ELE 3729 Applied Microeconomics

ELE 3729 Applied Microeconomics

Course code: 
ELE 3729
Department: 
Economics
Credits: 
7.5
Course coordinator: 
Terje Synnestvedt
Course name in Norwegian: 
Anvendt mikroøkonomi
Product category: 
Bachelor
Portfolio: 
Bachelor - Electives
Semester: 
2020 Autumn
Active status: 
Active
Level of study: 
Bachelor
Teaching language: 
Norwegian
Course type: 
One semester
Introduction

The main objective of this course is to provide students with insight into how key socio-economic issues can be elucidated using microeconomic theory.

Students will develop an understanding of why we have a public sector and how public interventions, including direct and indirect regulations, affect the actors in economic life. Students will gain insight into the purpose of, and the elements of, cost-benefit analyzes. They also gain insight into the benefits of international trade and how the use of oil money can affect the business structure.

Learning outcomes - Knowledge

After completing the course the students should have;

  • Learned some principles on how actors who are part of a mutual addiction will be able to adapt.
  • Acquired broad knowledge of phenomena that, in an unregulated economy, give rise to inefficient use of resources, including phenomena such as external effects, collective goods, imperfect competition, natural monopoly and deficient information.
  •  Learn what actions can be taken where such phenomena exist, to achieve better resource allocation.
  •  Acquired good knowledge of the various steps in a cost-benefit analysis.
  •  Acquired knowledge about how resource use can affect the business structure of a country.
  •  Developed understanding of the benefits of international trade.
Learning outcomes - Skills

After completing the course, students should be able to:

  • Determine which micro-theoretical approach is most relevant to elucidate a specific problem.
  • Analyze a problem using both verbal, graphic and mathematical presentations.
  • Analyze a problem using both graphic and mathematical presentations.
General Competence

The students should develop a critical sense to statements related to the society's allocation of resources and be able to assess an economic issue from different individuals / groups' interests.

Course content
  • Efficiency
  • Taxes and subsidies
  • Inequalities
  • Game theory
  • Market failure (externalities, public goods, imperfect competition, natural monopoly and imperfect information).
  • Public sector, some facts
  • Government failure
  • Taxation
  • Cost-benefit analysis
  • Environmental Economics
  • Industrial organization
  • International trade
  • The financial crise
Teaching and learning activities

The course consists of 36 lecture hours + 6 hours of plenary review of 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.
Additional information

For electives re-sit is normally offered at the next scheduled course. If an elective is discontinued or is not initiated in the semester it is offered, re-sit will be offered in the electives ordinary semester.

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

SØK 3520 Microeconomics or eqivalent

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: 
ELE37291
Grading scale: 
ECTS
Resit: 
Examination when next scheduled course
Type of Assessment: 
Ordinary examination
Total weight: 
100
Student workload
ActivityDurationComment
Teaching
36 Hour(s)
Feedback activities and counselling
6 Hour(s)
Review of assignments in plenary
Student's own work with learning resources
100 Hour(s)
Group work / Assignments
55 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.