Durham University
Programme and Module Handbook

Undergraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2022-2023 (archived)

Module ECON2261: MICROECONOMIC APPLICATIONS AND POLICY

Department: Economics

ECON2261: MICROECONOMIC APPLICATIONS AND POLICY

Type Tied Level 2 Credits 20 Availability Available in 2022/23 Module Cap None. Location Durham
Tied to L100
Tied to L106
Tied to L109
Tied to L1R1
Tied to L103
Tied to L104
Tied to L105
Tied to LL12
Tied to LL02
Tied to LL01
Tied to VL52
Tied to VLL6
Tied to VLLA
Tied to CFG0
Tied to FGC0
Tied to CFG1
Tied to CFG2
Tied to LA01
Tied to LA02
Tied to LMVA
Tied to LMV0
Tied to L112
Tied to N305
Tied to N306
Tied to N307

Prerequisites

  • Principles of Economics (ECON1011) OR Introduction to Economics (ECON1101) AND Quantitative Methods (ECON1151)

Corequisites

  • None

Excluded Combination of Modules

  • None

Aims

  • To develop students' awareness and understanding of the contribution which economic analysis can make to discussions of issues in microeconomics
  • To provide an understanding of theories and methods used in the analysis of microeconomic problems
  • To provide students with a good grounding for undertaking a dissertation in applied microeconomics

Content

  • The content will be topics of contemporary interest from four of the following areas:
  • Education
  • Health
  • Sport
  • Culture
  • Inequality/Poverty
  • Charity
  • Crime

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:
  • Knowledge and understanding of the theories and methods used in the analysis of microeconomics issues
  • Knowledge and understanding of market failure and the limitations of government intervention to combat it.
Subject-specific Skills:
  • The application of economic theories to microeconomic problems
  • The ability to critically evaluate microeconomic policies and their consequences
Key Skills:
  • Critical and analytical thinking
  • Problem solving
  • Written communication
  • Own learning
  • Library skills
  • Information retrieval
  • Written communication - summative assessment is a written examination
  • Planning and Organisation and time management - students plan their work to meet set deadlines
  • Adaptability - students perform under the pressure of written examinations
  • Oral communication - presenting of papers and participating in seminars.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • Teaching is by lectures and seminars. Learning takes place through attendance at lectures, preparation for and participation in seminar classes, and private study. Seminar questions give students the opportunity to apply the theoretical analysis presented in lectures.
  • Formative assessment is by means of papers and presentations given in seminars. Summative assessment is by means of a written examination to test students' knowledge and understanding of the subject-matter worth 100% of the module mark.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity Number Frequency Duration Total/Hours
Lectures 20 1 per week 1 hour 20
Seminars 4 At intervals through the year 2 hours 8
Revision Session 2 1 hour 2
Preparation and Reading 170
Total 200

Summative Assessment

Component: Examination Component Weighting: 100%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
One written examination 2 hours 100%

Formative Assessment:

A 2500 word paper or equivalent, and the other a 1000 word presentation summary


Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University