De elektronische studiegids voor het academiejaar 2026 - 2027 is onder voorbehoud.





Introduction to Economics (3910)
Coordinating lecturer:Prof. dr. Mark VANCAUTEREN 
Co-lecturer:Prof. dr. Willem VANLAER 

Credits: 6,0
Study load hours: 162
Period: semester 1 (6sp)

Language of instruction: English

2nd Chance Exam1: Yes
Final grade2: Numerical
Tolerance3: See included in these programmes
Sequentiality
No sequentiality


Content

This introductory course will introduce you to the fundamentals of economic analysis and reasoning. It is the course that provides a building block on which subsequent, more specialized and advanced economics courses are based. Students are introduced to topics that are highly relevant both to decision making and to understanding many of the most important issue in society. After completion, students should be able to analyze real world issues by using economic models.

Topics

Introduction

  • Resources and scarcity
  • Choice making
  • Production possibility frontiers and opportunity cost,
  • The role of the government and the market economy

Microeconomics

  • The Theory of Consumer Behaviour
  • The Theory of the Firm
  • Market structure and firm's behavior
  • Factor input Market

Macroeconomics

  • Measuring the economy
  • The role of the government and an open economy
  • Money and Banking
  • General Equilibrium
  • Aggregate demand and supply


Compulsory textbooks (bookshop)
 

Textbook 1:

Economics, Richard Lipsey and Alec Chrystal, 14de, Oxford University Press

ISBN: 9780198791034
 

Compulsory course material
 

Additional study materials (slides, background texts) will be made available on BlackBoard.


Organisational and teaching methods
Organisational methods  
Lecture ✔  
Response lecture ✔  


Evaluation

Semester 1 (6,00sp)

Evaluation method
Written exam100 %
Closed-book ✔

Second examination period

Evaluation second examination opportunity different from first examination opprt
No


Learning outcomes
  EC = learning outcomes      DC = partial outcomes      BC = evaluation criteria  
Included in these programmesTolerance3
Y
Bridging Programme Master of Management Y
Exchange Programme Business Economics Y
Preparation Programme Master of Management Y



1   Education, Examination and Legal Position Regulations art.12.2, section 2.
2   Education, Examination and Legal Position Regulations art.15.1, section 3.
3   Education, Examination and Legal Position Regulations art.16.9, section 2.