NIFK16005U Advanced Development Economics

Volume 2024/2025
Education

MSc Programme in Agricultural Economics
MSc Programme in Environmental and Natural Resource Economics
MSc Programme in Forest and Nature Management

 

Content

This course will cover the microeconomics of development and will focus on approaches to understanding the behavior of households and firms, and the functioning of markets and institutions in developing countries. The course provides you with key theoretical concepts and economic models which will help you to understand the behaviour of economic agents as well as empirical strategies to evalute development interventions.  Since economic development and sustainability are closely connected, key concepts, debates and strategies related to sustainable development will be covered in the course.

Learning Outcome

The main goal is to equip students with the tools which would enable them to deeply understand, analyze and follow the implications of various development related policies and controversies and to undertake sound micro economic analysis of development questions. After completing the course the student should be able to
Knowledge:
- Deeply comprehend the main concepts and issues relevant to microeconomic problems of less developed countries.
- Diagnose and undertake own evaluations of presented theoretical models and be able to present the models’ empirical prediction.
Skills:
- Apply theory-based analytical tools to discuss, understand and provide solutions to development related problems.
- Be able to present empirical results in a precise and consistent manor, as well as demonstrate a thorough understanding of the identification problems faced when carrying out empirical work.
Competence:
- Develop abilities to analyze problems related to development with the use of up-to-date economic and econometric tools.
- Develop abilities to discuss, criticize and deepen economic texts, and work individually to acquire the skills of presenting and defending ideas, as well as to formulate problems and address them appropriately in a written essay.

Literature

See Absalon for details

Courses in mathematics, microeconomics, econometrics, international economics and development economics at bachelor level.

Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree is recommended.
(i) Traditional lecturing, (ii) empirical exercises and (iii) project work.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 48
  • Preparation
  • 62
  • Practical exercises
  • 24
  • Project work
  • 65
  • Guidance
  • 6
  • Exam
  • 1
  • Total
  • 206
Written
Oral
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
Peer feedback (Students give each other feedback)
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment
Oral examination, 20 min
Type of assessment details
(i) Individual course paper/essay written during the course (50% of the final grade).
(ii) Individual oral examination (20 minutes, no preparation) based on course curriculum (50% of the final grade).

Students must pass both examinations individually to pass the overall exam.
Aid
Without aids
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Several internal examiners
Re-exam

Description of Examination:
(i) Individual course paper/essay (50% of the final grade).
(ii) Individual oral examination (20 minutes, no preparation) based on course curriculum (50% of the final grade).

Students must pass both examinations individually to pass the overall exam.

If the student has passed one of the part-exams at the ordinary exam, the result can be carried over to the re-exam.

Criteria for exam assesment

Top grades are given to students fulfilling requirements listed in the description of course goals.