AØKK08335U Seminar: Economic Growth

Volume 2023/2024
Education

MSc programme in Economics

The seminar is primarily for students at the MSc of Economics.

Content

This seminar covers the same ground as the course of the same name, i.e., theories of economic growth in developed countries. Students will have to define their own research projects. A successful seminar paper either 1) extends an existing theoretical model of economic such that it is able to replicate a stylized fact that it could not explain previously, 2) empirically tests an existing theory of economic growth using new data or new methodologies, or 3) uses one or more models of economic growth to shed light on an ongoing policy debate.

 

Examples of topics for seminar papers include:

  • Should we invest more in research and development?
  • Will robots take our jobs?
  • Is GDP a good proxy for welfare?
  • Wage inequality and skill-biased technical change
  • Why are some countries better at adopting new technology?
  • Will economic growth slow down in the future?
  • Does international trade increase economic growth?
  • Does inequality reduce economic growth?
  • Does economic growth reduce inequality?
  • How should we measure GDP in the digital age?

… and much else

Learning Outcome

After completing the seminar the student is expected to be able to fulfill the learning outcome specified in the Master curriculum and to:
 

Knowledge:

  • After completing the course, the student is expected to be able to:
  • Account for the most recent findings in the literature studying the causes and consequences of economic growth
  • Account for the basic assumptions of the theoretical models including the role of institutions and trade

 

Skills:

  • After completing the course, the student is expected to be able to:
  • Analyze the drivers of growth in a specific setting
  • Evaluate existing research and discuss its reliability.
  • Evaluate policy responses to lackluster growth.

 

Competencies:

  • After completing the course, the student is expected to be able to:
  • Plan a research project
  • Design policy responses for inclusive growth etc.

 

 

There is no pre-defined syllabus, and the set of papers each student will read for this seminar depends on what he or she chooses to write about. Students are required to search the literature themselves (with assistance from the teacher).

BSc in Economics or similar
It is recommended to have participated in the course Economic Growth before attending this seminar.

This seminar builds on the course economic growth
At the seminar the student is trained independently to
- identify and clarify a problem,
- seek and select relevant literatur,
- write a academic paper,
- present and discuss own paper with the other students at the seminar.

The aim of the presentations is, that the student uses the presentation as an opportunity to practice oral skills and to receive feedback. The presentations is not a part of the exam and will not be assessed.

Mandatory activities in the seminar:
- Kick-off meeting
- Finding literatur and defining the project
- Writing process of the seminar paper
- Presentation of own project and paper
- Giving constructive feedback to another student´s paper
- Actively participating in discussions at the presentations and other meetings.

There is no weekly teaching/lecturing and the student cannot expect guidance from the teacher. If the teacher gives a few introduction lectures or gives the opportunity for guidance, this as well as other expectations are clarified at the kickoff meeting.

Process:
It is strongly recommended that you think about and search for a topic before the semester begins, as there is only a few weeks from the kick-off meeting to the submission of the project description/ agreement paper.

The seminar project paper must be uploaded in Absalon before the presentations, as the opponents and the other seminar participants have to read and comment on the paper. It is important that you upload a paper that is so finalized as possible due to the fact that the value of feedback and comments at the presentation is strongly associated with the skill level of the seminar paper.

After the presentations, you can with a few corrections improve the seminar paper by including the feedback and comments emerged during the presentations. It is NOT intended that you rewrite or begin the writing of the full project AFTER the presentation has taken place.
- Kick-off meeting: Week 36

- Deadline for submission of commitment paper / project description: No later than 1 October.
1 october

- Deadline for uploading a seminar assignment paper in the Digital Exam portal: No later than one week before the presentations.

- Presentations: 20 November - 11 December

- Exam date: 20 December at 10.00 AM - latest uploading of Seminar paper to the Digital Exam portal for assessment.

- Deadline for assessment: 24 January

All information regarding the seminar is communicated through Absalon including venue. It is very important that you by yourself log on to Absalon and read the information already when you are registered at the seminar.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Project work
  • 186
  • Seminar
  • 20
  • Total
  • 206
Written
Oral
Individual
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
Peer feedback (Students give each other feedback)
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written examination
Type of assessment details
A seminar paper in English that meets the formal requirements for written papers stated in the curriculum of the Master programme and at KUNet for seminars.
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Exam registration requirements

Attendance in all  activities at the seminar as stated in the formal requrements in the Master curriculum  and at the KUnet for  Seminars (UK)  and  Seminars (DK) is required to participate in the exam.

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Aid
All aids allowed

for the seminar paper.

The teacher defines the aids that must be used for the presentations.

Use of AI tools is permitted. You must explain how you have used the tools. When text is solely or mainly generated by an AI tool, the tool used must be quoted as a source.

Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
External censorship
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Exam period

Exam information:

Deadline for submitting the final seminar paper: June 1, 2023 before 10 AM

The seminar paper must be uploaded to the Digital Exam portal. More information will be available from the middle of the semester.

 

For enrolled students more information about examination, rules, aids etc. is available at the intranet for Master (UK) and Master (DK).

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Re-exam

Reexam information:

The reexam is a written seminar paper as stated in the Master curriculum.

 

Deadline and more information is available at Seminars(UK) and Seminars(DK).

More information about reexam etc is available at Master(UK) and Master(DK).

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Criteria for exam assesment

Students are assessed on the extent to which they master the learning outcome for the seminar and can make use of the knowledge, skills and competencies listed in the learning outcomes in the Curriculum of the Master programme.

 

To receive the top grade, the student must with no or only a few minor weaknesses be able to demonstrate an excellent performance displaying a high level of command of all aspects of the relevant material.