76616 - Crash Course in Economics

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students will have a sufficient knowledge of the basic concepts of Microeconomics (market, price, competition, supply, demand) and Macroeconomics (GDP, unemployment, inflation) to undertake the Master in Tourism Economics and Management.

Course contents

The Crash course is scheduled as follows.

First part - Economics (11 and 12 September, 2018)

1. Economics, an introduction;
2. The object of study of Economics
3. Specialization and exchange;
4. Market, demand, supply, price
5. Economics, macroeconomics and microeconomics

Second part - Macroeconomics (13, 14 and 16 September, 2018)

1. The macroeconomic debate
2. Growth, employment, inflation...
3. The economy in the real world
4. Poverty, inequality, human development
5. Economics: a recap

Third part - Microeconomics (second term, November 2018)

1. Consumption
2. Production
3. Market equilibrium
4. Market structure
5. Market failures.

Readings/Bibliography

Students with no or limited knowledge of economics are kindly requested to study an introductory textbook of Economics, well before the crash course starts. There are many such books on the market (and in the libraries), and any book entitled "Economics", "Introduction to Economics", "Principles of Economics" should be ok.

Students should bring such books at the crash course, together with their notebook or tablets, since most of the crash course will be based on real-time searches of teaching material and data and on classroom discussion.

Additional material will be posted in the Repository in due time.

Teaching methods

Informal lectures with open discussions.

Assessment methods

No final assessment is required. Throughout the course tests will be provided for self-assessment purposes.

Teaching tools

Whiteboard and Pens

Office hours

See the website of Paolo Figini