This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.
Undergraduate Handbook 2024-2025 (archived)
Module ECON1171: Economic Controversies
Department: Economics
ECON1171: Economic Controversies
| Type | Level | Credits | Availability | Module Cap | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 1 | 20 | Not available in 2024/2025 | None. | Durham |
Pre-requisites
- None
Corequisites
- Principles of Economics (ECON1011)
Excluded Combinations
- None
Aims
- To introduce a number of economic controversies for non specialists
Content
- A range of material is treated at an introductory level, with topics likely to include some of the following indicative content but will vary from year to year in line with current controversies.
- The Causes and the Consequences of Natural Disasters
- Why are Premier League footballers paid so much?
- What should we do about Global Warming?
- Brexit
- Should we be Legalising Class A Drugs?
- How should healthcare be provided?
- Can economic growth continue forever?
- Will robots take our jobs?
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge
- Know and understand the basic principles of economics
- Be able to apply an economic framework to the analysis of economics issues
- Be able to construct and explain fundamental economic models and interrelationships
Subject-specific Skills
- By the end of the module students should be able to:
- explain key theories in economics
- use appropriate techniques for economic analysis.
Key Skills
- Critical and analytical thinking
- Problem solving
- Written communication
- Own learning
- Working with numbers
- Library skills
- Information retrieval
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
- Teaching is by lectures and workshops. Learning takes place through attendance at lectures, workshops and student reading. Summative assessment is by means of an assignment.
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
| Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total Hours | Attendance Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 20 | 1 per week | 1 hour | 20 | |
| Workshops | 8 | 4 in Term 1, 4 in Term 2 | 1 hour | 8 | |
| Preparation and Reading | 172 | ||||
| Total | 200 | ||||
Summative Assessment
| Component | Component Weighting | Element | Length/Duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assignment | 100% | Written assignment | 3000 words max. | 100% | Same |
Formative Assessment
One written piece of work to prepare for the summative assignment.
Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods
and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative
assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress
procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be
required to leave the University.