EC310-15 Topics in Development Economics

Department: Economics
Level: Undergraduate Level 3
Module leader: Subhasish Dey
Credit value: 15
Module duration: 10 weeks
Assessment: Multiple
Study location: University of Warwick main campus, Coventry

Introductory description

Module aims

The module aims to enable students to obtain an understanding of a range of problems in economic development in low income countries, and to demonstrate how the tools of economic analysis can throw light on economic behaviour (and especially household behaviour) and help formulate appropriate policies to remedy acute problems linked to poverty in low income countries.

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

The precise syllabus varies each year. Typically, the course is centred around a relatively limited number of themes that are explored in great depth. Example of themes explored in recent years are: poverty traps; credit markets; the importance of trust and reputation; and trade and development.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

Professional skills: … Review the relevant literature and evidence. The teaching and learning methods that enable students to achieve this learning outcome are: Lectures, background reading, and independent study. The summative assessment methods that measure the achievement of this learning outcome are: Assessed essay (2000 words) and unseen examination.
Subject knowledge and understanding: … demonstrate an improved awareness of the causes, consequences and possible remedies for serious Third World problems. The teaching and learning methods that enable students to achieve this learning outcome are: Lectures, background reading, and independent study. The summative assessment methods that measure the achievement of this learning outcome are: Assessed essay (2000 words) and unseen examination.
Subject knowledge and understanding: . . .demonstrate a greater awareness of selected institutional aspects of global poverty, conflict, trade and development. The teaching and learning methods that enable students to achieve this learning outcome are: Lectures, background reading, and independent study. The summative assessment methods that measure the achievement of this learning outcome are: Assessed essay (2000 words) and unseen examination.
Cognitive skills: … Apply critical analysis to the topics of the module, formulate concepts and hypotheses, and show how they are tested in relevant literature. The teaching and learning methods that enable students to achieve this learning outcome are: Lectures, background reading, and independent study. The summative assessment methods that measure the achievement of this learning outcome are: Assessed essay (2000 words) and unseen examination.
Key skills: … Communicate their knowledge and understanding to others. The teaching and learning methods that enable students to achieve this learning outcome are: Lectures, background reading, and independent study. The summative assessment methods that measure the achievement of this learning outcome are: Assessed essay (2000 words) and unseen examination.
Subject knowledge and understanding: … demonstrate an enhanced knowledge of microeconomic topics in development. The teaching and learning methods that enable students to achieve this learning outcome are: Lectures, background reading, and independent study. The summative assessment methods that measure the achievement of this learning outcome are: Assessed essay (2000 words) and unseen examination.

Indicative reading list

Please see Talis Aspire link for most up to date list.

View reading list on Talis Aspire

Subject specific skills

Students will have the opportunity to develop skills in:
Analytical thinking and communication
Analytical reasoning
Critical thinking
Creative thinking
Problem-solving
Abstraction
Policy evaluation
Analysis of incentives
Concepts of Simultaneity and Endogeneity
Analysis of optimisation
Understanding of Uncertainty and Incomplete Information

Transferable skills

Students will have the opportunity to develop:
Research skills
Numeracy and quantitative skills
Data-based skills
IT skills
Written communication skills
Mathematical, statistical and data-based research skills

Study time

Type	Required
Lectures	20 sessions of 1 hour (13%)
Seminars	4 sessions of 1 hour (3%)
Private study	126 hours (84%)
Total	150 hours

Private study description

Private study will be required in order to prepare for seminars/classes, to review lecture notes, to prepare for forthcoming assessments, tests, and exams, and to undertake wider reading around the subject.

Costs

No further costs have been identified for this module.

You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.

Students can register for this module without taking any assessment.

