EC109: Microeconomics 1

Elizabeth Jones
Module Leader
Andrew Harkins
Module Lecturer

30 CATS - Department of Economics

Summer Module

Spring Module

Autumn Module

Principal Aims

This module provides students with a thorough understanding in basic principles of microeconomics. You will be exposed to a range of the application theories. You will gain an understanding of consumer behaviour, production theory and how markets work, including strategic behaviour of firms and the various models under which firms might behave. You will gain skills and techniques to analyse problems from a mathematical, graphical and intuitive perspective applying your knowledge to real world scenarios.

Principal Learning Outcomes

Demonstrate a solid grasp of the basic theoretical material in microeconomics, including consumer and producer theory, strategic thinking, market analysis and partial equilibrium.

Demonstrate an ability to apply their knowledge to important areas of application, including policy analysis.

Explain a variety of concepts using different approaches, including those involving mathematical, graphical and intuitive analysis.

Understand the way in which economic models are used to analyse problems and the limitations of them.

Construct models of both consumer and producer behaviour and understand their implications and limitations

Syllabus

The module will typically cover SOME OF the following topics:

Supply and Demand. Supply; demand; market equilibrium; equilibrium shocks; government intervention; supply and demand elasticities. Consumer theory. Preferences; utility; budget constraints; individual demand; substitution effects; income effects; revealed preferences, applications, behavioural economics and critiques of rational choice framework; Production. Technology; isoquants; marginal rate of technical substitution; marginal products; cost curves; long and short run; returns to scale; profit maximisation; cost minimisation; cost curves; supply curves. Competition. Profit maximisation; short run; long run; market equilibrium; consumer welfare; producer welfare; applications. Imperfect Competition; Models of Oligopoly: Cournot Model; Stackelberg Model; Comparison of Collusive, Cournot, Stackelberg, and Competitive Equilibria; Bertrand Model; Game Theory. An introduction to terminology and Nash equilibria; an introduction to economic models.

Context

Core Module: L100 - Year 1, L116 - Year 1
Pre or Co-requisites: A-level Mathematics or the equivalent

Assessment

Assessment Method: Coursework (30%) + Online Examination (70%)
Coursework Details: Online Examination (70%) , Test 1 (5%) , Test 2 (10%) , Test 3 (5%) , Test 4 (10%)
Exam Timing: Summer

Exam Rubric

Time Allowed: 3 Hours

Read all instructions carefully - and read through the entire paper at least once before you start entering your answers.

There are THREE sections in this paper. Answer ALL TWENTY questions in Section A via the link to QMP (40 marks total). QMP will be open for 80 MINUTES ONLY from the beginning of the exam. Answer ONE question from Section B (30 marks) and ONE question from Section C (30 marks).

Approved pocket calculators are allowed.

You should not submit answers to more than the required number of questions. If you do, we will mark the questions in the order that they appear, up to the required number of questions in each section.

Previous exam papers can be found in the University’s past papers archive. Please note that previous exam papers may not have operated under the same exam rubric or assessment weightings as those for the current academic year. The content of past papers may also be different.