Economics: Public Economics and the Welfare State
Source: https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/study/economics-public-economics-and-the-welfare-state-NEKG52 Parent: https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/about-university/university-glance/mission-vision-and-values/sustainability/sustainability-education-lund-university
Course • Bachelor's level • 7.5 credits
In this course, you explore how governments shape markets, welfare, and inequality. You analyse taxes and public spending, using theory and empirical evidence. You understand the behaviour of policy makers, public officials and how welfare states like Sweden balance efficiency, equity and freedom.
Start
Autumn 2026
Level
Bachelor's
Language
English
Place of study
Lund
Course code
NEKG52
- Overview
- Teaching and learning
Overview
This course explores how governments shape economic outcomes through taxation, public spending and welfare-state institutions. You learn to understand how governments evolve and grow. We analyse policy from both a normative perspective (what governments should do) and a positive perspective (how policies shape economic incentives and influence behavior).
By combining economic theory and empirical methods, you get a comprehensive understanding of how welfare states balance efficiency, equity and individual freedom. A central theme is the interaction between markets and the state: when public intervention can improve outcomes, and when it might create inefficiencies. We also highlight the challenges of designing sustainable welfare systems in open and aging economies. Specific attention is given to welfare state reform and so-called quasi-markets, where governments pay private firms to provide welfare services.
Course syllabus
The syllabus contains the formal and legal details of the entire course. It’s a legal document outlining the course structure and requirements, intended mainly for administrative use.
Course literature
The course literature listed may be updated up to eight weeks before the course begins.
Course literature NEKG52 (PDF, New tab)
Teaching and learning
Through lectures, discussions and applied exercises, you learn to evaluate the effects of taxation, social insurance, pensions, education and redistribution using both theoretical frameworks and real-world evidence.
The backbone of the course is a series of lectures, some of which are given by guest teachers that provide specific expertise. In addition, you do exercises throughout the course and write an essay that is presented and discussed at a seminar. The course is concluded with a written examination.
- Dates
- Requirements and selection
- Tuition fees
Dates
Autumn Semester 2026
Apply via Antagning.se (in Swedish) by 15 April.
Lund - Part time 50%
Start
2 November 2026
2 Nov 2026
End
17 January 2027
17 Jan 2027
Form
Normal learning
Pace
Part time
Language
English
City
Lund
Requirements and selection
Prerequisites
At least 20 ECTS-credits from the introductory course in economics, of which at least 7.5 ECTS-credits in microeconomics are needed for admission to all intermediate courses in economics.
Selection criteria
Seats are allocated according to the following: The general average (GPA) of your higher secondary school leaving certificate: 34 %, The Swedish national university aptitude test: 34 %, number of previous ECTS at the application deadline (up to 165): 32 %.
Tuition fees
Tuition fees for non-EU/EEA citizens
Citizens of countries outside:
- The European Union (EU)
- The European Economic Area (EEA) and
- Switzerland
are required to pay tuition fees. You pay an instalment of the tuition fee in advance of each \ semester.
Tuition fees, payments and exemptions
Full programme/course tuition fee: SEK 16,250 \ First payment: SEK 16,250
Note that you may also need to pay an application fee, or provide proof of exemption.
No tuition fees for citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland
There are no tuition fees for citizens of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.
Overview
This course explores how governments shape economic outcomes through taxation, public spending and welfare-state institutions. You learn to understand how governments evolve and grow. We analyse policy from both a normative perspective (what governments should do) and a positive perspective (how policies shape economic incentives and influence behavior).
By combining economic theory and empirical methods, you get a comprehensive understanding of how welfare states balance efficiency, equity and individual freedom. A central theme is the interaction between markets and the state: when public intervention can improve outcomes, and when it might create inefficiencies. We also highlight the challenges of designing sustainable welfare systems in open and aging economies. Specific attention is given to welfare state reform and so-called quasi-markets, where governments pay private firms to provide welfare services.
Course literature
The course literature listed may be updated up to eight weeks before the course begins.
Course literature NEKG52 (PDF, New tab)
Teaching and learning
Through lectures, discussions and applied exercises, you learn to evaluate the effects of taxation, social insurance, pensions, education and redistribution using both theoretical frameworks and real-world evidence.
The backbone of the course is a series of lectures, some of which are given by guest teachers that provide specific expertise. In addition, you do exercises throughout the course and write an essay that is presented and discussed at a seminar. The course is concluded with a written examination.
Dates
Autumn Semester 2026
Apply via Antagning.se (in Swedish) by 15 April.
Lund - Part time 50%
Start
2 November 2026
2 Nov 2026
End
17 January 2027
17 Jan 2027
Form
Normal learning
Pace
Part time
Language
English
City
Lund
Requirements and selection
Prerequisites
At least 20 ECTS-credits from the introductory course in economics, of which at least 7.5 ECTS-credits in microeconomics are needed for admission to all intermediate courses in economics.
Selection criteria
Seats are allocated according to the following: The general average (GPA) of your higher secondary school leaving certificate: 34 %, The Swedish national university aptitude test: 34 %, number of previous ECTS at the application deadline (up to 165): 32 %.
Tuition fees
Tuition fees for non-EU/EEA citizens
Citizens of countries outside:
- The European Union (EU)
- The European Economic Area (EEA) and
- Switzerland
are required to pay tuition fees. You pay an instalment of the tuition fee in advance of each \ semester.
Tuition fees, payments and exemptions
Full programme/course tuition fee: SEK 16,250 \ First payment: SEK 16,250
Note that you may also need to pay an application fee, or provide proof of exemption.
No tuition fees for citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland
There are no tuition fees for citizens of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.
Contact us
Programme administrator
Azra Padjan
Email: azra.padjan@nek.lu.se
Academic advisor
Mårten Wallette
Email: studievagledare@nek.lu.se
Director of studies
Pontus Hansson
Email: pontus.hansson@nek.lu.se