Topics in economics

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BROCHURE

academic year

2024-2025

2025-2026

Course teacher(s)

Guntram WOLFF (Coordinator)

ECTS credits

Language(s) of instruction

english

Course content

What Is the Most Pressing Problem Economists Should be Addressing? This will be the starting question of the course “Topics in economics”, designed for first year students of the Bachelor in Economics. In this course, we will start with real world facts and questions and strive to use modern economic models from microeconomics and macroeconomics to understand them. From climate change via inequality to financial instability and unemployment, the course aims to first establish empirical findings and then explain how modern theory can be useful in explaining them. We will aim to motivate student by providing historical evidence about a complex, dynamic process and the promise of gaining insight using economic models and data. A special focus will be put on deriving implications for policy makers. The course complements the introductory courses in macroeconomics and microeconomics taught in parallel by faculty colleagues.

Objectives (and/or specific learning outcomes)

Learn key principles of economics, starting from real life examples
Strengthen methodological thinking and analytical skills
Strengthen leadership skills via interactive learning
Build capacities to analyse real world problems and contribute to problem solving
Strengthen understanding of public policy

Teaching methods and learning activities

The course will consist of traditional teaching as well as flipped classroom and classroom games and data exercises. It is expected that students prepare each class. We will have 12 sessions of 90 minutes each (24 hours).

References, bibliography, and recommended reading

The course will draw on the following open-source text books as well as specific papers to be announced.

The CORE Econ Team 2023 The Economy 2.0: Macroeconomics Open access e-text https://core-econ.org/the-economy/
The CORE Econ Team 2023 The Economy 2.0: Microeconomics Open access e-text https://core-econ.org/the-economy/
The CORE Econ Team 2023 Economy, Society, and Public Policy, Open access e-text https://www.core-econ.org/espp/book/text/0-3-contents.html
The CORE Econ Team 2023 Experiencing economics, Open access e-text https://www.core-econ.org/project/experiencing-economics/
The CORE Econ Team 2023 Doing economics, Open access e-text https://www.core-econ.org/project/doing-economics/

Contribution to the teaching profile

LO 2.1 Adopt a scientific approach to data collection, research and analysis and communicate results with clear, structured and sophisticated arguments
LO 2.2 Display critical thinking, logical and abstract reasoning and develop an independent approach to learning
LO 4.1 Work and communicate effectively as part of a team in an international and multicultural environment
LO 4.2 Recognize ethical dilemmas and contribute to solving them

Other information

Campus

Solbosch

Evaluation

Method(s) of evaluation

written examination

written examination

Out-of-session examination

Closed question with multiple choices (MCQ)

The final grade will be composed of a multiple choice exam at the end of the course, which will count for 80% and 4 empirical projects to be done in groups that will count for 20% of the final grade.

Non-submission or late submission of an empirical project will mean zero points out of 5 possible points.

More details are explained in the document on Moodle.