The aim of the course is to provide the student with the background essential to analyse the macroeconomic system. The course offers insights into the main economic issues such as the GDP, consumption, investment, public budget, unemployment, productivity, the exchange rate and the interest rate. Special attention is devoted to the analysis of the functioning of main markets (of goods, money, labour) and the relationship between them in the short and long run. Some reflections on the recent economic crisis due to the Covid-19 pandemic will be provided.

Topics:

• Production, unemployment and inflation
• GDP composition, the market of goods and the IS curve
• The financial markets, the interest rate and the LM curve
• The IS-LM model
• The IS-LM model extended
• The labour market and the wage determination
• The Phillips curve and the natural rate of unemployment
• The IS-LM-PC model
• The Covid-19 pandemic and the economic crisis (brief)

None

• Knowledge and understanding: At the end of the course, students will be able to understand the main issues related to the macroeconomics. In particular, they will be able to critically assess the principal models with respect to production, consumption, unemployment and inflation. Students will be able to use these models for analyzing the economic patterns and interpreting what happens in real economic world, and actively participating to the economic debate.
• Applying knowledge and understanding: Thanks to the course attendance and after passing the exam, the students will be able to deal with a variety of tools to analyze economic information and understand autonomously the evolution of the main macroeconomic variables as well as the effect of fiscal and institutional reforms in our country. Students will be able to assess official economic reports with particular attention to the policy implication. They will be able also to analyze national accounts data to understand the macroeconomic dynamics.
• Making judgements: the student will be able to gather information and data on the subjects of the course so to make autonomous judgements.
• Communication skills: students will develop reasoning skills on issues related to the subjects of the course.
• Learning skills: students will gain in-depth knowledge of the main models of production, consumption, unemployment, inflation.  This will allow them to advance their knowledge in economics and prepare them for more advanced courses.

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

Class tutorials

Teaching

Frontal lectures and tutorials. The lectures will be developed by following the textbook scheme. Other teaching materials (e.g., PPT and PDF file) used during the lectures will be part of the program and will be made available in the website of the course.

Innovative teaching methods

Reading and discussion of scientific articlces on some topics of the programme

Attendance

The participation in the lecture classes and tutorials is highly recommended.

Course books

OLIVIER BLANCHARD, FRANCESCO GIAVAZZI, ALESSIA AMIGHINI. Scoprire la macroeconomia - I. Quello che non si può non sapere (Nuova Edizione), Il Mulino

Assessment

Written exam. It is composed by a mix of open-ended questions and closed-ended questions for a total of 6 questions. The maximum score is 32 points that corresponds to the grade 30/30 with honors. The time to do the written exam is one hour.

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.

Teaching

The same information for attending students

Attendance

The same information for attending students

Course books

The same information for attending students

Assessment

The same information for 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.

The student can request to sit the final exam in English with an alternative bibliography.