European Economics

Duration

30h Th

Number of credits

Lecturer

Joseph Tharakan

Language(s) of instruction

English language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the second semester

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

1. Introduction

The aim of this course is to familiarise students with economic reasoning applied to the process of European economic integration. Using economic models, it introduces students to the economic logic behind European policies.

2. Course content

Introduction
- History
- Law, Institutions and the Budget
- Decision Making

Economic aspects of European economic integration
- The Essential Economics of Preferential Liberalization
- Market Size and Scale Effects
- Growth Effects and Factor Market Integration

EU policies
- The Common Agricultural Policy
- Location Effects, Economic Geography and Regional Policy

Monetary aspects of European integration
- A monetary history of Europe
- The choice of an exchange rate regime
- The European Monetary System
- Optimum Currency Areas
- The European Monetary Union

Other economic aspects of European economic integration
- Fiscal policy and the stability pact
- The financial markets and the Euro
- Economic integration and labour market institutions

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

This is an introductory course in the economics of the European Union. Upon completion of the course, students should :

- be familiar with facts and figures about the European Union;

- understand the main problems linked to the European economic integration and the main policies adopted by the EU,

- be able to explain them accurately and concisely;

- understand and apply economic reasoning to different issues linked to the formation of the EU

- using this economic reasoning develop their own critical thinking with respect current EU policies

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

Students will have had introductory classes in microeconomics and macroeconomics.
This course requires students to be interested in improving their analytical skills, reasoning skills in the field of economics.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning)

1. Approach followed The course consists essentially of lectures. Certains points are illustrated by current news items.. Students are advised to: - prepare lectures by reading the relevant chapters of the textbook - attend classes (Powerpoint slides downloadable from Lola before each lecture are deliberately incomplete) - make sure that they are capable of explaining with precision each element of economic logic developed during classes. 2. Course schedule The class format is a module of 12 weeks with 2 hours per week. 3. Distribution workload 24h lectures ; 12h of reading of the textbook in preparation of the lectures; 6h of reading current news topics related to themes covered during classes; 20h study time; 4h exam.

Recommended or required readings

Powerpoint slides will be available to download before each lecture.

Textbook: Richard Baldwin and Charles Wyplosz, The economics of European integration, McGraw-Hill

Assessment methods and criteria

1. Evaluation criteria It will be an closed book open questions exam. Evaluation will be based on the student's - knowledge of facts and figures about the EU - capacity of understanding economic reasoning as well as the capacity of explaining it in a accurate and concise way; - capacity to apply economic concepts and reasoning to European economic issues as well as to comment on current events and debates in the news 2. Evaluation calendar The exam takes place in June (first session) as well as in August (second session).

Work placement(s)

Organizational remarks

Lectures are taught in English during the second semester.

Contacts

Professor: Joseph Tharakan - e-mail: J.Tharakan@ulg.ac.be
Assistant: Jérôme Schoenmaeckers e-mail: Jérôme.Schoenmaeckers@ulg.ac.be Tél : 04 366 29 65 Office: B. 31 - 1.56

Items online