GRA 6612 Applied Microeconomics

GRA 6612 Applied Microeconomics

Course code: 
GRA 6612
Department: 
Economics
Credits: 
6
Course coordinator: 
Christian Brinch
Course name in Norwegian: 
Applied Microeconomics
Product category: 
Master
Portfolio: 
MSc in Business - Economics
Semester: 
2018 Spring
Active status: 
Active
Level of study: 
Master
Teaching language: 
English
Course type: 
One semester
Introduction

The course teaches modern design based approaches to empirical analysis that are prevalent in applied empirical microeconomics. The emphasis is on how we think about designing empirical strategies for and on what is considered sound empirical evidence in applied microeconomics. The course further teaches topics in applied microeconomics with a strong leaning towards labor economics. The labor market is probably the most important market in the economy, and a thorough understanding of the labor market is key for understanding the workings of the economy in general and the effects of public policy targeted to the labor market in particular, such as education policies, income taxation and benefits for the sick and the elderly. This course teaches the main themes of labor economics, including personell economics.

Learning outcomes - Knowledge

After taking this course, students should

  • know the core theoretical analysis of key questions in labor economics,
  • know how to assess such questions using design based econometric approaches,
  • know core empirical results from applied labor economics.
Learning outcomes - Skills

After taking this course, students should be able to perform and report the relevant results from

  •  a statistical analysis analysis of the effect of a treatment based on an experiment with random assignment,
  • an analysis of the effect of treatment, when treatment assignment is determined by observables, using regression analysis as a matching estimator,
  • an analysis using instrumental variables techniques for the case where treatment assignment is partly based on some random variable that does not directly affect the outcome of interest,
  • a regression discontinuity analysis, for the case where treatment assignment is determined by a known "running variable",
  • a difference-in-differences analysis, where treatment and control groups are not identical, but similar enough to show the same trends in outcomes over time in the absence of treatment.
Learning Outcome - Reflection

After taking this course, students should

  • be able to read research literature and make independent judgements of whether the empirical evidence reported is credible or not,
  • have acquired an advanced understanding of causal effects based on Rubin's potential outcomes framework.
Course content
  • Empirical strategies in applied microeconomics
  • Labor supply
  • Economics of education and training
  • Discrimination in the labor market
  • lncentives and personell economics
Learning process and requirements to students

Please note that while attendance is not compulsory in all courses, it is the student's own responsibility to obtain any information provided in class that is not included on the course homepage/lt's learning or text book.

This is a course with continuous assessment (several exam components) and one final exam code. Each exam component is graded by using points on a scale from 0-100. The components will be weighted together according to the information in the course description in order to calculate the final letter grade for the examination code (course). Students who fail to participate in one/some/all exam elements will get a lower grade or may fail the course. You will find detailed information about the point system and the cut off points with reference to the letter grades when the course start.

At resit, all exam components must, as a main rule, be retaken during next scheduled course.

Software tools
No specified computer-based tools are required.
Qualifications

All courses in the Masters programme will assume that students have fulfilled the admission requirements for the programme. In addition, courses in second, third and/or fourth semester can have specific prerequisites and will assume that students have followed normal study progression. For double degree and exchange students, please note that equivalent courses are accepted.

Exam categoryWeightInvigilationDurationSupport materialsGroupingComment exam
Exam category:
Activity
Form of assessment:
Presentation
Exam code:
GRA66121
Grading scale:
Point scale
Grading rules:
Internal examiner
Resit:
All components must, as a main rule, be retaken during next scheduled course
20No -Group (4 - 6)
Exam category:
Submission
Form of assessment:
Written submission
Exam code:
GRA66121
Grading scale:
Point scale
Grading rules:
Internal and external examiner
Resit:
All components must, as a main rule, be retaken during next scheduled course
80Yes3 Hour(s)
  • BI-approved exam calculator
  • Simple calculator
  • Bilingual dictionary
Individual Final written examination with supervision
Exams:
Exam category:Activity
Form of assessment:Presentation
Weight:20
Invigilation:No
Grouping (size):Group (4-6)
Support materials:
Duration: -
Comment:
Exam code:GRA66121
Grading scale:Point scale
Resit:All components must, as a main rule, be retaken during next scheduled course
Exam category:Submission
Form of assessment:Written submission
Weight:80
Invigilation:Yes
Grouping (size):Individual
Support materials:
  • BI-approved exam calculator
  • Simple calculator
  • Bilingual dictionary
Duration:3 Hour(s)
Comment:Final written examination with supervision
Exam code:GRA66121
Grading scale:Point scale
Resit:All components must, as a main rule, be retaken during next scheduled course
Exam organisation: 
Continuous assessment
Grading scale: 
ECTS
Total weight: 
100
Sum workload: 
0

A course of 1 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of 26-30 hours. Therefore a course of 6 ECTS credits corresponds to a workload of at least 160 hours.