| Code: | GCI204 | Acronym: | ECOA |
| Teaching Area: | Economics |
| Acronym | Study plan | Curriculum Years | ECTS | Contact hours | Total Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CTSPGC | Aviso n.º 13083/2018_Novo Plano | 1º | 4 | 30 | 107 |
| Theoretical-Practical: | 31,00 |
Teaching - Hours
|
Summary description of curricular unit
Economics as a study science of the social phenomena, encompasses two broad areas of knowledge that enable the further development of its study: microeconomics and macroeconomics. This course contents are addressed mainly related to the concepts of scarcity, production, goods and services, factors of production, supply and demand, balance and markets organization, measurement of product, unemployment, inflation and macroeconomic balance.
Objetives and learning outcomes
The objectives of the course are as follows:
(1) Sensitize students to the basic concepts of micro and macroeconomics, especially related to consumer behavior, businesses operate and measurement and interpretation of key macroeconomic variables;
(2) Describe how markets work, the adjustments between supply and demand and the market equilibrium situation;
(3) Understand the dynamics and business strategies defined depending on the type of market structure in place, and its results orientation;
(4) Understand the major macroeconomic aggregates and how they are interrelated, calculate and analyze the main macroeconomic magnitudes and identify the main instruments of fiscal, monetary and budget policies.
With this course, it is intended to give students an overview of economic activity. With the body of acquired knowledge, students should be able to decide on the actions to take further adjusted by enterprises in order to effectively attain their goals, or by governments against certain macroeconomic scenarios.
Competences to be developed
With this course students will acquire the ability to:
(1) Understand and interpret social phenomena from the economic point of view;
(2) Understanding the functioning of markets and the interaction of its forces in determining the equilibrium situations;
(3) Analyze the behavior of consumers and firms by market developments and respective reactions to various stimuli;
(4) Search, process and analyze statistical data and construct illustrative theoretical representations of social reality;
(5) Analyze the evolution of business cycles and construct an analytical economic thinking, in a written or oral way, about current affairs.
1. Introduction to Economics
1.1 Basic concepts.
1.2 Society's fundamental economic problems.
2. Markets
2.1 Demand and supply.
2.2 Market equilibrium.
2.3 Elasticity of demand and supply.
2.4 Economic efficiency: the consumer and producer surplus.
2.5 The state's role in the market
3. Theory of Consumer
3.1 Budget constraint.
3.2 Preferences and consumer choices.
3.3 The income effect and substitution effect.
4. Theory of the firm
4.1 Production Function and Productive Factors.
4.2 Incomes and production costs.
4.3 Market Structures and Strategic Behavior
5. Macroeconomics: overview of the Economy
5.1 Basic concepts.
5.2 Major macroeconomic issues.
6. The measurement of Economic Activity
6.1 The National Product and Income.
6.2 Unemployment.
6.3 Inflation.
7. Macroeconomic fluctuations and balance
7.1 The Aggregate Demand and Supply.
7.2 Monetary, Fiscal and Budget Policies.
The first objective "Raising students' awareness of the basic concepts of micro and macroeconomics" is addressed in chapter 1 of the program, which identifies the fundamental economic problems of society.
The 2nd objective "Describing how markets work" is developed in the second chapter, which characterizes market forces, demand and supply, and the role of the State.
The third objective "Understanding business dynamics and strategies" is reached in the 3rd and 4th chapters of the program which, on the one hand, explains consumer behavior in function of its budget constraint and, on the other hand, characterizes the functioning and strategic decisions of the companies.
Finally, the fourth objective "Understanding large macroeconomic aggregates" is developed in Chapters 6 and 7; in the 6th chapter is explained the way of measuring economic activity, while in the 7th chapter is analyzed the situation of macroeconomic equilibrium and explained the monetary, fiscal and budgetary policies.
| Fernandes, A., Pereira, E., Bento, J., Madaleno, M. & Robaina, M;Introdução à Economia, 3ª ed., Edições Sílabo, 2021. ISBN: 978-989-561-149-2 |
| Robin Wells & Paul Krugman ;Economics 6th ed. , Worth publishers inc.,u.s., 2021. ISBN: 9781319181949 |
| Samuelson, P. & Nordhaus, W.;Economia (19ª Edição), Mcgraw-Hill, 2012. ISBN: 9789899717237 |
| Carvalho, L.;Microeconomia e Macroeconomia (2ª edição), Edições Sílabo, 2014. ISBN: 978-972-618-773-8 |
| Mankiw, N.;Principles of Economics, Cengage Learning, 2015. ISBN: 9781285165875 |
The contents of this course will be exposed especially in theoretical and practical classes, which combine theoretical exposition with the discussion of practical cases and the resolution of exercises. For such shall be use means of computer support, including Microsoft PowerPoint software to present the program content, and perform analyzes of statistical data tables, both on computer and on paper and construct exemplary graphical representations. Complementarily will be also used media files and held outside the classroom actions to further development of the syllabus. During the classes students will be always encouraged to take a pro-active participation about the contents exposed and presenting current affairs to debate.
Avaliação distribuída com exame final
| Description | Type | Time (hours) | Conclusion Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attendance (estimated) | Lessons | 30 | |
| Work | Trabalho laboratorial ou de campo | 10 | |
| Evaluation/ Tests | Teste/Exame | 3 | |
| Self-study | Study | 64 | |
| Total: | 107 |
Three evaluation moments:
- Two Individual written tests weighing 40% each.
- One team pratical work, with submission at online e-learning platform with a weighting of 20%.
Under General Regulation:
1. The effective presence of students in the classes will be registered and, if the number of absences per student exceeds 30% of the total number of contact sessions provided for each course unit, he/she will be automatically transferred to the final evaluation of the normal season.
2. In the written tests and in the defined evaluation elements it is necessary to obtain the minimum grade of 7,5 values.
3. If the student is absent or has a grade lower than 7,5 values in the tests or evaluation elements referred to in the previous number, he/she will be automatically transferred to the final evaluation of the normal season.
4. If the student is absent or has a grade lower than 7,5 values in the second written test (held on the same date as the final written test of the normal season), he/she may apply for evaluation at the appeal season.
5. All written academic papers for assessment (reports, case studies, etc.) may be submited in the Turnitin database, available on the ISAG E-Learning platform, with a similarity rate of up to 30% acceptable.
Individual written test with a weighting of 100%.
The first objective presupposes the use of the Microsoft Powerpoint program to present theoretical contents. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th objectives combine the theoretical presentation of slides from the same software, with exercises in the classroom, through worksheets made available to students a priori in "pdf" format, development of a group work and analysis of working documents.