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| Semester | fall semester 2021 |
| Course frequency | Every fall sem. |
| Lecturers | Dragan Ilic (dragan.ilic@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | This course introduces the basic building blocks of modern economic analysis. Aimed for non-economists, it is a crash course in economic thinking. In the first, shorter part of the course we delve into basic economic concepts such as the modeling the market forces of supply and demand, thinking at the margin, efficiency, comparative advantage in trade, externalities, public goods, and measuring GDP. The second, more mathematical part of the course revolves around microeconomic theory. We will study how consumers and producers, interacting through markets, determine the prices and output of goods and the allocation of productive resources. Consumers and producers are formally modeled as agents with well-defined objectives who make optimal choices in an environment of economic constraints such as income and costs. The price mechanism signals information to consumers and producers alike, coordinating their behavior. This course will contain both lectures and exercise sessions. Course material will be provided through the ADAM webspace. |
| 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 methodological and economic issues. Students should be able to explain and interpret economic phenomena with the language and approach of economic reasoning. |
| Bibliography | Two textbooks provide the foundation for this class: Tyler Cowen and Alex Tabarrok, "Modern Principles of Economics," Third Edition (Worth Publishers, 2016) Jeffrey M. Perloff, "Microeconomics with Calculus," Third (Global) Edition (Pearson Education, 2013) 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 | I place high value on intuition, but this course is necessarily technical in nature. I expect you to have a solid background in algebra and be familiar with basic calculus. |
| Weblink | Weblink |
| Course application | Registration: Please enrol in MOnA. EUCOR-Students and students of other Swiss Universities have to enrol at the students administration office (studseksupport1@unibas.ch) within the official enrolment period. Enrolment = Registration for the exam! |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Wednesday | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 103 |
| wöchentlich | Friday | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
| Comments | The course will be taught as an in-class course in hybrid form, i.e. with a simultaneous livestream. |
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 22.09.2021 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 103 |
| Friday 24.09.2021 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
| Wednesday 29.09.2021 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 103 |
| Friday 01.10.2021 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
| Wednesday 06.10.2021 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 103 |
| Friday 08.10.2021 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
| Wednesday 13.10.2021 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 103 |
| Friday 15.10.2021 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
| Wednesday 20.10.2021 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 103 |
| Friday 22.10.2021 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
| Wednesday 27.10.2021 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 103 |
| Friday 29.10.2021 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
| Wednesday 03.11.2021 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 103 |
| Friday 05.11.2021 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
| Wednesday 10.11.2021 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 103 |
| Friday 12.11.2021 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
| Wednesday 17.11.2021 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 103 |
| Friday 19.11.2021 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
| Wednesday 24.11.2021 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 103 |
| Friday 26.11.2021 | 12.15-14.00 | Dies Academicus |
| Wednesday 01.12.2021 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 103 |
| Friday 03.12.2021 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
| Wednesday 08.12.2021 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 103 |
| Friday 10.12.2021 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
| Wednesday 15.12.2021 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 103 |
| Friday 17.12.2021 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
| Wednesday 22.12.2021 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 103 |
| Modules |
Module: Complementary Knowledge in Economics (Master's Studies: Sustainable Development) |
| Assessment format | record of achievement |
| Assessment details | written exam: 14.01.22; 12:15-13:45. WWZ S15: A-Z. In case COVID-19 protective measures prevent examination on site, the faculty reserves the right to conduct the examination electronically during the same time slot. You can still withdraw from the examination by submitting a completed, signed form to our office from 19.10.21 until 29.10.21 / 12:00 o’clock. Please send your form by mail to belegungstorno-wwz@unibas.ch. You will find the examination withdrawal form on the Homepage of the Student Dean’s Office. Prior to 18.10.21, please only use MONA for withdrawing. |
| 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 |