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71175-01 - Lecture: Empirical Tools for Macroeconomists (3 CP)
| Semester | spring semester 2025 |
| Course frequency | Every spring sem. |
| Lecturers | Gabriel Züllig (gabriel.zuellig@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | This course provides an introduction to the most important empirical methods used in applied macroeconomic research and in policy-making institutions. The course is divided into two parts. The first part covers methods in time series econometrics (such as VARs with different identification strategies, linear and non-linear local projections). Each method is applied to the estimation of the effects of monetary policy on the real economy and inflation. The second part introduces methods that can be used on (large) cross-sectional and panel datasets (such as difference-in-differences or instrumental variables) to draw inference on parameters in macroeconomic models and/or evaluate the effects of macroeconomic policies. For all models covered, the course provides user-friendly replication codes (in either Matlab, R or Stata) to replicate the main findings from at least one influential research paper. |
| Learning objectives | • Know the tools and data available to macroeconometricians and how to use them to study macroeconomic policies and their propagation • Identify a policy-relevant macroeconomic question • Be able to use an appropriate model to draw inference from data and answer that question • Master a programming language to manage a dataset, estimate an econometric model and illustrate its results in an understandable way • Interpret empirical findings through the lens of macroeconomic concepts and theories |
| Bibliography | • Ramey, Valerie, “Macroeconomic Shocks and Their Propagation”, in J. B. Taylor and H. Uhlig, eds., Handbook of Macroeconomics, 2016, pp. 71-162. • Züllig, Gabriel, “Macroeconomic Shocks: Applied Business Cycle Analysis with Time Series Data”, (unpublished online manuscript provided at the beginning of the course) • Züllig, Gabriel, “Macroeconomics Under the Microscope: Theory and Policy Lessons from Granular Data”, (unpublished online manuscript provided at the beginning of the course) |
| Admission requirements | Some prior knowledge of programming is recommended, but not strictly required. |
| Course application | Registration: Please enroll in the Online Services (services.unibas.ch); Eucor-Students and mobility students of other Swiss Universities or the FHNW first have to register at the University of Basel BEFORE the start of the course and receive their login data by post (e-mail address of the University of Basel). Processing time up to a week! Detailed information can be found here: https://www.unibas.ch/de/Studium/Mobilitaet.html After successful registration you can enroll for the course in the Online Services (services.unibas.ch). Applies to everyone: Enrolment = Registration for the course and the exam! |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Monday | 12.15-14.00 | Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät, Seminarraum S14 HG.32 |
Dates
| Modules |
Core Module: Core Areas in Monetary Economics (Master's Studies: International and Monetary Economics) Module: Field Electives in Economics and Public Policy (Master's Studies: Economics and Public Policy) Module: Field Electives in Finance and Money (Master's Studies: Finance and Money) Module: Finance Field: Monetary Economics and Macrofinance (Master's Studies: Finance and Money) Module: Specific Electives in Economics (Master's Studies: Business and Economics) Module: Specific Electives in Finance, Controlling, Banking (Master's Studies: Business and Economics) |
| Assessment format | record of achievement |
| Assessment details | Take-home assignment due at the end of the semester. There is the option to choose one of two types of assignments. 1.) Writing a research proposal with a well-defined, well-motivated macroeconomic research question and a strategy to answer it. The research strategy should include the estimation method, assumptions and data, but does not have to be executed. 2.) Replicating an existing research paper that uses one of the tools discussed in the course, but varying at least one element (e.g. data source, identification assumptions or control variables) and discussing the estimation results relative to the existing paper. |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration, dereg: cancel course registration |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | 1-6 0,1 |
| Repeated registration | as often as necessary |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Business and Economics , studiendekanat-wwz@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Faculty of Business and Economics |