minimise any inconvenience, changes may also be made to programs, courses and staff after enrolment. The University may also set limits on the number of students in a course.