Logo

Economics and Planning of Education

Code: 103528
Credits: 6
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Education Studies OB 3

Contact lecturer

Name :
Rafael Merino Pareja
Email :
rafael.merino@uab.cat

Teaching staff

Mauro Carlos Moschetti Plaul
Rafael Merino Pareja

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

It is recommended to have passed the subjects Education and Educational Contexts -1rst year-, sociopolitical Bases of Education -2n year- and Comparative Education -first term third year.

Objectives

The course aims to develop future professionals basic competences to understand, analyze and manage the economic aspects and planning of educational processes; these competences will enable effective action in the different fields of education from an economic perspective and planning .

Thus, the objectives of the course are that students acquire the basic competences of analysis and management of economics and planning educational and training processes and capabilities to assess their individual and social consequences.

Learning outcomes

  1. Incorporating into their analyses the planning, economic and international references linked to specific problems and proposals about the educational system.
  2. Evaluate education systems from a political, economic and international perspective.
  3. Planning the educational system using existing data and including them in relation to the context.
  4. Identify situations in which a change or improvement is needed.
  5. Analyse a situation and identify its points for improvement.
  6. Weigh up the impact of any long- or short-term difficulty, harm or discrimination that could be caused to certain persons or groups by the actions or projects.
  7. Identify the principal forms of sex- or gender-based inequality and discrimination present in society.
  8. Analyse the sex- or gender-based inequalities and the gender biases present in one's own area of knowledge.

Contents

1. Theoretical basis of economy and planning in education.


Theories on the economic functions of education.


Theories and models of educational planning. Educational indicators.


Education today: trends in planning and economics of education.


 


2. Education planning and economic performance.


Education and economic growth.


Education and social development.


Effects of planning in education.


 


3. Supply, demand and education planning.


Determinants of educational supply and demand.


Models and tools for planning educational services.


Strategic planning in education.


Inspection and planning in the education system.


 


4. Labour market, education and planning.


Relations between the labor market and education.


Education, planning and employment policies.


The professional integration of young people and university graduates.


 


5. Economic management of schools and planning strategies.


Costs and returns to education.


Budgeting.


Educational planning and economic management of schools.


 


 


6. Funding of education.


Educational investment.


Equity and education.


Public sector involvement in education.


Financing models of compulsory and post-compulsory education.


Financial aid programs to study.

Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Lessons 30 1.2 1, 2, 5, 7, 8
Seminar 15 0.6 1, 2, 3
Autonomous work 75 3 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Guided assignment 30 1.2 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Activity

Hours

Methodology

Leraning Outcomes

Lectures

30

Mixing presentations of theoretical content by the teacher with collaborative learning exercises by the students.

G1.3, G2.1, G2.2, EP1.2, EP10.2

Workshops

15

Work sessions with the split group in which the contents and topics worked on in the class group are explored in greater depth. The activities to be carried out will be text analysis, presentations by the students and group discussions.

G1.3, G2.1, G2.2, EP1.2, EP10.2, EP18.6

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Test 50% 0 0 1, 2, 6, 7, 8
Assignment in group 30% 0 0 2, 3, 4, 5
Individual assignment 20% 0 0 1, 2, 3

The evaluation of the course will take place throughout the academic year through the activities shown below.


Theory test of Units 1 to 6, 50% (date: 20/5/27; data of second chance examination: 17/6/27)

Group works to be developed along the academic year, in relation to one topic to chose among a list provided by the teachers, 30%. The assignment is due one week after the exam

Individual assignament based on mandatory readings, 20%. The due date will depend on the seminar in which each student will present the reading.

The assessment activities designed are designed for continuous assessment, with the follow-up of the teacher and the feedback of the outcomes of the different evidences. These activities are also designed on the basis of student attendance. Attendance at seminars is compulsory for students who decide to choose continuous assessment.

If the student has a correct follow-up of the subject and he/she fails the theory test, a second chance test could be done at the end of the semester. Individual and group assignments are not recoverable.

The final score will be made with the average of the three assessment activities, according with the weigth of each activity. Each activity must have a minimum score of 5. The student will have feedbak of the assessment activities in 10 working days for the theory test and 15 working days for groupal assignament. The individual assignament will have a qualitative feedback after the oral presentacion in the classroom, and the grade will be given after finishing all the presentations.

Plagiarism is not permitted; will be a fail, and loss of the right to recovery. The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is allowed in support tasks, such as literature or information research. The student must clearly identify which parts have been generated using this technology and specify the tools that have been used.

In order to pass this course, it is necessary that the student shows agood general communicative competence, both oral and written, and a good command of the vehicular language or languages listed in the teaching guide. In all activities (individual and/or group) linguistic correctness, writing and formal aspects of presentation will be taken into account. Students must be able to express themselves fluently and correctly, and must show a high standard of comprehension of academic texts. An activity may be returned (not evaluated) or failed if the teacher considers that it does not meet these requirements.


Second enrolment students may take a synthesis test, agreeing with the teacher.


Single assessment: students who opt for the single assessment will have a four-part test on 20 May 2027. The first part (25% of the grade) will consist of questions related to the subject matter of the course. The second part (25% of the grade) will consist of a reflection on two specific topics. The third part will consist of questions about the compulsory readings (20% of the grade). The fourth part will consist of an oral presentation of a topic of the student's choice (30% of the grade). The The weighted average grade will be calculated on the basis of the pass mark in each of the four parts. The same recovery system will be applied as for the continuous assessment. The recovery day will be 17 June 2027.

Failure to submit one of the assessment evidences will result in a grade of Not Assessable.


Bibliography

Below is a list of general handbooks and online resources, and at the beginning of the course a list of readings to work on in the workshops will be provided.

Benavides, M., & Poisson, M. (Eds.). (2025). The future of educational planning. UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP)

Bradley, S., & Green, C. (Eds.). (2020). The economics of education: A comprehensive overview. Academic Press.

Cabrales, A., & Sanz, I. (Coords.). (2024). Economía de la educación. Fundación Areces. https://www.fundacionareces.es/fundacionareces/es/publicaciones/listado-de-publicaciones/economia-de-la-educacion.html?tipo=7

Carnoy, M. (Coord.). (2006). Economía de la educación. Publicació UOC.

Checchi, D. (2006). The economics of education: Human capital, family background and inequality. Cambridge University Press.

Cordero, J. M., Gil, M., & López, L. (2021). Economía de la educación. Síntesis.

Lovenheim, M., & Turner, S. E. (2017). Economics of education. Macmillan Higher Education.

Wirt, F. M., & Harman, G. (Eds.). (2025). Education, recession and the world village: A comparative political economy of education. Taylor & Francis.


Specialised journals and online resources:

Fundació Equitat https://www.equitat.org/

Economics of Education Review https://www.journals.elsevier.com/economics-of-education-review

Education Economics https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/cede20/current

Handbook of the Economics of Education https://www.sciencedirect.com/handbook/handbook-of-the-economics-of-education/volumes

Indicadors educatius de la OCDE https://www.educacionyfp.gob.es/inee/indicadores/indicadores-internacionales/ocde.html

Indicadors educatius Banc Mundial https://datos.bancomundial.org/tema/educacion

Indicadors UNESCO https://es.unesco.org/creativity/activities/indicadores-unesco-de-cultura-para-desarrollo

Asociación de Economía de la Educación: https://economicsofeducation.com/es/


Software

It is not foreseen to use specific software in this subject.

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TE) Theory 3 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 311 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 312 Catalan second semester morning-mixed