Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Fall 2020 - ECON 305 D200

Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory (4)

Class Number: 2450

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 9 – Dec 8, 2020: Wed, 3:30–4:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

    Sep 9 – Dec 8, 2020: Fri, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Exam Times + Location:

    Dec 14, 2020
    Mon, 7:00–10:00 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    ECON 201 or 301, 60 units. Students with a minimum grade of A- in ECON 103 and 105 at Simon Fraser University at their first attempt can complete ECON 305 concurrently with ECON 201 after 30 units. Students seeking permission to register on this basis must contact the undergraduate advisor in economics.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Concepts and methods of analysis of macroeconomic variables -- consumption, investment, government and foreign trade. Classical and Keynesian models compared; analysis of economic statics and dynamics. Quantitative.

COURSE DETAILS:

This course covers main concepts and models of macroeconomic analysis. The topics to be discussed include classical growth models, employment, savings and investment, government, business cycles in both flexible and sticky prices setup, as well as monetary and fiscal policies.

Topics (tentative and subject to change):

  • Week 1: Preliminaries, Measuring the macroeconomy
  • Week 2: Factors and the basic model, Solow growth model
  • Week 3: Technology and institutions; country comparisons, Malthus
  • Week 4: Endogenous growth, The labour-leisure choice
  • Week 5: Labour markets, Migration
  • Week 6: Consumption and saving, Midterm 1
  • Week 7: Consumption, saving, investment; loanable funds,
  • Week 8: Open economy; The government budget, Government policy and debt
  • Week 9: Money and inflation, Short run: booms, recessions
  • Week 10: The Phillips curve, The IS curve
  • Week 11: Monetary policy; stabilization and central banking, Midterm 2
  • Week 12: Currencies, Exchange rates and policy
  • Week 13: Flows of goods and assets; BOP crises, Balance sheet crises, Policy, and a long history of problems

Grading

  • Class presence and participation 10%
  • Four take home problem sets (4x5%) 20%
  • Four in-class quizzes (4x5%) 20%
  • Midterm exam 15%
  • Essay 10%
  • Final exam 25%

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Macroeconomics, by Charles I. Jones, 4 edition, 2017, WW Norton & Co., ISBN 9780393602487.
If you find Jones textbook inaccessible, please use as a substitute: Macroeconomic Theory and Policy, by David Andolfatto (2nd edition, 2008). Free download here: https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/6403/

Department Undergraduate Notes:

Please note that, as per Policy T20.01, the course requirements (and grading scheme) outlined here are subject to change up until the end of the first week of classes.

Starting Fall 2020, final exam schedules will be released in October. This will allow students to avoid enrollment conflicts, and will significantly reduce instances of exam hardship. If your course has a final exam, please ensure that you are available during the final exam period December 9 - 20 until you receive confirmation of your exam dates. 

Students requiring accommodations as a result of a disability must contact the Centre for Accessible Learning (CAL) at 778-782-3112 or caladmin@sfu.ca.

***NO TUTORIALS DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF CLASSES***

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

TEACHING AT SFU IN FALL 2020

Teaching at SFU in fall 2020 will be conducted primarily through remote methods. There will be in-person course components in a few exceptional cases where this is fundamental to the educational goals of the course. Such course components will be clearly identified at registration, as will course components that will be “live” (synchronous) vs. at your own pace (asynchronous). Enrollment acknowledges that remote study may entail different modes of learning, interaction with your instructor, and ways of getting feedback on your work than may be the case for in-person classes. To ensure you can access all course materials, we recommend you have access to a computer with a microphone and camera, and the internet. In some cases your instructor may use Zoom or other means requiring a camera and microphone to invigilate exams. If proctoring software will be used, this will be confirmed in the first week of class.

Students with hidden or visible disabilities who believe they may need class or exam accommodations, including in the current context of remote learning, are encouraged to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (caladmin@sfu.ca or 778-782-3112).