EC966-15 Labour Economics
Introductory description
EC966-15 Labour Economics
Module aims
The aim of the module is to equip students with the analytical tools and the knowledge to study and understand the economics of unemployment, jobs and wages. The module relates recent developments in labour-economics research with policy-relevant issues.
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 syllabus may cover, but is not limited to, recent developments in labour economics research including:
- Labour supply,
- Labour demand,
- Human capital: Returns to schooling and quality of education,
- Equilibrium of the competitive labour market, Hedonic theory of wages and CEO pay,
- Unemployment, Job Search and Matching,
- Discrimination,
- Unemployment Insurance,
- Active Labour Market Policies
In each case, discussion will include theory and empirical work.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Subject Knowledge and Understanding:...have developed skills in combining theoretical models and empirical results to address policy issues related to employment, unemployment and wages. The teaching and learning methods that enable students to achieve this learning outcome are: Lectures, reading, independent study. The summative assessment methods that measure the achievement of this learning outcome are: Essays and final test.
- Subject Knowledge and Understanding:...be able to advise on labour market policies from a position of knowledge. The teaching and learning methods that enable students to achieve this learning outcome are: Lectures, reading, independent study. The summative assessment methods that measure the achievement of this learning outcome are: Essays and final test.
- Subject Knowledge and Understanding:...be able to understand recent research works in empirical labour economics, to assess their relevance, contribution and reliability and to connect them with existing results and open policy questions. The teaching and learning methods that enable students to achieve this learning outcome are: Lectures, reading, independent study. The summative assessment methods that measure the achievement of this learning outcome are: Essays and final test.
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:
Research and debate
Analytical thinking and communication
Analytical Reasoning
Critical thinking
Strategic Thinking
Problem solving
Abstraction
Policy Evaluation
Analysis of Incentives
Transferable skills
Students will have the opportunity to develop:
Numeracy and Quantitative skills
IT Skills
Written communication
Oral communication
Mathematical, Statistical, data-based research skills
Study time
| Type | Required |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 18 sessions of 1 hour (12%) |
| Other activity | 3 hours (2%) |
| Private study | 129 hours (86%) |
| 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 to undertake wider reading around the subject.
Other activity description
Additional classes
Costs
No further costs have been identified for this module.
You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.
Assessment group A
| Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
Assessment component |
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| Essay 1 | 12% | Yes (extension) | |
Reassessment component is the same |
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Assessment component |
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| Essay 2 | 12% | Yes (extension) | |
Reassessment component is the same |
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Assessment component |
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| Test | 76% | No | |
Reassessment component is the same |
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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 Department of Economics Postgraduate 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.
Pre-requisites
Basic knowledge of microeconomic principles, elementary mathematical methods such as constrained optimization, and simple statistical methods such as multivariate regression. Knowledge of panel data techniques and basic microeconometrics would be an advantage.
Courses
This module is Optional for:
- Year 1 of TECA-L1P6 Postgraduate Taught Economics