Where did economics come from and how did it assume its current form? This is the fundamental question that this course seeks to investigate. The course presents the development of economics from a branch of moral philosophy, into political economy, and finally into a quasi-scientific and quantitative discipline today. At every stage, the course places developments in the field into political and social context and presents alternative sets of ideas and paths not taken that were once prominent but have since been forgotten.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of classic texts in economics.
- Apply theoretical results to practical economic examples.
- Demonstrate an understanding of formal economic models.
Indicative Assessment
- Assessment may consist of a Final Exam, mid-semester exam(s), quizzes, assignments or some combination thereof. See the Class Summary for details. (100) [LO 1,2,3]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
130 hours in total over the semester consisting of lectures, tutorials/workshops and private study time.
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
See Class Summary
Assumed Knowledge
It is recommended that students enrolling in this course have a Distinction average for the pre-requisite courses.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 34
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Second Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7310 | 27 Jul 2026 | 03 Aug 2026 | 31 Aug 2026 | 30 Oct 2026 | In Person | N/A |