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2026-2027 / ECON0323-1

First principles of economics

Duration

26h Th

Number of credits

 Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Engineering3 crédits 
 Bachelor in mathematics3 crédits 

Lecturer

Henry-Jean Gathon

Language(s) of instruction

French language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

The course, which aims to develop fundamental economic concepts with the utmost rigor, covers microeconomic and macroeconomic analysis. Emphasis is placed on topics of particular relevance to future civil engineers and scientists. General introduction: definitions, basic concepts, and the respective roles of the market and the State. Microeconomic approach: demand theory, production and cost theory, perfect competition, simple monopoly, price-discriminating monopoly, natural monopoly, oligopoly, and monopolistic competition. Macroeconomic approach: measurement and determination of the level of economic activity, consumption and investment, macroeconomic equilibrium, fiscal policy, monetary policy, unemployment, and inflation.

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

The student must be able to:

- explain the main basic concepts of economics;

- explain and analyze basic economic behaviors and mechanisms, in relation to the missions of graduates in sciences and applied sciences, both at the level of individual economic agents (microeconomics) and that of the national economy and international (macroeconomics);

- understand the relationships between the main economic variables;

- understand socio-economic news.

This course contributes to the learning outcomes I.1, II.1, III.1, V.1, V.2 of the BSc in engineering.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Ex cathedra presentations.

Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)

Face-to-face course


Further information:

Face-to-face; no podcast. Attending the lessons is highly recommended. 

First semester.

Course materials and recommended or required readings

Platform(s) used for course materials:
- MyULiège


Further information:

JURION B., Economie politique, 4th edition, De Boeck Université, 2013.
 +
PPT presentations and various documents available on MyULiège

Exam(s) in session

Any session

- In-person

written exam ( open-ended questions )


Further information:

Written examination (first and second sessions) on the material covered in the lectures.

Work placement(s)

Organisational remarks and main changes to the course

Attendance at lessons is strongly recommended

Contacts

Prof.: Henry-Jean GATHON, phone: 04 366 2778, hj.gathon@uliege.be
Assistant: Pierre Copée, phone: 04 366 3048, p.copee@uliege.be

Association of one or more MOOCs