- Docente: Martin Gonzalez Eiras
- Credits: 8
- SSD: SECS-P/01
- Language: English
- Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
- Campus: Bologna
- Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in Economics and Finance (cod. 6646)
Learning outcomes
This is an introductory course in macroeconomics. The goal is to develop a relatively advanced basis for an understanding of how the national and global economies work at the aggregate level, and how production, employment, prices and interest rates are determined. We will develop the theoretical foundations to analyze the business cycle (why economic activity fluctuates), long run economic growth (why some countries are rich and other poor, why some countries are growing and other stagnating), the 2007-2008 financial crisis and subsequent deep recession as well as how fiscal, monetary, and economic policy in general affect economic activity.
Course contents
Growth stylized facts
Solow growth model
Households’ consumption and saving decisions
Labor and leisure
Investment
General equilibrium
Asset prices
Money and inflation
Business cycle facts and models
Fiscal and monetary policy
Readings/Bibliography
"A Course in Modern Macroeconomics", 2020, by Pablo Kurlat, Independtly published, is the main textbook
Teaching methods
Lectures and recitations, complemented by supporting material.
Attendance of both lectures and recitations is strongly recommended.
Assessment methods
Assessment will take place through written exams (no oral exams). During the semester, students will have the opportunity to take two partial exams (the final grade is the average of the two partials). Full exams can cover material from any topic. Students can reject an exam pass grade only once. Quizzes and an assignment will contribute to the final grade.
The maximum possible score in the class is 30 cum laude, in case all answers are correct, complete and formally rigorous.
The grade distribution is as follows:
<18 failed
18-23 sufficient
24-27 good
28-30 very good
30 e lode excellent
In case online exams will be envisaged by the University of Bologna for all students, the structure of the written exam is the same. The exam will be run through Teams or Zoom and Exams Online (EOL). Detailed instructions on how to manage and hand in the online exam are available on the course page on the VIRTUALE platform.
Teaching tools
Lectures and recitations.
Slides, exercises, and other material will be made available online on virtuale.
Both the book and the additional material, to be posted online, are compulsory for the preparation of the exam.
Office hours
See the website of Martin Gonzalez Eiras