Economics of Central Banking
Module description
This course covers topical and technically advanced issues of relevance to central banks. The focus of this course is on the analytical methods modern central banks use to model and understand macroeconomic fluctuations. The course begins by examining the aims of monetary policy and then analyses the instruments available to central banks to achieve these aims. In doing so, it reviews the arguments for and against central banks’ independence. The later part of the course studies the models used at central banks for policy analysis. The final part of the course focuses on monetary policy in crisis times, including monetary policy making at the zero lower bound and the interaction between macroeconomy and the financial sector.
Full module specification
| Module title: | Economics of Central Banking |
|---|---|
| Module code: | BEEM013 |
| Module level: | M |
| Academic year: | 2016/7 |
| Module lecturers: |
|
| Module credit: | 15 |
| ECTS value: | 7.5 |
| Pre-requisites: | None |
| Co-requisites: | None |
| Duration of module: |
Duration (weeks) - term 2: 11 |
Module aims
This module aims at providing students with a solid base in monetary economics at an advanced level. By the end of this module, students will be able to analyse current monetary policy issues using theoretical and conceptual frameworks in the existing literature.
ILO: Module-specific skills
- 1. recognise the current challenges facing central banks.
- 2. demonstrate understating of the key elements of macroeconomic models used at central banks.
- 3. critically evaluate the models strengths and weaknesses.
- 4. analyse recent economic news using the models.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
- 5. demonstrate increased understanding of economic theory.
- 6. apply economic reasoning to current monetary policy issues.
ILO: Personal and key skills
- 7. critically Eevaluate arguments and evidence.
- 8. communicate complex arguments to non-specialists.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 33 | 117 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching activities | 33 (3 per week) | Lectures |
| Guided independent study | 55 (5 per week) | Reading |
| Guilded Independent Study | 62 (approx. 6 per week) | Preparing problem set answers and working on assignments |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practice Problems | Varies | 1-8 | Oral/written |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 100 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Examination | 100 | 3 hours | 1-8 | Oral/written |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examination | Examination 100% 3 hours | 1-8 | August Examination Period |
Syllabus plan
The course covers 9 topics:
- Time Inconsistency and Central Bank Independence
- Taylor Rules
- Rational Expectations and Consumption.
- Phillips Curve
- The Modern New Keynesian Model
- The Smets and Wouters Model
- Optimal Monetary Policy
- Liquidity Trap and the Quantitative Easing
- Financial Frictions.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
- Romer, Advanced Macroeconomics, McGraw-Hill Advanced Series in Economics, New York, 2012.
- Walsh, Monetary Theory and Policy, MIT Press, 2010.
Module has an active ELE page?
Yes
Origin date
30/09/2016
Last revision date
30/09/2016