ECON104-09S1 (C) Semester One 2009

Introduction to Microeconomics

18 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 23 February 2009
End Date: Sunday, 28 June 2009
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Friday, 6 March 2009
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Friday, 22 May 2009

Description

Scarcity, exchange and trade. Market analysis and policy. Consumer choice theory. Theory of the firm. Imperfect competition. Externalities and public goods.

Scarcity, exchange and trade. Market analysis and policy. Consumer choice theory. Theory of the firm. Imperfect competition. Externalities and public goods.

The two ECON 100 level courses in Economics (i.e. ECON104 and ECON105) aim to:
• Develop economically literate citizens.
• Provide students with experience in basic economic methodology and analysis.
• Introduce students to the process of economic reasoning.
• Enhance students' ability to critically interpret the economic 'wisdom' of the popular media.
• Provide preparation for further study in the subject (specifically with reference to courses at Canterbury).

ECON104 studies microeconomics, which examines theories of how consumers and producers behave and interact in individual markets.  The course covers a general study of the workings of markets and a more in-depth analysis of the two sides – supply (producers) and demand (consumers).  The course also covers issues that do not fit the conventional assumptions of the supply and demand framework.

ECON104 is a prerequisite for ECON230 or ECON231, either of which is a compulsory subject for students majoring in Economics.  ECON104 is also required by ICANZ and serves as a prerequisite for management courses.

Mathematics, in the form of simple algebra, will be used to introduce students to formal economic analysis and to complement the graphical and verbal exposition of material.

Restrictions

ECON101, ECON106

Timetable Note

There is one tutorial hour per week in addition to lectures.

Note:  not all tutorial slots will necessarily be offered.  Students who are fully enrolled in the course will get access to the online self enrolment system that the Department of Economics uses.  Students will then be able to select from the offered time slots.

Lecturer

Steve Agnew

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage 
Assignment 10%
Final Exam 60%
On-line multi-choice tests 10%
Term Test 20%

Textbooks / Resources

Required Texts

ECON104 Course Reader for current year ;

Mankiw, N. Gregory; Principles of microeconomics ; 4th ed; Thomson South-Western, 2007 (This text must be purchased as a bundle with the ECON 105 text).

The text must be purchased as a bundle with the ECON 105 text:
Mankiw, N.G., Bandyopadhyay, D. & Wooding, P. (2007), Principles of Macroeconomics in New Zealand.  Australia:  Thomson Learning.

Course links

Library portal
WebCT

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $677.00

International fee $2,850.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see Department of Economics and Finance .

All ECON104 Occurrences