ECS1101 - Introductory microeconomics

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Overview

An introduction to the study of economics; consumer behaviour; demand and supply and the operation of markets; market efficiency and welfare; welfare effects of international trade; public sector economics; the behaviour of firms and the organisation of an industry; market structures - perfect competition and monopoly; economies of the labour … For more content click the Read More button below.

Offerings

S1-01-SAFRICA-ON-CAMPUS

S2-01-SAFRICA-ON-CAMPUS

Requisites

Prohibition

Contacts

Chief Examiner(s)

Dr Tendeukayi Mugadza

Notes

IMPORTANT NOTICE:
Scheduled teaching activities and/or workload information are subject to change in response to COVID-19, please check your Unit timetable and Unit Moodle site for more details.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you should be able to:

understand the theoretical foundations of economics

understand generic skills essential for progression to upper level units by applying rigorous thinking and understanding to analytical geometric models

appreciate economics as an evolutionary science and its ability to address, in a microeconomic framework, the persistent social and economic problems confronted by society

demonstrate in individual summative assessment task the acquisition of a comprehensive understanding of the topics covered in this unit.

Teaching approach

Active learning

Lecture and tutorials or problem classes

Three principles drive the teaching approaches in this unit:

Constructive Alignment: Learning is strategically aligned to achieve the learning outcomes, as demonstrated through the assessment. Through the weekly lessons you should see clear connections to the assessment program, and learning should be directly transferrable to the assessment program.

Scaffolding: Starting from lower level learning, new knowledge and skills are progressively introduced adding complexity and connections, and expecting higher-order learning. Within each lesson, and across the unit, building upon early activities, you should see your knowledge and skills demonstrate higher capabilities.

Team-Based Learning: Learning is social and interactive, and best achieved through purposefully designed activities that include these interactions. Through your personally developed and shared learning activities you should develop, analyse, connect, synthesise, interpret, evaluate, justify… more than you could on your own.

Assessment summary

This unit contains a hurdle requirement that you must achieve to be able to pass the unit. The consequence of not achieving a hurdle requirement is a fail grade (NH) and a maximum mark of 45 for the unit.

Assessment

1 - Semester Test 1

2 - Semester Test 2

3 - Summative Exam

Scheduled and non-scheduled teaching activities

Lectures

Workload requirements

Workload

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Independent study may include associated readings, assessment and preparation for scheduled activities. The unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

Learning resources

Required resources