EC210     
Macroeconomic Principles

This information is for the 2015/16 session.

Teacher responsible

Dr Kevin Sheedy 32L1.09

Dr Liwa Rachel Ngai 32L1.03

Professor Ricardo Reis (room TBC)

Availability

This course is compulsory on the BSc in Economics, BSc in Economics with Economic History, BSc in Geography with Economics, BSc in Government and Economics, BSc in Philosophy and Economics, BSc in Philosophy, Politics and Economics and MSc in Economics (2 Year Programme). This course is available on the BSc in Accounting and Finance, BSc in Business Mathematics and Statistics, BSc in Econometrics and Mathematical Economics, BSc in Economic History with Economics, BSc in Economics and Economic History, BSc in Environmental Policy with Economics, BSc in Management, BSc in Management Sciences, BSc in Mathematics and Economics, BSc in Mathematics with Economics, BSc in Social Policy and Economics, BSc in Statistics with Finance and Diploma in Accounting and Finance. This course is available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit and to General Course students.

Pre-requisites

Students must have completed Economics B (EC102).

This is an intermediate course in macroeconomic analysis, for BSc degrees in Economics and is also available to other students as permitted by the regulations. Students are expected to have completed Economics B or an equivalent introductory course in Economics. Students are also expected to have completed an introductory mathematics course such as Basic Quantitative Methods.

From 2016/17, either Economics A (EC100) or Economics B (EC102) will be suitable pre-requisites.

Course content

The course will cover: Economic growth, consumption, investment, unemployment, business cycles, inflation, monetary and fiscal policy, financial markets and international macroeconomics.

Teaching

20 hours of lectures and 10 hours of classes in the MT. 20 hours of lectures and 10 hours of classes in the LT.

Two hours of revision lectures will be held in week 11 of both MT and LT

Formative coursework

Students are urged to attempt the assigned problems before attending classes. Two pieces of written work per term will be required and marked by class teachers.

Indicative reading

The main textbook for the course is O Blanchard and D R Johnson, Macroeconomics, 6th ed., supplemented by other reading selected by the lecturers. A combined package will be available in the Economists' Bookshop.

Assessment

Exam (100%, duration: 3 hours) in the main exam period.

Candidates are required to answer eight out of ten short questions from Section A and three out of six long questions from Sections B and C (with at least one question from each section).

Key facts

Department: Economics

Total students 2014/15: 623

Average class size 2014/15: 16

Capped 2014/15: No

Lecture capture used 2014/15: Yes (MT & LT)

Value: One Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

PDAM skills

  • Self-management
  • Problem solving
  • Application of numeracy skills

Course survey results

(2012/13 - 2014/15 combined)

1 = "best" score, 5 = "worst" score

The scores below are average responses.

Response rate: 75%

Question

Average
response

Reading list (Q2.1)

2.3

Materials (Q2.3)

2.2

Course satisfied (Q2.4)

2.2

Lectures (Q2.5)

2.3

Integration (Q2.6)

2.2

Contact (Q2.7)

2.3

Feedback (Q2.8)

2.4

Recommend (Q2.9)

Yes

59%

Maybe

35%

No

6%