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Cursus: ECB1EMNW
ECB1EMNW
Multidisciplinary Economics
Cursus informatie
CursuscodeECB1EMNW
Studiepunten (EC)7,5
Cursusdoelen
Learning objectives 
At the end of the course you have acquired:
  • Basic knowledge of economic concepts;
  • An overview of explanatory strategies of economists compared with other social sciences;
  • Insight in theoretical and methodological connections between economics and other disciplines.
Inhoud
After the Second World War, economics developed from a largely verbal discipline that shared theories, methods, and approaches with other social sciences, such as psychology, sociology and political science, into a highly mathematical discipline that seemed to no longer share theories and methods with its ‘sister-social-sciences’. Mathematical models, tested on statistics, became a distinguishing feature of economics, to such an extent that some contemporary economists came to identify economics with its methods, rather than its theories, and the economics discipline as an insular tribe with little or no points of contact with the other social sciences. In those cases where economics joined forces with other social sciences, this was even considered ‘economics imperialism’; that is: economic theories invading other disciplines. Because economics became a method-based discipline, it actually is not a unified discipline, but rather a patchwork of several fields, where each field has its own favoured methods to investigate its own specific phenomena.

The purpose of this course is to provide an overview of the various economic fields by investigating these fields in their historical and methodological context and the linkages between these different field and to other social sciences. This overview will also provide a reflection of the bachelor’s curriculum – the way it is built up and how the several courses are connected – such that this course will also function as an introductory course to the bachelor of the U.S.E.. It will also give us the opportunity to have brief excursions into the different minors offered at U.S.E.: law, social sciences, and  geography. Each week a specific theme will be discussed. Each theme covers one or a few fields:
- Mathematics + economics = models 
- Statistics and economics: econometrics
- (Inter)National economics: Macroeconomics and economic geography
- Law and economics
- Sociology and economics: organisation theory
- Experimental economics, and Psychology and economics: rational choice

Parallel to this, the course includes a training in basic academic skills. This academic skills part teaches how to write a short scientific literature review. Step by step you learn how to find the relevant literature, to write a bibliography, an abstract, an introduction, a conclusion, and a body of a literature review. You learn how to use academic language, to support your arguments, to paraphrase, to avoid plagiarism, to evaluate research papers, and to synthesise research.

Academic skills
This course focuses on the following academic skills:
  • Analytical skills:
    • Being able to identify, interpret and critically evaluate the main line of reasoning, for specific questions. 
    • Being able to evaluate evidence in text and presentations for specific questions. 
  • Communication skills
    • Being able to prepare - in a structured assignment - an abstract, an introduction and a conclusion of an article. 
    • Pass the language test English (at once or after taking a language course).  
  • Information processing
    • Being able to make use of the UU library sources (using Libguides).
    • Understanding the definition and the importance of avoiding plagiarism.
    • Being able to select a style of referencing and to apply the style instructions for references in text, and for a reference list.
  • Academic reasoning
    • ​Thinking conceptually, thinking in terms of theory.
    • Asking critical questions, having a curiosity-driven and critical attitude. 
    • Analysing questions from different perspectives. 
    • Identifying links between problems. 
  • Academic research
    • Being able to search and select (additional) sources for the research. 
    • Being able to apply theoretical concepts in research. 
    • Being able to use correct references. 
    • Being able to draw clear and correct conclusions. 
  • Social responsibility
    • Develop a scientific and professional integrity.
    • Being able to reflect critically on the position and ethics of economic theory, institutions and behaviour. 
Format 
Lecture, tutorial, workshop, feedback, library instruction, English language test.

Effort requirements
  • 80% attendance of all tutorials;
  • Active participation in the tutorials;
  • Preparation for the tutorials;
  • Timely handing in of weekly writing assignments.
Assessment method
  • Individual writing assignment (40% of the final grade)
  • Final test (60% of the final grade)

Course repeaters 
Students who enrolled for this course in (one or more) preceding years, who did not disenrol in time and pass the course can participate in the repeater's programme. They cannot follow the regular tutorials.  For the format this means that repeaters:
  • Can follow the weekly lecture;
  • Have one Q&A session (before the exam);
  • Have one exam (100%).
  • Do not have to fulfil the effort requirements.
Courses that build on Multidisciplinary Economics: 
This course is a context course which provides the basis for the entire major and the various approved optional minors. 

In case online access is required for this course and you are not in the position to buy the access code, you are advised to contact the course coordinator for an alternative solution. Please note that access codes are not re-usable meaning that codes from second hand books do not work, as well as access codes from books with a different ISBN number. Separate or spare codes are usually not available.
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