Assessment group D2

	Weighting	Eligible for self-certification
Written Assignment (2000 words)	20%	No
Online Examination	80%	No
A paper which examines the course content and ensures learning outcomes are achieved. ~Platforms - AEP Students may use a calculator

Assessment group R1

	Weighting	Study time	Eligible for self-certification
Online Examination - Resit	100%		No
~Platforms - AEP Online examination: No Answerbook required Students may use a calculator

Assessment group S

	Weighting	Eligible for self-certification
Written Assignment (2000 words)	20%	No
Online Examination	80%	No
Online examination: No Answerbook required Students may use a calculator

Feedback on assessment

The Department of Economics is committed to providing high quality and timely feedback to students on their assessed work, to enable them to review and continuously improve their work. We are dedicated to ensuring feedback is returned to students within 20 University working days of their assessment deadline. Feedback for assignments is returned either on a standardised assessment feedback cover sheet which gives information both by tick boxes and by free comments or via free text comments on tabula, together with the annotated assignment. For tests and problem sets, students receive solutions as an important form of feedback and their marked assignment, with a breakdown of marks and comments by question and sub-question. Students are informed how to access their feedback, either by collecting from the Undergraduate Office or via tabula. Module leaders often provide generic feedback for the cohort outlining what was done well, less well, and what was expected on the assignment and any other common themes. This feedback also includes a cumulative distribution function with summary statistics so students can review their performance in relation to the cohort. This feedback is in addition to the individual-specific feedback on assessment performance.

Past exam papers for EC310

Pre-requisites

Any of:

EC204-30 Economics 2 AND
EC203-30 Applied Econometrics

EC204-30 Economics 2 AND
EC226-30 Econometrics 1

EC201-30 Macroeconomics 2 AND
EC202-30 Microeconomics 2 AND
EC226-30 Econometrics 1

Courses

This module is Optional for:

TECA-L1PA Postgraduate Taught Economics (Diploma plus MSc)
- Year 1 of L1PA Economics (Diploma plus MSc)
- Year 2 of L1PA Economics (Diploma plus MSc)
UECA-3 Undergraduate Economics 3 Year Variants
- Year 3 of L100 Economics
- Year 3 of L116 Economics and Industrial Organization
UECA-4 Undergraduate Economics 4 Year Variants
- Year 4 of LV16 Economics & Economic History with Study Abroad
- Year 4 of L103 Economics with Study Abroad
- Year 4 of LM1H Economics, Politics & International Studies with Study Abroad
- Year 4 of L114 Industrial Economics with Study in Europe
Year 3 of UECA-LM1D Undergraduate Economics, Politics and International Studies
USTA-G300 Undergraduate Master of Mathematics,Operational Research,Statistics and Economics
- Year 3 of G300 Mathematics, Operational Research, Statistics and Economics
- Year 4 of G300 Mathematics, Operational Research, Statistics and Economics
Year 3 of UMAA-GL11 Undergraduate Mathematics and Economics
Year 4 of UECA-GL12 Undergraduate Mathematics and Economics (with Intercalated Year)
UPHA-V7MM Undergraduate Philosophy, Politics and Economics (with Intercalated year)
- Year 4 of V7MQ Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite) with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of V7MH Philosophy, Politics and Economics - Economics/Philosophy Bipartite (Economics Major) (with Intercalated year)
- Year 4 of V7MF Philosophy, Politics and Economics - Economics/Politics Bipartite (Economics Major) (with Intercalated year)
- Year 4 of V7MI Philosophy, Politics and Economics - Philosophy/Economics Bipartite (Philosophy Major) (with Intercalated year)
- Year 4 of V7MJ Philosophy, Politics and Economics - Philosophy/Politics Bipartite (with Intercalated year)
- Year 4 of V7MG Philosophy, Politics and Economics - Politics/Economics Bipartite (Politics Major) (with Intercalated year)

This module is Option list B for:

Year 3 of USTA-Y602 Undergraduate Mathematics,Operational Research,Statistics and Economics
Year 4 of USTA-Y603 Undergraduate Mathematics,Operational Research,Statistics,Economics (with Intercalated Year)

This module is Option list C for:

Year 3 of USTA-G300 Undergraduate Master of Mathematics,Operational Research,Statistics and Economics
USTA-G301 Undergraduate Master of Mathematics,Operational Research,Statistics and Economics (with Intercalated
- Year 3 of G30F Master of Maths, Op.Res, Stats & Economics (Econometrics and Mathematical Economics Stream) Int
- Year 4 of G30F Master of Maths, Op.Res, Stats & Economics (Econometrics and Mathematical Economics Stream) Int