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Overview

Course Prescription

Study of the allocation of scarce resources among competing end uses. Intermediate-level analysis of the economic behaviour of individual units, in particular consumers and firms. Although the focus is on perfectly competitive markets, attention is also given to other types of markets. Analysis also includes concepts of expected utility and uncertainty, and welfare economics.

Course Overview

This is an intermediate level course designed to give students a solid understanding of economic intuition, theoretical constructs and analytical tools. The aim is to foster independent application of analytical tools and not passively absorb pre-digested cases. Fundamental conceptual foundations of microeconomics and a deeper understanding of their application is encouraged. The aim is to be analytical without being excessively mathematical. The course provides a set of microeconomic models for students who are: (1) intending to advance further with economics; (2) expecting to be involved in business and policy fields; and (3) interested in humanities and social science and ways of analysing social processes.

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect overall, weekly:

  • 4 hours of lectures,
  • 1 hour of tutorials,
  • an average of 7 hours of reading and thinking about the content, as well as of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

It is important to note that most learning can be achieved during class and tutorial time, plus preparation for both classes and tutorials. Lectures provide a structure to assist your study, introducing the relevant topics, concepts, tools, and providing examples and exercises for you to work on, to begin with. Tutorial time allows you to practice with the self-assessment exercises and selected end-of-chapter exercises on a regular basis. Weekly tutorials will focus on reviewing self-assessed and selected end-of-chapter exercises. The level of difficulty of exercises chosen for either tutorial sessions or assessments (take-home tests) will be on the easier side. Even if not assessed on those, students can choose to also practice with more challenging exercises, especially if interested in pursuing further studies in economics. Regardless, the available exercises always give students ample opportunity to apply concepts from previous worked-out examples during class time.

Course Prerequisites, Corequisites and Restrictions

Corequisite

Additional Advice on Prerequisites

Prerequisite: ECON 152 or 180 points in Mathematics or Statistics with a GPA of 5 or higher and a B or higher in MATHS 130

Locations and Semesters Offered

LocationSemester
City
City

Teaching and Learning

Campus Experience

Expectations for this course:

  • Attendance is highly recommended at scheduled activities (lectures and tutorials) to succeed in the course.
  • Lectures will also be available as recordings.
  • Final examination - as examinations for other courses - is likely to still occur via Inspera, therefore remotely.

The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Taught courses use a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas to provide students with learning materials including reading lists and lecture recordings (where available). Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Additional Information on Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available). Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor. Lecture slides and recordings will be posted on Canvas.

The required textbook is

Espinola-Arredondo, A., & Muñoz-Garcia, F. (2020). Intermediate microeconomic theory: Tools and step-by-step examples. MIT Press.

A recommended book with solutions to the textbook's end-of-chapter exercises is

Dunaway, E., Strandholm, J. C., Espinola-Arredondo, A., & Muñoz-Garcia, F. (2020). Practice exercises for intermediate microeconomic theory. MIT Press.

Copyright

The content and delivery of content in this course are protected by copyright. Material belonging to others may have been used in this course and copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license.


You may copy the course content for the purposes of private study or research, but you may not upload onto any third-party site, make a further copy or sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of the course content to another person.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Other Information

Please refer to the Canvas site for any updates and announcements about this course. Any important communication will be posted on that site for you to be informed about it promptly.

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings. Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Similarly, research students must meet the University’s expectations of good research practice. This requires:

  • Honesty - in all aspects of research work
  • Accountability - in the conduct of research
  • Professional courtesy and fairness – in working with others
  • Good stewardship – on behalf of others
  • Transparency – of research process and presentation of results
  • Clarity - communication to be understandable, explainable and accessible

For more information on the University’s expectations of academic integrity, please see the Academic Conduct section of the University policy hub.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about taught courses is made available to enrolled students in Canvas.

Students may be asked to submit assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.


Assessment and Learning Outcomes

Course Learning Outcomes

CLO #OutcomeProgramme Capability Link
1
2
3
4

Assessments

Assessment TypeAssessment PercentageAssessment Classification

Additional Information on Assessment

There is no plussage. The final grade will depend on marks in both coursework and the final. You do not need to pass the final in order to pass the course. You must get 50% or more over all assessments to pass.

Assessment to CLO Mapping

Assessment Type1234

Student Feedback, Support and Charter

Student Feedback

Feedback on taught courses is gathered from students at the end of each semester through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions. Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students. In addition, class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Additional Information on Student Feedback

We value students' feedback. Timely communication about what students like and would like to see more of, and what they like less and would like to see less of, will make it for a more enjoyable teaching and learning experience, as well as help to improve the design and delivery of future offerings of this course.

Class representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Tuākana

Tuākana is a multi-faceted programme for Māori and Pacific students providing topic specific tutorials, one-on-one sessions, test and exam preparation and more. Explore your options at Tuakana Learning Communities.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website.

Wellbeing

We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - please see the Support Services page for information on support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed work is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due. If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page. This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter.

Student Academic Complaints and Disputes

Students with concerns about teaching including how a course is delivered, the resources provided, or supervision arrangements, have the right to express their concerns and seek resolution. The university encourages informal resolution where possible, as this is quicker and less stressful. For information on the informal and formal complaints processes, please refer to the Student Academic Complaints Statute in the Student Policies and Guidelines section of the Policy Hub.