Back
Semester | fall semester 2022 |
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 | This is an on-site lecture, but I will likely stream the lectures via Zoom and upload the files on my Dropbox. I highly encorage on-site participation, though - at least once a week. |
Weblink | Weblink |
Admission requirements | 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. |
Course application | Registration: Please enrol in your Online Services. EUCOR-Students and students of other Swiss Universities have to enrol at the students administration office (studseksupport1@unibas.ch) before the course starts. Enrolment = Registration for the exam! |
Language of instruction | English |
Use of digital media | Online, optional |
Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
---|---|---|---|
wöchentlich | Wednesday | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
wöchentlich | Friday | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
Date | Time | Room |
---|---|---|
Wednesday 21.09.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
Friday 23.09.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
Wednesday 28.09.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
Friday 30.09.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
Wednesday 05.10.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
Friday 07.10.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
Wednesday 12.10.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
Friday 14.10.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
Wednesday 19.10.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
Friday 21.10.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
Wednesday 26.10.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
Friday 28.10.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
Wednesday 02.11.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
Friday 04.11.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
Wednesday 09.11.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
Friday 11.11.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
Wednesday 16.11.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
Friday 18.11.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
Wednesday 23.11.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
Friday 25.11.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Dies Academicus |
Wednesday 30.11.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
Friday 02.12.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
Wednesday 07.12.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
Friday 09.12.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
Wednesday 14.12.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
Friday 16.12.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
Wednesday 21.12.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
Friday 23.12.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 119 |
Modules |
Module: Complementary Knowledge in Economics (Master's Studies: Sustainable Development) |
Assessment format | record of achievement |
Assessment details | written exam: 13.01.23; 12:15-13:45. WWZ Auditorium: A-Z. |
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 |