Introduction to Economics

Faculteit—

NiveauBachelor

Studiejaar2026-2027

Beschrijving

Course goals

After completing this course students are able to:

Think conceptually as a micro-economist and as a macro-economist
Have an understanding of the main differences between different schools of thought in economics
Apply the relevant economic perspective to problems on the level of the individual actor, market(s), the economy(ies), and government(s).

Relationship between assessment and learning goals:

In this course, the final course grade is based on five elements:

Participation and online tests (10%) this tests your knowledge of, and ability to apply economic jargon and knowledge.
Macroeconomics test (30%): this tests your knowledge of, and ability to apply macroeconomics jargon and theories as well as your ability to analyze real-world macroeconomic events.
Microeconomics test (30%): this tests your knowledge of, and ability to apply microeconomics jargon and theories as well as your ability to analyze real-world microeconomic events.
Interim assessment (8% and 7%): these tests your understanding of basic concepts covered and your ability to apply and explain them in a different setting.
Rethinking Economics assessment (15%): this tests your understanding of schools of thought different from the neoclassical one and your ability to apply their thinking to economic situations.

Content

Economists develop theories aiming to explain human behavior, especially – although not exclusively – when they operate in the context of markets and market economies. The course Introduction to Economics provides an introduction to the fundamentals of economics as a science. The course covers mainstream neoclassical and Keynesian micro- and macro-economics, as well as other schools of thought.

Microeconomics focuses on the functioning of a single market and the way governments could promote it. Economic phenomena are explained from the perspective of individual behavior in a market setting. When some goods cannot be produced by private firms and sold via the market, the government can take the initiative to provide these goods, e.g. public utilities and collective goods such as dikes, defense, and justice.

Macroeconomics explains the functioning of a set of interrelated markets at the national or the international level. Also in this perspective the potential role of government is introduced e.g. in keeping a system of markets stable or in reaching economic growth.

The last weeks in the course will be dedicated to the topic of "Rethinking Economics", covering a.o., but not exclusively, institutional economics, feminist economics, Marxist economics and econological economics.

Format
The class meets twice each week for two hours. A text-book accompanied with the online learning environment MyEconLab is the base for the course. The course manual clarifies the tasks the students must fulfill before, during, and after the scheduled meetings. Additional assignments are given in order to apply the theoretical concepts to real-life phenomena.

Reviews0 reviews

Nog geen reviews voor dit vak. Wees de eerste!

Heb jij dit vak gevolgd?

Deel je ervaring met toekomstige studenten. Inloggen met je Universiteit Utrecht mailadres duurt één minuut.

Schrijf een review