Module
Microeconomics
Module description
Summary:
In this Microeconomics module. We will learn and use maths and rigorous logic to consider deep questions of …
- individual preferences, choices and optimization subject to constraints; how individuals interact with one another, and the consequences of this
- firms’ profit-maximising choices and the implications of these for society (how much value is created, who gets what, how do we consider these outcomes as a society)
- psychological influences on the above, and limits to optimisation.
This is a selective and bespoke module. We will focus on a limited set of concepts, models and applications. We will aim to incorporate material that is particularly relevant to your careers and your research interests.
This is an inquisitive module: we ask ‘the 'how?', 'why?', 'so what?', and 'is this reasonable?' ... of the models and concepts.
Additional Information:
Internationalisation
This is a basic and applied theory course, but the content is applicable in every country. The examples used in this module can be applied to any firm or decision.
Sustainability
All of the resources for this module are available on the ELE (Exeter Learning Environment).
Full module specification
Module title: | Microeconomics |
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Module code: | BEEM101 |
Module level: | M |
Academic year: | 2020/1 |
Module lecturers: |
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Module credit: | 15 |
ECTS value: | 7.5 |
Pre-requisites: | None |
Co-requisites: | None |
Duration of module: |
Duration (weeks) - term 1: 11 |
Module aims
The aim of the module is to develop:
- the basic (model-building, logic, maths) economic tools for analysing a wide variety of problems faced by economists working in research, government and business,
- an understanding of how models are formulated, considered, evaluated, and applied in research and practice, and some ability to do this,
- the ability to think like an Economist, while being carefully critical of Economic models and applications of these, and an ability to discuss and communicate economic ideas
ILO: Module-specific skills
- 1. consider issues choice, decision, strategy, and welfare logically and precisely
- 2. represent the key ingredients of microeconomic problems in the form of tractable models
- 3. solve the models
- 4. derive testable implications of the models
- 5. critically discuss the adequacy of the models
- 6. consider the relevance, application, and empirical implications/assessment of the models
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
- 7. apply economic reasoning to decision problems
- 8. use economic analysis to construct explanations for observed economic actions
- 9. explain the nature of incentives, game theory and opportunity costs, as well as behavioural consideratinos, in decision-making
ILO: Personal and key skills
- 10. engage in abstract thinking, extracting essential features of complex systems to facilitate problem solving and decision-making
- 11. engage in deductive and inductive reasoning to enhance problem solving and decision-making skills
- 12. plan and manage their time effectively in relation to deadlines
- 13. demonstrate logical argument, analyse and interpret data and evaluate alternative perspectives on the basis of objective reasoning
- 14. communicate and present complex arguments in oral and written form with clarity and succinctness
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
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26 | 124 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
Category | Hours of study time | Description |
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Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity | 22 | Lectures |
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity | 4 | Tutorials |
Guided Independent Study | 124 | Reading, research, reflection; Preparation for lectures, tutorials and assessments |
Formative assessment
Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
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Problem sets, exercises, workshops, and discussions; mock exam preceding midterm | 1 hour per week plus asynchronous feedback | 1-14 | Formative feedback |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
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60 | 40 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
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Mid-Term Examination | 40 | 60 minutes plus upload time | 1-14 | Indicative answers will be posted on ELE Some individual feedback will be given as well |
Final project and presentationq | 60 | 15 pages (approx.), plus 10-minute oral/visual presentation with optional slides | 1-14 | Oral and written feedback form and comments in person and in writing |
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 |
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Mid-term exam (40%) | Exam or a comparable coursework (40%) | 1-14 | Referral/Deferral period |
Final project and presentation (60%) | Final project and presentation (60%) | 1-14 | Referral/Deferral Period |
Syllabus plan
We will first cover basic Economic (and behavioural) models of individual preferences and ‘choices subject to constraints’. We will treat this rigorously and abstractly/mathematically. At the same time, we will consider the applications of this, and aim at an intuitive and logical understanding of the assumptions and how the parts fit together. We will particularly focus on decision-making under uncertainty, and its implications for Finance. The model of preferences and optimization leads to consumer and market demand and its properties. Next we focus how (especially monopoly) firms consider consumer demand in making (especially pricing and market segmentation) decisions to maximise profit. Time-permitting, we will consider evidence on how firms actually make these choices, and relevant ‘data science/Econometric’ tools.
There will be a mid-term examination/assessment at approximately this point in the module.
‘Outcomes we care about’ don't only depend on what we choose, but on what others' choose. We next consider choices and outcomes in such strategic settings, using the tools and language of Game Theory (and, time-permitting, mechanism design and the ‘Principal-Agent’ model). We will also consider evidence (from the real world and from ‘laboratory experiments’) on decision-making in strategic settings.
We consider Psychology, heuristics/biases, and bounded rationality throughout the module. For the final topic, we focus on several additional models (and evidence) from Behavioural Economics (considering topics such as time-inconsistent, reference-dependent, and other-regarding preferences/choices).
In the last week of the module (and before), we will discuss the final project, which will involve building and incorporating Economic model(s) into an applied or research topic.
An indicative weekly plan is given in the outline of the module (and the main ‘web book’ for the module) linked HERE (https://daaronr.github.io/micro-giving-pub/outline.html).
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
David Reinstein’s web book “Microeconomics – MSc” available at https://daaronr.github.io/micro-giving-pub/outline.html
This will incorporate and link material from other texts (mostly open-source and free) as well as academic articles (as well as popular/professional content.)
- A key text used is “Models in Microeconomic Theory”, by Osborne and Rubinstein (free at https://www.openbookpublishers.com/product/1171).
Other resources include:
- “Introduction to Economic Analysis”, by Preston McAfee, Caltech and Tracy Lewis, Duke University, available at https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/BookDetail.aspx?bookId=47
- “Quantum Microeconomics with Calculus” by Yoram Baumann (http://www.smallparty.org/yoram/quantum/quantumcalc.pdf)
- Varian, Hal R., Intermediate microeconomics: a modern approach. New York, NY: WW Norton & Company, 2010.
- "Intermediate Microeconomics and Its Application" (12th ed.), by Walter Nicholson and Christopher M. Snyder, Cengage Learning, available for free access at www.vlebooks.com
- Academic articles linked within the web-book
Module has an active ELE page?
Yes
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
ELE – http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=192
Origin date
16/07/2014
Last revision date
16/09/2020