ECC3871 Political economy: Institutions, order, and evidence
Faculty of Business and Economics
ECC3871 Political economy: Institutions, order, and evidence is a level 3, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Business and Economics, offered in 2026 in Semester 1 at Clayton. It needs ECC2000, ECW2731, ECF2731 or ECB2731.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2026
- Semester 1
- Clayton
- Assessment
- Exam 50%
- and 1 other task
- Workload
- 144 hours
- per semester
This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before ECC3871
Prerequisites
Pass these before you enrol.
Prohibitions
You can't enrol if you have passed any of these.
After ECC3871
No unit lists ECC3871 as a prerequisite in the 2026 handbook.
Enrolment rules
To be successful in this unit, background knowledge and application of maths is required at the equivalent of VCE Year 12 Higher level. You may have satisfied this by completing relevant prerequisite unit/s, or you have covered relevant topics in your final years of secondary study. You should self-assess your maths competency prior to enrolling in this unit.
Overview
This unit is an introduction to contemporary political economy, emphasising core theoretical concepts and controversies and empirical evaluation. Before political science or economics, there was political economy. This unit studies the interaction between the economy and political institutions: the formal laws, norms, conventions, and rules that shape economic activity. Special attention will be paid to canonical ideas of how these institutions impact the allocation and distribution of resources and economic development. This unit combines both theory and evidence. You will be exposed to concepts of empirical research design, comparative inquiry, and causality. Topics covered: the theory and empirics of voting; violence and political order; governance and collective action; elites and theories of the state; institutions and growth; institutional change and path dependence.
Offerings in 2026
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Clayton | On campus |
Assessment
- Exercise50%
- Examination50%
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
understand the interaction between political institutions and markets
- 2
evaluate how formal and informal institutions impact economic activity and outcomes
- 3
critically consume contemporary empirical work in political economy and related disciplines
- 4
critically assess how institutions shape the behaviour of political actors.
Workload and teaching
- Workshops36 hours
- Teaching approachResearch activities
- Teaching approachProblem-based learning
- Teaching approachActive learning
- Teaching approachCase-based teaching
- Teaching approachEnquiry-based learning
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Independent study may include associated readings, assessment and preparation for scheduled activities. You are expected to complete all pre-class activities prior to your scheduled class, and post-class activities should be completed after your scheduled class. Learning activities may include a combination of teacher directed, peer directed and online engagement activities.
This unit allows you to develop your research skills by engaging in structured inquiry using a systematic approach and discipline-specific methodologies.
This unit includes problem-based learning approaches, where you engage in research, integrate theory and practice and apply knowledge and skills to develop viable solutions in response to a problem or set of problems.
This unit engages you in actively applying your knowledge, skills and attributes in interactive, collaborative and reflective activities.
This unit includes case-based teaching, where you apply your knowledge and engage in analytical and reflective thinking to solve complex contextual scenarios. Activities are often designed so that there is not one clear answer, but you need to work together to examine, analyse and make decisions to resolve the situation.
This unit engages you in enquiry-based learning, where you will be encouraged to use your own knowledge to develop and engage in a process of enquiry, study and research to identify areas to be investigated and an approach to doing so.
Where it fits
ECC3871 is part of 3 areas of study in the 2026 handbook.
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Mr Weijia Li
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for ECC3871?
You need ECC2000, ECW2731, ECF2731 or ECB2731 before you enrol. Enrolment rules also apply.
When is ECC3871 offered?
In 2026, ECC3871 runs in Semester 1 at Clayton.
How much work is ECC3871?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does ECC3871 have an exam?
Yes. The exam is worth 50% of the final mark, alongside 1 other task.
Which majors and minors include ECC3871?
ECC3871 is part of Economic analysis; Economics; and Economics and economic policy.