Course Coordinator:Robert Alexander (ralexand@usc.edu.au) School:School of Business and Creative Industries
UniSC Sunshine Coast |
Blended learning | Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online. |
Online |
Online | You can do this course without coming onto campus. |
Please go to usc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.
Macroeconomics offers you the possibility to understand important questions about how the world works, such as: Why are some countries rich and others poor? What are the causes of economic and financial crises? How can policies to address economic problems such as unemployment and inflation be assessed? This course builds a systematic way of thinking about questions like these, grounded in a synthesis of the most up-to-date theories in the discipline, to give you the confidence to increase your understanding and develop the skills to continue learning.
Activity | Hours | Beginning Week | Frequency |
Blended learning | |||
Learning materials – Asynchronous online delivery of learning material. | 1hr | Week 1 | 12 times |
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Synchronous and scheduled face to face workshops. | 2hrs | Week 1 | 10 times |
Online | |||
Learning materials – Asynchronous online delivery of learning material. | 1hr | Week 1 | 12 times |
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Synchronous and scheduled face to face workshops (recorded). | 2hrs | Week 1 | 10 times |
Macroeconomic issues and data
The neo-classical growth model and endogenous growth theory
Keynesian economics: the multiplier effect, the IS/LM model and the Phillips Curve
Fiscal Policy: the budget, debt, political constraints
The current New Classical/New Keynesian consensus and the IS-PC-MR model
Monetary policy: inflation targeting, financial sector oversight
200 Level (Developing)
12 units
Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... | Graduate Qualities Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... | Professional Standard Mapping * Competencies from multiple Professional Bodies (see below) * | |
1 | Know where to source reliable data related to macroeconomic issues; select data appropriate to the issue; present and interpret data clearly. |
Knowledgeable Creative and critical thinker |
PC1.1, PC1.3, PC3, PC6 |
2 | Apply the core models at the centre of the current consensus of thinking in macroeconomics to analyse economic events as well as policy responses to these events. |
Creative and critical thinker Empowered |
PC1.1, PC3, PC6, 10.1.2, 10.3.3 |
3 | Apply various macroeconomic models designed to analyse short-run business cycle issues and long-run economic growth |
Creative and critical thinker Empowered |
PC1.1, PC3.1, PC6.2, 8.1.3, 8.2.1 |
CODE | COMPETENCY |
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business | |
PC1.1 | Written Communication |
PC1.3 | Digital Literacy |
PC3 | Creative and Critical Thinking |
PC3.1 | Problem Solving |
PC6 | Career-ready |
PC6.2 | Discipline Knowledge |
Education for Sustainable Development Goals | |
8.1.3 | The learner understands the relation between employment and economic growth, and knows about other moderating factors like a growing labour force or new technologies that substitute jobs. |
8.2.1 | The learner is able to discuss economic models and future visions of economy and society critically and to communicate them in public spheres. |
10.1.2 | The learner knows indicators that measure and describe inequalities and understands their relevance for decision-making. |
10.3.3 | The learner is able to identify and analyse different types of causes and reasons for inequalities. |
Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.
BUS102
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Standard Grading (GRD)
High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL). |
From week 1 onwards, oral (in workshop) and written (via solutions posted on Canvas) feedback on workshop exercises will be provided.
Delivery mode | Task No. | Assessment Product | Individual or Group | Weighting % | What is the duration / length? | When should I submit? | Where should I submit it? |
All | 1 | Report | Individual | 25% | 250-300 words (excluding graphs) |
Week 5 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
All | 2 | Report | Individual | 35% | 1000-1500 words |
Week 11 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
All | 3 | Written Piece | Individual | 40% | 1500 words |
Exam Period | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
All - Assessment Task 1:Presentation of data | |
Goal: | To accurately present and interpret reliably sourced macroeconomic data. |
Product: | Report |
Format: | Work must be completed individually. Summary of key macroeconomic data for a chosen country or countries in graphical and written form. Further details are provided in the assessment area in Canvas. |
Criteria: |
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All - Assessment Task 2:Policy analysis | |
Goal: | To apply knowledge of economic theory and evidence to a macroeconomic policy issue. |
Product: | Report |
Format: | Work must be completed individually. Relevant theory should be coherently explained and evidence presented and applied to a macroeconomic policy issue. Statistical information (graphs/tables) may form a useful part of the essay and do not contribute to the word count. Further details are provided in the assessment area on Canvas. |
Criteria: |
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All - Assessment Task 3:Problem set | |
Goal: | To apply knowledge of economic theory and concepts to economic problems demonstrating ability to structure sound economic reasoning. |
Product: | Written Piece |
Format: | Problem set. This assessment task will be made up of short answer questions and may cover all parts of the course. Further details are provided in the assessment area on Canvas. |
Criteria: |
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A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.
Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.
Not applicable
Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.
Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.
In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.
Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying: The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4% The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale You have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconduct
Late submission of assessment tasks may be penalised at the following maximum rate: - 5% (of the assessment task's identified value) per day for the first two days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. - 10% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the third day - 20% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the fourth day and subsequent days up to and including seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. - A result of zero is awarded for an assessment task submitted after seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. Weekdays and weekends are included in the calculation of days late. To request an extension you must contact your course coordinator to negotiate an outcome.
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