EC451     
Introductory Course for MSc EME

This information is for the 2018/19 session.

Teacher responsible

Prof Francisco Hidalgo 32L.4.20

Prof Taisuke Otsu 32L.4.25 

Prof Michele Piccone 32L.4.07

Prof John Moore 32L.4.14

Availability

This course is compulsory on the MSc in Econometrics and Mathematical Economics. This course is not available as an outside option.

The course is split into three parts: Microeconomics, Macroeconomics and Econometrics. 

Non-EME students wishing to take EC487 Advanced Microeconomics as part of their programme must attend Week 1 of the EC451 course, Microeconomics, and sit the EC451 Microeconomics examination.

Non-EME students wishing to take EC484 Econometric Analysis as part of their programme must attend Week 3 of the EC451 course, Econometrics, and sit the EC451 Econometrics examination.

Non-EME students are not permitted to attend Week 2 of the EC451 course, Macroeconomics. 

Course content

Microeconomics (Week 1):

This introduction to microeconomic theory introduces the economic concepts of choice, preference and utility, including discussion of the revealed-preference approach to hedonics. It describes the consumer's problem and explores conditions under which consumer preferences, as well as policy preferences, can sensibly be aggregated. The course will also cover the mathematics of correspondences and fixed-point theorems.

Macroeconomics (Week 2):

The prequel of the advanced macroeconomics core course focuses on topics in modern macroeconomic theory, starting with basic national income accounting and the real-business cycle model. Then sticky prices. Followed by matching frictions in the labour market. Finally credit market imperfections. 

Econometrics (Week 3):

Day 1-4 (Prof Otsu): This part introduces basic concepts and theory for mathematical statistics and probability. This part mostly focuses on linear regression model and covers the topics, such as (i) Conditional expectation and projection, (ii) Algebra of least Squares, (iii) Finite sample theory, (iv) Maximum likelihood (v) Introduction to asymptotic theory, and (vi) Hypothesis testing. Also, some background mathematical results are reviewed.

Day 5 (Prof Hidalgo): Last day is devoted to introduction to MT part of EC484. Further concepts and results on convergence of variables are discussed.

 

Teaching

The course is taught in September. It consists of 45 hours of lectures and an additional 22 hours of classes, across a 3-week period.

Formative coursework

After each lecture, some exercises will be handed to students. They will be solved during the classes.

Indicative reading

Prof Bruce Hansen's lecture note at University of Wisco

nsin-Madison (1st year PhD level), downloadable at: https:

//www.ssc.wisc.edu/~bhansen/econometrics/.

Rubinstein (2012) Lecture Notes in Microeconomic Theory

Ljungqvist, Lars and Thomas J. Sargent (2012) Recursive Macroeconomic Theory.

Romer, David (2011) Advanced Macroeconomics.

Assessment

At the end of the course, students will be examined on all three modules, microeconomics, econometrics and macroeconomics.

Students from programmes other than MSc EME wishing to continue studying MSc EME core courses must achieve at least 40% in each subject exam.

Teachers' comment


Please note change in teaching - Michele Piccione did not teach this course in 17/8

Key facts

Department: Economics

Total students 2017/18: Unavailable

Average class size 2017/18: Unavailable

Controlled access 2017/18: No

Value: Non-credit bearing

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Personal development skills

  • Self-management
  • Team working
  • Problem solving
  • Application of information skills
  • Application of numeracy skills
  • Specialist skills