EC135: Topics in Micro and Public Economics
Amrita Kulka
Module Leader
Motty Perry
Module Lecturer
Sara Spaziani
Module Lecturer
Introduction
This module provides students with an opportunity to study a variety of topics drawn from the broad field of applied economics and exposes students to teaching delivered by leading researchers in specialist fields of economics.
Principal Aims
The module aims to provide students with an opportunity to study a variety of topics drawn from the broad field of applied economics. The width of the discipline implies that in any one year there will be some specialist fields of Economics which are not covered in the menu of core and optional modules; this module seeks to provide exposure to some of these fields. A complementary aim is to offer a module in which first year students can benefit from teaching delivered by leading researchers in the specialist field. Each year, the topics covered within the module are likely to change to reflect the heterogeneity of specialist research interests of teaching staff, the changing issues within the discipline and the changing topics taught elsewhere within the Economics degree programmes.
Principal Learning Outcomes
Subject Knowledge and Understanding:...demonstrate a familiarity with and basic understanding of research issues; familiarity with contemporary empirical debates and latest research in some specialized areas of economics; understanding of how to approach an economic problem from the perspective of a contemporary researcher in economics.
Cognitive Skills:...demonstrate capacity of analytical thinking, reasoning and application.
Cognitive Skills:...demonstrate capacity of critical, creative and strategic thinking.
Cognitive Skills:...demonstrate capacity of abstraction and problem solving.
Cognitive Skills:...demonstrate capacity of policy evaluation and the analysis of institutions.
Subject Knowledge and Understanding:...demonstrate a familiarity with and basic understanding of economic information; knowledge of specific economic trends and patterns; understanding of particular problems and solutions in economic measurement.
Subject Knowledge and Understanding:...demonstrate a familiarity with and basic understanding of economic principles; knowledge and understanding of core concepts and methods in micro and macroeconomics.
Subject Knowledge and Understanding:...demonstrate a familiarity with and basic understanding of applied economics; knowledge and understanding of standard economic models and quantitative techniques with application to contemporary problems arising in public policy and the private sector.
Subject-specific and Professional Key General Skills:...demonstrate a basic understanding of research skills such as: Data skills: use of library and internet as information sources; knowledge of how to locate relevant data, extract appropriate data, analyse and present material.
Subject-specific and Professional Key General Skills:...demonstrate a basic understanding of research skills such as: Mathematical/Statistical skills: use/application of mathematics and diagrams in economic analysis; understanding of statistical analysis of data.
Subject-specific and Professional Key General Skills:...demonstrate a basic understanding of research skills such as: Written communication skills.
Syllabus
The syllabus each year will cover up to three topics selected from within the broad area of ‘Applied Economics’. The selection will be drawn from all sub-fields within the discipline, including labour, industrial, development, trade, behavioural, experimental, financial, public, health, education, history, environmental, ethics, philosophy, happiness, and auctions. This list will expand as reflecting staff interests. In years in which other first year 15 CATS optional modules do not run, one possibility will be to compress them into topics within this module. In selecting topics, the main criteria will include:
(i) scope for the topic to provide a context in which, through application, students can begin to develop their understanding of key concepts in economics and applied economics,
(ii) importance of the topic within the general field of Economics,
(iii) policy relevance of the topic,
(iv) complementing topics covered elsewhere within the degree programmes.
Context
- Optional Module
- L100 - Year 1, L116 - Year 1, LM1D (LLD2) - Year 1, V7ML - Year 1, LA99 - Year 1, R9L1 - Year 1, R3L4 - Year 1, R4L1 - Year 1, R2L4 - Year 1, R1L4 - Year 1, L1CA - Year 1, R2L5 - Year 1, R4LA - Year 1, R1L5 - Year 1
- Pre or Co-requisites
- Co-requisite module: EC122 or EC124 and EC139 or EC140
Assessment
- Assessment Method
- Centrally-timetabled examination (On-campus) (100%)
- Coursework Details
- Centrally-timetabled examination (On-campus) (100%)
- Exam Timing
- Summer
Subject Specific Skills
- Applied Economics
- Economic information
- Economic principles
- Research and debate
- Abstraction
- Analysis of incentives
- Analysis of institutions
- Analytical reasoning
- Analytical thinking and communication
- Critical thinking
- Policy evaluation
- Problem solving
- Strategic thinking
- Sustainability
Transferable Skills
- Numeracy and quantitative skills
- Research skills
- Math, Statistical, data-based research skills
- Oral communication
- Written communication
Exam Rubric
Time Allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes
Read all instructions carefully - and read through the entire paper at least once before you start entering your answers.
There are THREE sections in this paper. Answer BOTH questions in Section A (34 marks in total), BOTH questions in Section B (33 marks in total) and BOTH questions in Section C (33 marks in total).
Use separate booklets for each Section.
• Use a GREEN booklet for Section A.
• Use a SEPARATE GREEN booklet for Section B.
• Use a SEPARATE GREEN booklet for Section C.
You must write the number(s) of the question(s) you have answered on the front cover of each booklet. Make sure the numbers are clearly visible and correspond to the questions you completed inside that booklet.
Approved scientific (non-graphical) pocket calculators are allowed.
Previous exam papers can be found in the University’s past papers archive. Please note that previous exam papers may not have operated under the same exam rubric or assessment weightings as those for the current academic year. The content of past papers may also be different.