Covers how governments raise, spend, borrow, and manage public funds. Reviews federal,state, and local budget processes and introduces analytical techniques including basic spreadsheet skills, evaluating alternative revenue sources, revenue and expenditure forecasting, cost allocation, capital budgeting, cost-benefit analysis, discounting and present value, bond analysis, cash management and intergovernmental finance.
Studies the behavior of the economy as a whole: the level of national income, unemployment, and inflation; the vulnerability of the U.S. economy to external influences; possible federal influence over the level of economic activity; and the consequences for prices, employment and the U.S. trade deficit. Also examines possible U.S. policy responses to widespread debt crises in developing countries.