5L6Z0053 Economic Policy Challenges Module Title: Economic Policy Challenges
Module Code: 5L6Z0053
Assignment Identifier: Assessment 1
Module Leader:
Contact Details:
Submission Deadline and Feedback Return Dates
The Submission Deadline is on May 1 2026, and feedback will be provided one month later.
Submission Instructions
Please submit via the Moodle submission point for the unit.
Please submit your assignment by the submission deadline. If you are having difficulty with uploading any work to a summative assessment and are not able to resolve the issue with your tutor or other teams then you can use this form. Please ensure that this is done BEFORE the due date and time passes. On-time submissions will be uploaded to Moodle reflecting the date/time the form was submitted.
Assessment Type: Policy Brief
Assessment Weighting: 100%
Length: 2000 words, excluding the references in the bibliography.
This unit will provide students with an understanding of how economic policymakers are seeking to address `real world’ economic challenges, primarily in the UK but also in other domestic environments and at the international level.
Assignment Task:
Write a Policy Brief of 2000 word on the climate crisis and recommend a policy response to this economic challenge. You will need to assess the successes and failures of previous and existing climate policies – in the UK and elsewhere – and make evidence-based recommendations. The assignment demands an ability to communicate complex issues and policy recommendations coherently and succinctly.
Your report should include:
A statement of the economic challenge, its root causes, and its impacts A critical evaluation of historical, existing and/or available policy solutions Recommendations on appropriate policy action. You must therefore display a clear understanding of the topic, an evaluation of policy options based on in-depth analysis (going beyond mere description of policies and building a reasoned evidence-led analysis) and the ability to persuasively recommend economic policies (recommendations which should cohere to the prior analysis).
Please be aware that the word limit is 2000 words, excluding the bibliography. There is no 10% leeway on word count – please be careful as the person marking the essay will stop reading after you have reached the maximum number of words, regardless of whether you have concluded or not.
Instructions:
Your policy report should include:
A statement on the scale and nature of the economic challenge, its root causes, and its broader impacts. A critical evaluation of historical, existing and/or available policy solutions Recommendations on appropriate policy action. The authoring of your reports will be supported by the taught material and by your own reading of the academic literature and other policy reports. Draw on appropriate economic and political economy literature in order to strengthen your understanding of the topic. It is essential that you support your learning by reading around each topic widely throughout the duration of the course.
Ensure that content drawn from academic journal articles, textbooks, specialist reports, industry standards, government data etc., is appropriately cited and full references provided in a References section in the assignment. You must adopt MMU Harvard referencing style and current guidance is available at https://libguides.mmu.ac.uk/refguide/mmuharvard
Check your work carefully and correct any spelling and grammar issues prior to submission. Submit your assignment electronically via the Turnitin assignment submission link on the unit Moodle page.
There is no 10% leeway on word count – please be careful as the person marking the assignment will stop reading after you have reached the maximum number of words, regardless of whether you have concluded or not. The word count excludes the bibliography section.
The font used should be point 12, and line spacing should be single line.
Resources:
The unit’s lecture content and tutorial activities; References and related material provided in the Unit Handbook and the weekly reading suggestions available on Moodle. Independent literature searches, focusing on the journals listed in the Unit Outline or web searches using specific search terms. Economic data available from public sources such as ONS, OECD, government department websites Draw upon your knowledge of economic policy-making structures and the socio-economic and political context to deduce logically what a Minister’s concerns and objections may be. Plagiarism and Academic Integrity
Academic Integrity is about engaging in good academic practice. It means being honest and transparent, and demonstrating rigour and accuracy in your work. This can include the proper citation and referencing of the sources of your ideas and information, ensuring that you are using appropriate research methods, or checking that your work is free of errors.
Additional information, video tutorials and guides to support good academic practice and maintain Academic Integrity in your assignments can be found on the Academic Integrity area of the Academic and Study Skills page on Moodle.
Academic Misconduct is any action that could give you an unfair advantage in coursework, exams, or any other assessed work, which could lead to undermining the academic standards of the University. This includes practices such as plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, contract cheating or falsification of data. Full details of the Manchester Metropolitan University guidelines for Academic Misconduct and definitions of terms can be found here.
