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48981-01 - Lecture: Economic Foundations I: Markets and Policy Tools (3 CP)
| Semester | fall semester 2026 |
| Course frequency | Every fall sem. |
| Lecturers | Dragan Ilic (dragan.ilic@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | This course establishes the basic building blocks of modern economic analysis. Aimed for non-economists, it is an introduction to economic thinking. We will delve into economic concepts such as the modeling the market forces of supply and demand, the role of prices, thinking at the margin, efficiency, comparative advantage, trade, externalities, public goods, policy tools, strategic interaction, and measuring GDP. This course will contain both lectures and exercise sessions. Course material will be provided through the ADAM webspace. This is the first of a two-part course. In the spring semester, the follow-up course "Economic Foundations II: Microeconomics with Calculus" will revolve around microeconomic theory. Both courses can be taken independently of one another; attending this course first, however, will enhance your economic intuition and will thus help you understand the topics of the second course much better. |
| Learning objectives | The course aims to provide students with no economic background with the required foundation in economic analysis and theory for tackling more advanced economic courses. After completing the course, students should be able to think critically about economic issues. Students should also be able to explain and interpret economic phenomena with economic reasoning. |
| Bibliography | We will build on the following textbook: Tyler Cowen and Alex Tabarrok, "Modern Principles of Economics," Third Edition (Worth Publishers, 2016) For laypersons, these two books provide an excellent and easy to read introduction into economic thinking and the value of economic modeling: Tim Harford, "The Undercover Economist," (Little, Brown and Company, 2005; various reprints) Dani Rodrik, "Economics Rules," (W.W. Norton & Company, 2016) |
| Comments | This is primarily an on-site lecture, but I will stream all lectures via Zoom and also upload the videos to my Dropbox afterwards. I highly encourage on-site participation, though - at least once a week. |
| Weblink | Weblink |
| Admission requirements | This course builds on analytical reasoning. It does not require knowledge of mathematical calculus (that is reserved for the follow-up course in the spring semester). |
| 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 | Online, optional |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Wednesday | 08.15-10.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
Dates
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 16.09.2026 | 08.15-10.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
| Wednesday 23.09.2026 | 08.15-10.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
| Wednesday 30.09.2026 | 08.15-10.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
| Wednesday 07.10.2026 | 08.15-10.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
| Wednesday 14.10.2026 | 08.15-10.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
| Wednesday 21.10.2026 | 08.15-10.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
| Wednesday 28.10.2026 | 08.15-10.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
| Wednesday 04.11.2026 | 08.15-10.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
| Wednesday 11.11.2026 | 08.15-10.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
| Wednesday 18.11.2026 | 08.15-10.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
| Wednesday 25.11.2026 | 08.15-10.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
| Wednesday 02.12.2026 | 08.15-10.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
| Wednesday 09.12.2026 | 08.15-10.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
| Wednesday 16.12.2026 | 08.15-10.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
| Modules |
Module: Complementary Knowledge Economics and Management (Master's Studies: Sustainable Development) Module: Complementary Knowledge in Economics (Master's Studies: Sustainable Development (Start of studies before 01.08.2026)) Module: Economic Approaches (Master's Studies: European Global Studies) |
| Assessment format | record of achievement |
| Assessment details | Written examination: |
| 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 |