Unit information: Applied Economics: Current Economic Problems in 2015/16

Unit name	Applied Economics: Current Economic Problems
Unit code	ECON30065
Credit points	20
Level of study	H/6
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24)
Unit director	Professor. Cannon
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	Introduction to Macroeconomics ECON10011
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School of Economics
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

This unit considers various economic topics of contemporary interest, with an emphasis on the UK economy and UK economic policy. There would typically be about eight topics and about two of these would change every year: the first term would tend towards macroeconomic topics and the second term towards microeconomic topics. You will not be expected to study every topic on the unit in detail: instead you should concentrate on four or five topics and study them in depth.

The unit requires you to use economic concepts learned in the first two years of the degree to analyse current questions from the perspective of an economist. Such questions are usually multi-faceted so you will also need to compare and evaluate a range of different opinions using different sources.

Unit aims:

• To get students to bring together the multi-faceted skills expected of an economist (quantitative, qualitative, rhetorical, etc.) to address a contemporary question.

• To provide students with practice in analysis and synthesis of economic methods.

• To allow students to study select topics in depth and detail.

Intended Learning Outcomes

1. Ability to apply economic theoretical techniques to concrete economic questions.
2. Ability to describe and summarise material from a range of sources.
3. Ability to evaluate differing and possibly contradictory theories and sources of information.
4. Ability to combine (1), (2) and (3) in a holistic way.

Teaching Information

• Lectures (16) plus two hours for revision in the summer term.

• Classes (9).

Assessment Information

Summative Assessment:

This is a three-hour closed book exam, consisting of eight questions from which students choose three. Each question will require students to demonstrate all of four learning outcomes.

Formative Assessment:

Students will work in small groups to produce a presentation in class. This will act as a starting point for discussion. Each student will be involved in the preparation of two presentations and will be expected to be involved in the discussion of the others.

Each student will then produce an individual essay on that topic (ie two essays, typically 2,000 – 2,500 words).

Reading and References

The reading material changes with the topic. For any topic students would not be expected to use a textbook but to synthesise material from a range of sources (books, articles in learned journals, discussion papers, government publications).