EC0ECO-Economics

Module Provider: School of Politics, Economics and International Relations
Number of credits: 40 [20 ECTS credits]
Level:F
Terms in which taught: Autumn / Spring / Summer module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2021/2

Module Convenor: Dr Maria Asensio
Email: m.j.asensio@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:
This module introduces students to the basic principles of economics from the concepts of demand and supply and their influence on the prices of goods and the behaviour of firms, to the wider impacts on the national economy of economic growth, interest rates, international trade.

Aims:
This module will provide a foundation in economics to further studies at an undergraduate level.

Assessable learning outcomes:

By the end of the module it is expected that the student will be able to:

• identify and explain the basic principles of micro and macroeconomic theory;


• locate and assemble information from a variety of sources;


• organise their material and present arguments effectively in writing both under timed conditions and in prepared coursework.

Additional outcomes:
The module aims to encourage the development of written communication skills. Students will also develop IT skills by using relevant web resources and by word-processing assignments.

Outline content:
The syllabus focuses on micro and macroeconomics. Microeconomic topics in the first term include demand and supply theory, market failure and the theory of the firm.

The module analyses the national economy, identifying how an economy might grow and what are the constraints upon it. Economies fluctuate over time, and we discover the 􀀑tools􀀒 available to governments and the financial sector to stimulate or slow down aggregate demand 􀀖 through the use of monetary and fiscal policies .

Real life experiences are used throughout the module and students are encouraged to read the national newspapers and the Economist.

The final part of the module looks at the role international trade plays in our economy and completes our first introduction to the principles of economics.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Lectures and small group tutorials. Work is also done from work sheets, workbooks and on line.

Weekly surgery hours for individual assistance as required.