Upon completion of the module, students will be able to use verbal and graphical methods to construct elementary economics models and to derive the predictions of those models. They will be able to use these methods to solve analytical problems in elementary microeconomics and macroeconomics. Students will be able to assess the implications of various economic policies in the context of these models.

Module aims

- to ensure that students from a wide range of educational backgrounds have a deeper understanding of economic concepts, terminology and graphs
- to enable students to apply theory to a range of weekly coursework material
- to enable students to express relevant economic concepts in essay form and to give comprehensive explanations and justifications to support any essays
- to enable students to express and analyse relevant economic concepts in an exam situation
- to provide students with a strong foundation for their future studies

Learning outcomes - coursework

On successful completion of the module, students will be expected to be able to demonstrate:

- awareness of the sources of information
- the ability to synthesise and interpret information from a range of sources - lectures, classes, textbooks, the Web, etc.
- the ability to evaluate the relative importance and relevance of different source material to specific areas of study
- knowledge of the fundamental principles of economics
- the ability to assess the relative merits of a range of theories, techniques and tools needed to solve a problem or to present arguments and policies
- the ability to construct and present reasoned, informed and concise descriptions and assessments of ideas in economics
- use and apply terminology and concepts appropriate to the field of study
- the ability to present economic ideas and arguments coherently in writing
- an ability to communicate effectively both mathematical arguments and textual accounts of ideas and concepts in economics
- the ability to identify, evaluate and find effective solutions to problems

Learning outcomes - examination

On successful completion of the module, students will be expected to be able to demonstrate:

- the ability to work to a satisfactory standard under examination conditions
- effective time management skills
- the ability to express complex concepts intelligibly without immediate recourse to source material
- the ability to work autonomously during revision periods
- the ability to absorb and retain knowledge of the fundamental principles of economics
- the ability to identify, evaluate and apply effective solutions to problems
- the ability to demonstrate understanding and knowledge of the fundamental principles of economics by clearly communicating ideas in writing