How does the Economics department claim to convey global knowledge?

Keywords: Curriculum structure, study abroad programs, international staff

Curriculum Structure:

The Economics department claims to convey global knowledge through the aims of some of its degree courses and in some of its undergraduate modules taught in first, second and third years. The department claims that the BA/BSc in Economics, Politics and International Studies degree allows students to follow a challenging multi-disciplinary course in economic and political analysis at the national and international level.

Economics, Politics and International Studies: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/depta2z/economics/lld2/

The department also claims to convey global knowledge to its undergraduate students through its various undergraduate modules that cover international economic aspects. These modules include:

EC104 The World Economy: History & Theory: This first year module is aimed at explaining how the world economy got to be where it is today, focusing on the divergence between rich and poor nations. It claims that by the end of the module students will have acquired a broad understanding of the evolution of the world economy during the last millennium.

EC104: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/ug/modules/1st/ec104

EC205 Development Economics (Macroeconomics): This is a second year module that aims to introduce students to the problems and features of developing economies. It claims to teach students on the analysis of problems typical of a developing and less developed economy.

EC205: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/ug/modules/2nd/ec205

EC310 Topics in Development Economics: This third year course claims to introduce students to a range of problems in economic development in the Third World.

EC310: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/ug/modules/3rd/ec310

EC312 International Economics: This is a third year module concerned with international macroeconomic theory and the theory of international trade and trade policy.

EC312: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/ug/modules/3rd/ec312

Exchange and Study Abroad Programmes:

The Economics Department has two main exchange and study abroad programmes that allow students from the department to spend a year studying abroad. These programmes also allow students from overseas and European universities to spend a year studying at the Economics department. The two programmes are the Erasmus exchange program and the University of California placement year.

Erasmus:

The Economics Department at Warwick has links with nine European Universities under the EU’s Erasmus exchange program. These universities are: Amsterdam (Netherlands), Barcelona Autonoma (Spain), Lille CU (France), Madrid Carlos III (Spain), Munich (Germany), Paris Sorbonne (France), Paris IEP (France), UFSI Antwerp (Belgium), and Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Barcelona, Spain). UK and EU students who are studying an Economics-related degree at Warwick are eligible to apply to study at one of these universities between their second and third years.

Erasmus: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/ug/admissions/socrates

University of California:

The Department offers two second year placement opportunities for economics degree students to spend a year studying at the University of California. A satisfactory level performance by students on this placement permits them to graduate with the 'with study abroad' suffix to their degree.

University of California: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/ug/admissions/socrates

International Staff:

The department also acknowledges that interaction between the teaching and research interests of staff ensures a stimulating intellectual atmosphere and innovative course design. This has allowed the department to attract eminent visiting scholars from other universities.

Introduction: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/economics.pdf

CONCLUSIONS:

The department claims to convey global knowledge in its curriculum structure through the aims of some of its degree courses and through some individual first, second and third year modules that teach international economic concepts. The department also claims to convey global knowledge through its Erasmus and University of California exchange programs and through the international visiting scholars that it attracts.

---

DISCOURSE ANALYSIS:

Reference: How does the economics department claim to convey global knowledge?

In its description of some of its multi-disciplinary courses, the economics department outlines the creation of knowledge on national and international levels with an aim of conveying global aspects within its courses. For example, in the description of the Economics, Politics and International Studies course the department claims to convey global knowledge by describing the course as ‘a challenging multi-disciplinary course in economic and political analysis at the national and international level’.

Economics, Politics and International Studies: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/depta2z/economics/lld2/

When it comes to its curriculum, it is evident the department aims at conveying global knowledge by teaching economic topics focused on international economic aspects. This can be noticed by reading its module descriptions. Examples are in the description of the module EC104 The World Economy: History and Theory where the department claims ‘By the end of the module you will have acquired a broad understanding of the evolution of the world economy during the last millennium’. The module EC310 Topics in Development Topics claims similarly that ‘The course introduces students to a range of problems in economic development in the Third World’.

EC310: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/ug/modules/3rd/ec310

Despite the main emphasis being placed on the curriculum when conveying global knowledge, the department also develops global knowledge to its students by providing study abroad programs such as the Erasmus and University of California program. From the extensive information on its website about studying abroad, it is clear the department values these programs. This is especially true for the University of California program, as successful students on the program graduate with the suffix ‘with study abroad’ added to their degree.

University of California: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/ug/admissions/socrates