ECONOMIC GROWTH AND STABILITY: THEORY AND EVIDENCE

ECO3EGS

2015

Credit points: 15

Subject outline

In this subject you will learn to move away from "thinking" about macroeconomics to "doing" it. This has four parts: moving from observed economic phenomena to theories, drawing on stylised facts based on real macroeconomic data; building an economic model, considering carefully the consequences of making different assumptions; parameterising and validating the model in a way that is most likely to yield high-quality policy simulations; and simulating a policy shift using the model. Over the semester, you will build a small-scale macroeconomic model of a country of your choice, using the free R computing language. You will also examine how consumers in aggregate decide how much to consume, and what implications this has for our model of the economy.

School: La Trobe Business School

Credit points: 15

Subject Co-ordinator: Darren Henry

Available to Study Abroad Students: Yes

Subject year level: Year Level 3 - UG

Exchange Students: Yes

Subject particulars

Subject rules

Prerequisites: ECO2MFG or ECO2MAT or ECO2PPB

Co-requisites: N/A

Incompatible subjects: N/A

Equivalent subjects: N/A

Special conditions: N/A

Learning resources

Readings

Resource TypeTitleResource RequirementAuthor and YearPublisher
ReadingsTBAPrescribedTBATBA

Graduate capabilities & intended learning outcomes

01. Explain the key determinants of long-run economic growth, including technology, social institutions, infrastructure, and education.

Activities:
Lectures, tutorials, reading, class discussion
Related graduate capabilities and elements:
Writing(Writing)
Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research)

02. Discern between the quality of competing macroeconomic models, by examining the assumptions underpinning the model and the quality of parameterisation.

Activities:
Lectures, tutorials, reading, class discussion
Related graduate capabilities and elements:
Writing(Writing)
Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)

03. Predict the impact of fiscal and monetary policy shifts, under various assumptions about technological progress, consumption behaviour, and randomness.

Activities:
Lectures, tutorials, reading, class discussion
Related graduate capabilities and elements:
Writing(Writing)
Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research)
Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)
Creative Problem-solving(Creative Problem-solving)

04. Demonstrate the ability to source, clean and model real macroeconomic data.

Activities:
Lectures, tutorials, reading, class discussion
Related graduate capabilities and elements:
Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research)
Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)
Creative Problem-solving(Creative Problem-solving)

Melbourne, 2015, Semester 2, Day

Overview

Online enrolment: Yes

Maximum enrolment size: N/A

Enrolment information:

Subject Instance Co-ordinator: Darren Henry

Class requirements

LectureWeek: 31 - 43
One 2.0 hours lecture per week on weekdays during the day from week 31 to week 43 and delivered via face-to-face.

TutorialWeek: 31 - 43
One 1.0 hours tutorial per week on weekdays during the day from week 31 to week 43 and delivered via face-to-face.

Assessments

Assessment elementComments%ILO*
Tutorial participation1001, 02, 03, 04
Five 100-word per-student equivalent group-based problem sets / blog posts3001, 02, 03, 04
Final examinationEquivalent to 2000 words4001, 02, 03
Two 1,000-word short (essay-based) individual assignments2001, 02, 03, 04