Last chance to study this subject for 2025—enrol by 13 July
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Evaluating Alternatives
UndergraduateTAS-BEA2062025
Enrol today with instant approval and no entry requirements
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Enrol by
- 13 July 2025
- Entry requirements
- No ATAR needed, No prior study
- Duration
- 14 weeks
- Start dates
- 21 July 2025
- Price from
- $2,726
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Evaluating Alternatives
About this subject
Upon completion of this subject, the student should be able to:
- Reflect upon and demonstrate broad theoretical and working knowledge of the assumptions and limitations of cost-benefit analysis.
- Apply economic theory, analyse and evaluate economic issues.
- Reflect upon the social and ethical implications of the social cost-benefit analysis.
- Communicate economic concepts in oral and written formats.
- Why, What and Who of Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA)?
- CBA Theory
- Risk and CBA
- Non-market valuation goods - revealed preferences
- Non-market valuation goods - stated preferences
- Health and social considerations in CBA
- Data gaps and writing a CBA
- Dealing with data gaps
This subject builds on an understanding of microeconomic concepts in order to provide you with an introduction to several widely-applied economic evaluation and impact-assessment methods. Informing decision-makers about how best to allocate scarce resources is a key role for economists in both the private and public sectors. This subject equips you with the knowledge and skills needed to contribute to this process, and provides a comprehensive foundation for advanced study in the area.
The first module of the subject emphasises development of the practical skills required to conduct and critique a simple benefit-cost analysis of a project or program, including the ability to organise and present a benefit-cost analysis report effectively. The second module introduces you to approaches for assessing the impact of particular projects on the economy. The aim is to give you a working knowledge of how multi-sector models are constructed and estimated, and of how predicted impacts should be interpreted. The subject also provides you with the theoretical knowledge required to understand the implications, and limitations, of benefit-cost analysis and impact assessment.
- Proposal Presentation (25%)
- Executive Summary of Cost-Benefit Report (25%)
- Cost-Benefit Report (50%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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Entry requirements
No entry requirements
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
Why study a single subject?
Bite sized study
Try studying a particular area to see if online study suits you, or upskill in just a few months with a single subject that you’re interested in.
Pursue a dream
With thousands of single subjects to choose from, you can find topics that get you on the path to your higher education goals fast.
Gain Uni credit
Most single subjects are part of a full degree. That means if you’re keen to keep learning, you can gain credit for the subjects you’ve successfully completed.
What to study next?
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Economics
UndergraduateTAS-BEC-DEG
Bachelor of Business (Business Economics)
UndergraduateTAS-BBE-DEG
UndergraduateTAS-ECO-DEG
Bachelor of Psychological Science and Bachelor of Economics
UndergraduateTAS-PEC-DEG
Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Psychological Science
UndergraduateTAS-BPS-DEG
Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Science
UndergraduateTAS-BBS-DEG
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Single subjects are the individual components that make up a degree. With Open Universities Australia, you’re able to study many of them as stand-alone subjects, including postgraduate single subjects, without having to commit to a degree.
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