Generative AI Statement:
The use of generative AI is permitted in this assessment, so long as it is used in accordance with the instructions provided in the ‘Are you allowed to use AI in assessments?’ section of the AI Literacy Rise Study Pack. All submitted work must be your own original content.
The link to explain this is https://rise.mmu.ac.uk/topic/are-you-allowed-ai-in-assessments/
Module Learning Outcomes (ULOs) assessed:
LO1: Assess the major challenges jeopardising prosperity, productivity, equality, growth, etc in the UK and world economy LO2: Evaluate the political structures through which economic policy is made in practice in the UK and beyond, and the impact associated processes have on the economy. LO3: Assess how to apply economic understanding in practice through advising powerful actors such as elected politicians. LO4: Critically evaluate the way the economy operates by demonstrating awareness of alternatives to current policy and practice, and barriers to change. This assessment will contribute to the achievement of the following Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs):
Apply skills of critical analysis to real world situations within a defined range of contexts; Express ideas effectively and communicate information appropriately and accurately using a range of media including ICT; Find, evaluate, synthesise and use information from a variety of sources; Articulate an awareness of the social and community contexts within their disciplinary field. Referencing
References are the items you have read and specifically referred to (or cited) in your assessment submission. Do not include a list of everything you read in preparation for writing your submission, if you have not referred specifically. Attempt to summarise in your own words another person’s work, theories or ideas and then cite your sources. Use quotation marks/inverted commas to show the difference between the actual words of the writer and your own words and always acknowledge your sources in references. Using references in reports and essays is one way to avoid accusations of academic misconduct, specifically plagiarism.
All Manchester Metropolitan University students are required to use Cite Them Right Harvard referencing style. For further information, access the Cite Them Right Harvard website. We recommend using the ebook or print book in conjunction with the website, as it features additional examples and explanations. If you have any queries on using Cite Them Right Harvard, please email library@mmu.ac.uk
Academic Integrity, Academic Misconduct and Plagiarism
Academic integrity is about maintaining the highest standards of honesty and ethical conduct in your academic work. It means being transparent about the sources of your ideas and giving proper credit to other researchers through accurate citations and references. When you conduct research or complete assignments, you must ensure that your work is original, truthful, and free from any form of academic misconduct. This includes avoiding plagiarism, which means never presenting someone else`s ideas or words as your own without acknowledgement. Your academic work must demonstrate integrity by carefully referencing all sources, and submitting work that is genuinely your own. Additional information, video tutorials and guides to support good academic practice and maintain Academic Integrity in your assignments can be found on the Academic Integrity area of the Academic and Study Skills page on Moodle. [Please check hyperlink works before uploading brief to Moodle]
Academic Misconduct is any action that could give you an unfair advantage in coursework, exams, or any other assessed work, which could lead to undermining the academic standards of the University. This includes but is not limited to practices such as plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, contract cheating or falsification of data. Full details of the Manchester Metropolitan University guidelines for Academic Misconduct and definitions of terms can be found on in our Academic Misconduct Policy.
Use of Generative AI in Assessments
The use of generative AI is permitted in this assessment, so long as it is used in accordance with the instructions provided in the ‘Are you allowed to use AI in assessments?’ section of the AI Literacy Rise Study Pack. All submitted work must be your own original content.
Late Submissions & Assessment Extension Procedure
To find information for assessment extension procedure, please refer to Manchester Met’s assessment mitigation and extension procedures. Please also refer to relevant guidance on your Module Moodle submission area (where applicable)
Please note: If you think you are unable to submit on time due to health issues or some other unforeseen issue you must request this via your Module Moodle page, referring to the guidance in the links provided above.
Assessment Marking Rubric
In marking this assessment, the marking rubric below will be applied, and all aspects of the unit learning outcomes and Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs) will be evident.
Mark
UG Classification
95 – 100%
Outstanding
90%
Very High First
85%
High First
80%
Mid First
75%
Low First
72%
Marginal First
68%
High 2.1
65%
Mid 2.1
62%
Low 2.1
58%
High 2.2
55%
Mid 2.2
52%
Low 2.2
48%
High third
45%
Mid third
42%
Low third
38%
Marginal Fail
35%
32%
28%
Clear Fail
25%
22%
18%
Very poor Fail
15%
12%
8%
5%
2%
0%
Non submission