Economics

This course examines the practical aspects of macroeconomics that are essential in understanding the functioning of global economies, with a specific focus on issues related to the monetary systems around the world and the relevance of the interest rate in the flow of funds around the world.

This course provides an introduction to econometrics, which involves using data and statistical methods to estimate economic relationships, test economic theory, and predict the impact of policy. Topics covered include probability and statistics, single linear regression, multiple linear regression, non-linear regression, model internal and external validity, field and natural experiments, and time series models. Econometric methodology and application will be motivated and illustrated through applications to economics, accounting, finance, marketing, and management.

This course introduces students to the study and history of these economic inequalities. It is a detailed survey of the key evidence on inequality, both contemporary and historical, and the sources and methods used to measure it. Students learn how to critically interrogate the quality of inferences from such evidence. They explore the dimensions of inequality along historical, contemporary, spatial, ethnic, and gender lines, drawing on research in economic history, economic geography, and sociology. 

This course the fundamental skill of designing and developing a relational database. It covers applying data modelling to solve business problems, and organizing data with minimum redundancy and dependency. This course is intended to get students started with structured query language (SQL).
 

The course introduces development economics as well as applied problems in the field of development, and development strategies. It covers both conventional theory of development and economic growth and alternative strategies for sustainable development. Topics covered include resource mobilization, agricultural and industrial development, globalization, sustainable development and institutions, and the political economy of development. The discussion is both theoretical and applied with extensive use made of country and regional case studies. The course focuses on developmental challenges confronting South Africa and the rest of Africa. Assessment: coursework (50%) and a final exam (50%).

This course explores the dynamic nature of economic decisions. Topics include: stylized facts on macroeconomic variables over the business cycle; consumption-leisure decision; credit markets; real business cycles; government policy in the overlapping-generations models; unemployment.

This course examines the impact of China’s opening and internationalization on the Chinese economy, and proceeds to examine the challenges of the rise of China to the global economic order. Topics include the impact of China on world trade and investment, the internationalization of Renminbi and its prospect as a global reserve currency, China’s bilateral and regional trade agreements, China and global energy and environmental issues, China’s impact on international bodies of economic coordination and governance (such as the Group of Twenty, the World Trade Organization, and the International Monetary Fund), and the analysis and assessment of the challenges of China to global economic, monetary, and financial governance.

This course examines the allocation, production and distribution theories in microeconomics. Topics include utility and preference, consumer demand, production and cost, market structure, general equilibrium and welfare economics.