Economics

This course explores the global impact of economic phenomenon and social change in the advanced economies from the First World War to the present day. It introduces students to major themes including the causes of economic growth and recession, the sources of social change, and the impact of war on society and the economy in an international framework. The course charts the crises of the inter-war period: the Great Depression, mass unemployment, and the rise of fascism and communism, as well as the development of mass leisure and the growth of a consumer society. The course also explores the prolonged boom following the Second World War, a time of conspicuous consumption but also of commitment to social welfare, both of which fueled the sexual revolution and youth culture across national borders. The course then explores the impact of globalization following the oil crisis of 1973 and subsequent instability, and looks at developing nations and environmental concerns in the later decades of the 20th century. The emphasis on contemporary and international history enables students to understand the experience of their own society and economy more fully in the light of global and long-term trends. 

This course offers students an introduction to two key dimensions of globalization: international trade and international finance. The course covers both theoretical and empirical contributions and often refers to current policy issues in both international trade and macroeconomics. Using theoretical and empirical tools, students consider a wide range of topics such as: gains of specialization; effect of trade on inequality; market power effects on international trade; consequences of trade policy; international financial flows; relation between exchange rates and monetary policy; globalization impacts on macroeconomics policies; euro currency area; and international financial crises. Prerequisite for this course is a first year economics course. The course uses basic mathematical tools that are common in any economics course.

This course examines Japanese political economy. It provides an overall understanding of political economy in Japan. The course covers diverse topics of contemporary Japan through the lens of political economy including the developmental state and Japan Inc., the politics of industrial policy, the bubble economy and lost decade, the Japanese financial Big Bang, the political economy of globalization and Japanese reform, types of economic recovery or recession after the 2008 global crash and 2011 quake, Abenomics and recent symptoms of recession, and Japanese foreign policy and new initiatives, etc. This course is divided into three parts. The first part focuses on the developmental state of Japan; the second part covers the Japanese “lost decade” and the future of its economy; and the third part outlines Japan’s foreign policy. 

The course provides general knowledge on various aspects of urban economics. It uses microeconomic analysis to explain why cities exist, where they develop, how they grow, and how different activities are arranged within cities. Models of firm, industrial, and household location decisions form the basis in analyzing urban land use patterns and trends. Other topics covered include housing markets, the role of the government in the urban economy, and urban transportation. 

This course focuses on accounting objectives, accounting information generation, accounting report preparation methods, and accounting standards, including basic accounting theory, basic methods of accounting and basic operating techniques. The course examines the emergence and development of accounting; clarifies the basic functions, characteristics, objectives, and tasks of accounting; the basic premise and general principles of accounting; and accounting elements, accounting subjects and accounts, double-entry records. Students learn to read and compile accounting statements, and perform calculation and analysis of financial indicators related to the accounting statements; understand the relevant content of the accounting work organization and China accounting standards.

The course also appraises the role of accountants and accounting information in the business environment, applies accounting information in external and internal decision contexts of a business, examines analytical skills needed to process accounting information; how to prepare internal and external financial statements and to interpret accounting reports. Students evaluate basic business and accounting information provided in popular business cases and communicate accounting information in a business context.

This is a course on the economics of money, banking, and financial markets. It provides students with an introduction to the role of money, financial markets, financial institutions, and monetary policy in the economy, thus providing a solid foundation for further study or employment in the financial services industry. There are three main components of the course. First, the role of financial markets in the economy is considered with a particular emphasis on bond markets and interest rate determination. The course then covers the main aspects of banks and other financial institutions before turning to an investigation of the role of money, central banking, and monetary policy.

This course introduces the basic concepts of public finance, including the scope of public expenditure and public revenue, financial regulation (public debt management), and local finance. The first part of course covers the expenditure side of public issues, including market failure correction, public goods, externalities, income distribution and social transfer payments, public choice, cost-benefit analysis, public utility pricing, and social insurance. The second part covers public revenue (tax system, etc.) and other issues, based on "Expenditure and Revenues" principle, including the tax structure, tax efficiency, effectiveness, tax incentive effects, tax equity, financial regulation (public debt management) and local finance and other issues. Other topics include public goods provision and cost sharing, the social security system and income tax, sales tax, property tax.