37293 - Microeconomics

Learning outcomes

Students acquire a working knowledge of the fundamental topics of microeconomics: Theory of consumption, theory of production in competitive markets, partial equilibrium, general equilibrium and efficiency.

Course contents

This class will be taught in the SECOND semester in the Bologna campus. The plan is to cover these topics:

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1. Introduction

2. Competitive markets

3. Consumer choice

4. Production

5. Climate change

6. Monopoly

7. Imperfect competition

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8. Uncertainty

9. The State as an economic actor

10. Markets and taxation

11. Economic Inequality

12. Labor markets

13. Credit markets

14. Firms and business corporations

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Readings/Bibliography

The main textbook for this course is CORE's "The Economy: Economics for a Changing World," available online for free:

https://www.core-econ.org/the-economy/book/text/0-3-contents.html

Additional readings will be provided in Virtuale.

Teaching methods

Lectures will be in presence and will include some in-class games where you are expected to make choices. These activities are integral part of your learning experience. Students are expected to attend lectures and complete the mandatory readings. Readings are a complement to, not a substitute for, lectures---the exam will test knowledge of both.

Attending lectures is recommended because the concepts covered in class only partially overlaps with the textbook and because it is the only way to experience the in-class games. Lectures will include a variety of in-class games, where you will take decisions in economic situations and which constitute a critical learning experience.

In addition to lectures, there will be recitations to go through practice problems and applications. You will be assigned to a group and will have the opportunity to earn extra points in each recitation session. These points will be added to your midterm or your final exam score.

Assessment methods

The course grade will be determined by a midterm exam and a final exam. See the general rules here: https://corsi.unibo.it/1cycle/EconomicsPoliticsSocialSciences/information-and-rules-about-exams

Both exams will be written, and will contain a mixture of multiple choice and short open questions, including practical exercises. The midterm will account for 50% of your grade, and the final exam will account for the remaining 50%.

The midterm will cover topics 1-7.
The final will cover topics 8-14. If you pass the midterm, then you can take the final. If you fail the midterm, then you will have to take the full exam. If you pass the midterm and fail the final, then you will have to take the full exam.
The full exam will cover topics 1-14.

For EPOS students, passing the Microeconomics exam by September is a pre-requisite in order to be able to take the midterm and the final exam of other courses. Download the document here: https://corsi.unibo.it/1cycle/EconomicsPoliticsSocialSciences/course-structure-diagram

For ERASMUS and exchange students, please be aware of the school-wide policy about the exam calendar: https://corsi.unibo.it/1cycle/EconomicsPoliticsSocialSciences/information-and-rules-about-exams

Teaching tools

All the material covered in class and in the recitation sessions (slides, readings, lecture notes) will be available online on Virtuale.

In order to prepare for the exam, students are required to read all mandatory readings (book, lecture notes, additional readings) and the lecture slides. The mandatory readings, including the book sections are detailed in the course syllabus, which will be posted in Virtuale before the first lecture.

Office hours

See the website of Marco Casari