The course is devoted to the macroeconomic analysis of country systems with the aim of providing students with the theoretical, institutional and empirical tools necessary to deal rigorously and critically with the issues of stabilisation and development of modern economies. At the end of the course, students will be able to use the main national and international statistical sources and to verify and investigate the main theories relating to the functioning of economic systems. The role of economic theory in the solution of current problems will also be addressed through the regular discussion of the main economic analysis documents published by Italian and international institutions (Bank of Italy, European Community, OECD, International Monetary Fund, etc.).

Introduction to the course

An overview of current macroeconomic issues

National accounts and key macroeconomic variables

Part One The short term

The goods market

Financial markets

The Macroeconomic Equilibrium in the IS-LM Model

The Extended IS-Model

The goods market in an open economy.

Output, interest rate and exchange rate.

Part Two - The Medium Term

The labour market

The natural rate of unemployment and the Phillips curve

The IS-LM-PC model

Economic growth: the main facts

Microeconomics

- Knowledge and understanding: By the end of the course, students must have acquired the knowledge and ability to understand the specificities of macroeconomic relationships and the actors involved in them: consumers, investors, the state and the market. In particular, they must know and be able to understand the specificities and problems of growth and recession. The teaching methods used to achieve these results will include: lectures, reports, analysis and discussion of macroeconomic data, exercises.- Applied knowledge and understanding: students must be able to apply the knowledge acquired in an appropriate and flexible way to analyse, understand and resolve situations and problems relating to economic growth, unemployment, budget deficits and macroeconomic policies.- Making judgements: Students must be able to integrate the knowledge acquired during the course into integrated and coherent schemes and to deal with complex problems independently and with their own judgement. - Communication skills: Students are expected to acquire clear and effective communication skills, thanks to a good command of the vocabulary related to the topics covered during the course. The teaching methods used to achieve these outcomes will include: lectures, case studies, analysis and discussion of macroeconomic data, exercises - Learning skills: Students must have developed good study skills, which will enable them to deepen the knowledge acquired during the course by engaging in subsequent study of economic, monetary and international policy issues, and to acquire new knowledge, skills and abilities through professional and work experience. 

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

The course involves the use of different teaching methods:
- exercises with analytical applications of macroeconomic theory.

Teaching

Lecturers and exercises.

Attendance

Constant classroom attendance is recommended.

Course books

1.  BLANCHARD O. - AMIGHINI A. - GIAVAZZI F. Macroeconomia. Una prospettiva europea. 2020. Il Mulino. Capitoli: 1-10; 17; 18; 19.

2. David Findlay, Esercizi di Macroeconomia (optional), Il Mulino, 2015 (Optional)

Assessment

Written and optional oral examination. Students who have passed the written test with a score of 18/30 or higher have the right to request to take the oral test or to accept the score of the written test.  In the case of an oral examination, the final score is the average of the scores achieved in both the written and oral examinations. The written exam consists of three theoretical questions and two exercises. The time available to the student is one hour.

Theoretical questions, and oral exam, are designed to ascertain the level of competence the student has achieved, in the ability to co-ordinate knowledge and skills, to deal with complex situations or new problems in the context of macroeconomic analysis. The exercises are designed to ascertain the student's ability in the practical application of theoretical knowledge, within the macroeconomic models studied during the course. Each of the five written test questions is scored from 0 to 6, corresponding to different levels of achievement of the expected learning outcome. The final score is the sum of the scores for each question.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Course books

Individual study of the above-mentioned examination texts and material on the blended platform

Assessment

Written and optional oral examination as attending students.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.