Introductory Macroeconomics

Introductory Macroeconomics

専門教育科目

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国際商経学部

学年指定なし

KCCBG1MCA1

2.00単位

講義 (Lecture)

2025年度後期

(Fall semester)

坪井 美都紀

School of Economics and Management

英語

目標1

By appointment.

1◎／2〇／3〇

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【Course Objectives】
This course gives you the background you need to understand the broad movements in the Japanese and global economy. You will learn three principles of economics, GDP, and long-run economic growth.

【Learning Outcome】
By the end of the course, you should be able to understand the discussions of macroeconomic issues in newspapers and news reports you encounter on a daily basis. The course is self-contained, so students who have not had any prior exposure to macroeconomics will be able to complete the course successfully.

Economics; Macroeconomics; GDP; Economic Growth

This introductory course has two parts. In Part I, we will study three principles of economics – optimization, equilibrium, and empiricism – using the evidence-based-economics boxes in the textbook. This part will introduce you to what economics is about and economic thinking. In Part II, beginning with the study of GDP, we will study long-run economic growth that requires little knowledge of microeconomics to learn why some countries are rich while others are poor and what we can be done to improve economic outcomes.

Lecture 1 - The Scope of Economics: Positive and Normative Economics
Lecture 2 - Three Principles of Economics: Optimization, Equilibrium, and Empiricism
Lecture 3 - Economic Science: Models and Data
Lecture 4 - Economic Questions: Causation and Correlation
Lecture 5 - Optimization: Choosing the Best Feasible Option and Marginal Analysis
Lecture 6 - Review of Part I
Lecture 7 - Measuring Macroeconomic Aggregates: National Income Accounts
Lecture 8 - Measuring Macroeconomic Aggregates: Real versus Nominal GDP
Lecture 9 - Aggregate Incomes: Production Function and Productivity
Lecture 10 - Aggregate Incomes: The Role and Determinants of Technology
Lecture 11 - Economic Growth: Saving and Consumption
Lecture 12 - Economic Growth: Malthusian Limits to Growth and the Industrial Revolution
Lecture 13 - Economic Development: Proximate versus Fundamental Causes of Prosperity
Lecture 14 - Institutions and Economic Development
Lecture 15 - Wrap-Up: Review of Part II

Acemoglu, D., Laibson, D., List, J., 2022. Macroeconomics. 3rd edn. Pearson.

Bauman, Y., 2011. The Cartoon Introduction to Macroeconomics. Hill & Wang Pub.
Blanchard, O.J., 2024. Macroeconomics. 9th edn. Pearson.
Jones, C.I., 2024. Macroeconomics. 6th edn. W.W. Norton & Company.
Mankiw, N.G., 2023. Principles of Macroeconomics. 10th edn. Cengage Learning.

Pre-learning entails reviewing class slides uploaded in advance and completing assigned readings (5 hours per week).

Post-learning involves completing problem sets (5 hours per week).

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There will be occasional problem sets throughout the fall semester that collectively account for 30% of your final grade. The exact number of assignments will depend on your understanding. Also, there will be an open-book take-home final exam that accounts for 70% of your final grade. Engagement in class activities may be considered in grading.

You will be graded on a four-rank scale: S rank (above 90 points) is reserved for a small fraction of students who perform well above the average level, A rank (above 80 points) will be the most common score and indicates successful completion of the course, B rank (above 70 points) indicates satisfactory performance but a low final exam score, and C rank (above 60) signals either a lack of understanding of the material or insufficient effort.

AI Use:
You are allowed to use AI tools such as ChatGPT. These tools will be useful in your future studies and careers, and it is important to learn how to use them wisely; for example, I extensively use these tools in my research to improve my writing and to assist with programming. At the same time, keep in your mind that using AI tools as a crutch can hinder your own learning. You are making a significant financial and opportunity cost investment in your education. What matters is not grades but learning – an S rank without real understanding is meaningless. Bottom line: Use AI tools to support your work, but never let them do your work.

I use Google Forms for assignment submissions. After the deadline, I will notify you of your score via the form. If you want to know details on how your work was graded, please contact me.

The class can cover only essential materials from the textbook, not everything. You should read the textbook multiple times and solve the end-of-chapter problems.

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