SØK 3525 Macroeconomics

SØK 3525 Macroeconomics

Course code: 
SØK 3525
Department: 
Economics
Credits: 
7.5
Course coordinator: 
Hans-Martin Straume
Course name in Norwegian: 
Makroøkonomi for økonomer
Product category: 
Bachelor
Portfolio: 
Bachelor - Common Courses
Semester: 
2021 Spring
Active status: 
Active
Level of study: 
Bachelor
Teaching language: 
Norwegian
Course type: 
One semester
Introduction

Macroeconomics is the study of the economy as a whole. It deals with phenomena such as long-run economic growth, business cycles, unemployment, inflation, and deficits on the balance of payments. Analyses on how governments and central banks can influence the economy through fiscal and monetary policy are particularly important in macroeconomics.

Learning outcomes - Knowledge

After completing the course, students shall know:

  • Different macroeconomic concepts and important relationships between macroeconomic variables. 
  • How macroeconomic indicators is used to identify turning points for the business cycles.
  • The central factors for economic growth and the concept of sustainable growth.
  • Key objectives for the economic policy and how the central policy makers execute the economic policy.  
  • How digitalization and technological development may affect labor demand
  • How the implementation of different policies affects a small open economy with flexible exchange rates.    
  • How the Norwegian economy is affected by international conditions.  
  • Important assessments for the implementation of monetary and fiscal policy.
  • The difference between descriptive and normative statements.
Learning outcomes - Skills

After completing the course, students will:

  • Be able to decide which macroeconomic theory that is the most relevant to discuss a given macroeconomic problem.
  • Understand how to collect and utilize relevant macroeconomic data and indicators assess the present domestic business cycle.
  • Be able to discuss basic macroeconomic relationships and have obtained a critical sense when it comes to identify correct and wrong statements about the macroeconomy and macroeconomic policy.
  • Know how to discuss changes in macroeconomic policies using both formal mathematical and graphic models.
  • Be able to explain the difference between the real economy and nominal variables.
  • Know how to identify possible conflicts between the main goals of the fiscal policy.
General Competence

After taking this course the students should be ethically conscious about the conflicts of interest and inherent goal conflicts and trade-offs in macroeconomic policy. They should be aware of the importance of sustainable use of the society’s resources. The students should be able to look at a macroeconomic policy issue from different perspectives in regard to the interests of different groups in society. They should also have developed a critical attitude making them conscious of the difference between political ambitions behind announcements of goals and the real effects of macroeconomic policies in practice.

Course content
  • Introduction to macroeconomics
  • National accounts and economic indicators
  • Population development and the wealth of nations
  • Productivity, economic growth and inequality
  • Labor market, institutions and unemployment
  • Money, credit and exchange rates
  • Business cycles 
  • Asset bubbles and financial crisis
  • Inflation, expected inflation and output gap
  • Monetary- and fiscal policy
Teaching and learning activities

The course consists of 39 hours of lectures and 6 hours of plenary exercises

E-learning
In course delivery as online courses, lecturer will, in collaboration with the student administration, organize an appropriate course implementation, combining different learning activities and digital elements on the learning platform. Online students are also offered a study guide that will contribute to progression and overview. Total recommended time spent for completing the course also applies here.

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

Higher Education Entrance Qualification

Covid-19

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there may be deviations in teaching and learning activities as well as exams, compared with what is described in this course description.

Required prerequisite knowledge

This course requires prior knowledge in mathematics (MET 2910), statistics (MET 2920), and microeconomics (SØK 3520).

Assessments
Assessments
Exam category: 
Submission
Form of assessment: 
Written submission
Invigilation
Weight: 
100
Grouping: 
Individual
Support materials: 
  • BI-approved exam calculator
  • Simple calculator
Duration: 
3 Hour(s)
Exam code: 
SØK35251
Grading scale: 
ECTS
Resit: 
Examination every semester
Type of Assessment: 
Ordinary examination
Total weight: 
100
Student workload
ActivityDurationComment
Teaching
39 Hour(s)
Feedback activities and counselling
6 Hour(s)
Review of assignments in plenary
Prepare for teaching
128 Hour(s)
Group work / Assignments
24 Hour(s)
Examination
3 Hour(s)
Sum workload: 
200

A course of 1 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of 26-30 hours. Therefore a course of 7,5 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of at least 200 hours.