EC142: Applied Economics and Policy

Module code: EC142

Module provider: Economics; School of Philosophy, Politics and Economics

Credits: 20

Level: Level 1 (Certificate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Professor Giovanni Razzu, email: g.razzu@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 23 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module will provide students with an understanding of the range of theoretical approaches and perspectives within economics and the ways in which economic thinking can be employed to analyse and understand a variety of world-relevant topics, issues and policy making.

The module teaches students to become economists, first by assessing how economists work through and analyse a wide range of issues, then by starting with a question, and look at the evidence, build a model that helps you understand what you see and finally, critically evaluate the model.

Module learning outcomes

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

1. Understand and describe the diversity of economics approaches and models
2. How this diversity of approaches could be employed to explain and analyse different social problems
3. Understand how government policy addresses various economic problems
4. Understand how to assess the usefulness of different approaches for analysing different problems
5. Contribute to contemporary debates in a structured and consistent way by identifying the key elements of a problem to be modelled and distinguishing these from others that might not be relevant.

Module content

The module covers theoretical, policy and applied empirical content. One part will cover the tools necessary for students to understand how economists think through and analyse a specific topic, one part will offer tools on how independently analyse a chosen topic. The module will also introduce how economic thought has changed over time.

Students will also be exposed to the Department’s diverse range of research and applications, with video or direct lectures given by economists from the Department who will use examples from their own research to outline how they have thought through a particular issue from an economic perspective, as well as how they have used and integrated insights from other sciences and perspectives.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Lectures will be used to introduce the concepts, analytical principles and methodological approaches. Students are expected to prepare for lectures by doing the recommended reading. Coursework will help develop analytical and critical skills.

Study hours

At least 20 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Reassessment

Additional costs