Introduction to Contemporary Economics
Code: 107752 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Communication in Organisations | OB | 1 |
Contact
- Name:
- Josep Oriol Roca Sagales
- Email:
- oriol.roca@uab.cat
Teachers
- Paula Veciana Botet
- Alejandro Gobierno García
Teaching groups languages
You can view this information at the end of this document.
Prerequisites
No prerequisites are necessary
Objectives and Contextualisation
This is a first-year course that provides basic training in economics. No prior economic training is required.
Learning Outcomes
- CM05 (Competence) Critically assess the influence of the market economy on the construction of social models and values.
- CM05 (Competence) Critically assess the influence of the market economy on the construction of social models and values.
- CM06 (Competence) Evaluate organisations' impact on the general economy based on micro- and macroeconomic indicators.
- KM06 (Knowledge) Recognise the economic models, functional structures and management of different types of organisations.
- SM06 (Skill) Operate with concepts of economics, such as supply and demand, costs and production and monetary and fiscal policy.
Content
Topic 1) The economy. Fundamental concepts and problems. Objectives and participants.
Topic 2) The market. Supply and demand. Elasticity. Competitive and non-competitive markets
Topic 3) Principles of macroeconomics: GDP. Inflation. Deficit and public debt. The balance of payments. Criticism of indicators from a gender and environmental perspective.
Topic 4) The public sector. Functions. The budgets of the public authorities. Fiscal policy. Social security and the welfare state.
Topic 5) The labor market. Functioning and characteristics. Demographics and migration. Labor policies and reforms. Inequalities. Wage gap and inequality between men and women.
Topic 6) The financial system and monetary policy. Central banks and other financial agents. The interest rate.
Topic 7) Spanish economy 1st. Part 2: Analysis of the main indicators since 1975. The opening of the economy and the massive incorporation of women into the labor market. Access to the European Union. Entry into the Economic and Monetary Union. The years of growth until 2007.
Topic 8) Spanish Economy Part 2: The 2008 crisis. Causes, characteristics and consequences. The recovery. Covid19, the economic collapse and the recovery. Inflation and economic policy in times of uncertainty.
Topic 9) The EU economy. Basic features of the world economy. IMF, World Bank and OECD. Economic globalization.
Topic 10) The limits to growth. Sustainable development and climate change.
The course content includes an introduction to the basic structures of the contemporary economy, including the mechanisms of market functioning and the role of the main social agents in local and global economic phenomena. Within this framework, students should be able to use economic analysis to understand the main events that characterize the global economy, the European Union, and the immediate economic reality.
The course content will be sensitive to aspects related to the gender perspective.
Activities and Methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Theorical | 52.5 | 2.1 | CM05, CM06, KM06, SM06, CM05 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Practical | 10 | 0.4 | CM05, CM06, KM06, SM06, CM05 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Practical | 82.5 | 3.3 | CM05, CM06, KM06, SM06, CM05 |
The detailed calendar with the content of the different sessions will be exposed on the day of presentation of the subject. It will also be posted on the Virtual Campus.
The planned teaching methodology is face-to-face classes. In the event of a change in teaching modality for health reasons, the teachers will inform of the changes that will take place in the programming of the subject and in the teaching methodologies.
The development of the course is based on the following activities:
Lectures: in these sessions the teacher transmits to the students the essential knowledge of each of the subjects of the subject. Attendance at these sessions is recommended to consolidate knowledge and for the student to bridge the gap between theory and current economic news.
Practical classes: these sessions include a set of activities carried out jointly by the student body and the teacher, among which the carrying out of exercises, the preparation and presentation by the students of debates on current economic affairs based on press compilations or documents published by various organizations, and the presentation in class by the student of works or practices carried out.
Recommended activities: the teacher can recommend attendance at conferences, debates, seminars as a complement to the subject.
Autonomous activities: the student must complement the activities aimed at finding information on the selected topics, teamwork and carrying out practical exercises.
A detailed schedule outlining the content of each session will be presented on the first day of the course and will be available on the course’s Virtual Campus, where students will find all teaching materials and necessary information for eƯective course monitoring. Should the teaching modality change for reasons of force majeure according to the competent authorities, the teaching staƯ will inform students of any modifications to the course schedule and teaching methodologies.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Assessment
Continous Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final Exam | 40% | 2 | 0.08 | CM05, CM06, KM06, SM06 |
| Mid term Exam | 40% | 2 | 0.08 | CM05, CM06, KM06, SM06 |
| Other exercises | 20% | 1 | 0.04 | CM05, CM06, KM06, SM06 |
Continuous assessment: The evaluation is carried out continuously throughout the course, according to the following criteria:
1. First midterm exam: 40%
2. Final exam (second midterm exam): 40%
3. Other exercises and activities: 20%.
In order to pass the course, it will be essential to obtain:
a. an average equal to or greater than 5 and
b. the average of the two exams equal to or greater than 4.
o If a student completes the first requirement but does not complete the second will have a qualification of 4.5 and will be able to go to the recovery exam.
o If a student completes the second requirement but does not complete the first, or does not complete both of them, if the average mark is 3,5 or greater, he/ she will be able to go to the recovery exam .
To participate in the process of recovery, the student has to have been evaluated in a minimum of 2/3 parts of the total of evaluable activities.
The grade confirmed in the recovery exam will be the final qualification. The recovery exam will be in the period that established the academic calendar of the faculty.
The student who performs any irregularity (copy, plagiarism, identity theft…) will be qualified with 0 in this assignment or exam. In case there are several irregularities, the final grade of the subject will be 0.
In case of second enrollment, sTtudents can do a single final exam.
The student who performs any irregularity (copy, plagiarism, identity theft...) will be qualified with 0 in this assignment or exam. In case there are several irregularities, the final grade of the subject will be of 0.
Single assessment (for those students whose request has been accepted)
Theoretical exam (40%), Exercices (35%) and written summary of a book previously agreed with the professor (25%)
All single assessment activities are subject to retake.
The single assessment will take place at the date of the final exam ofthe students who follow the continous assessment.
Artificial Intelligence
In this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is permitted as an integral part of assignment development, provided that the final outcome demonstrates a significant contribution from the student in terms of analysis and personal reflection. Students must clearly identify any content generated using AI, specify the tools employed, and include a critical reflection on how these technologies have influenced both the process and the final result of the assignment. Failure to disclose the use of AI in this assessed activity will be considered a breach of academic integrity and may result in a partial or total penalty to the assignment grade, or more serious sanctions in severe cases.
Bibliography
References:
CORE Project, e-book The Economy: The Economy (core-econ.org)
Krugman, Paul; Wells, Robert; Graddy, Katheryn. (2015) Fonaments d'economia, Editorial Reverté.
Mankiw, Gregory N. (2012). Principios de economia, Thomson-Paraninfo, 6ª ed.
Mochón, Francisco (2009). Economía. Teoría y Política. Ed. McGraw-Hill, 6ª ed.
Samuelson, Paul; Nordhaus, William (2010). Economía. Ed. McGraw-Hill, 19ª ed.
Cruz, José Manuel; Ruesga, Santos Miguel (coord.). (2014) Economia Española. Estructura y regulación.
Garcia Delgado, José Luís. (2018) Lecciones de economía española. Ed Thomson Reuters.
Web links:
http://introduccioeconomia-dea.uab.cat
Software
No specific software is needed.
Groups and Languages
Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.
| Name | Group | Language | Semester | Turn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (SEM) Seminars | 1 | Catalan/Spanish | second semester | afternoon |
| (SEM) Seminars | 2 | Catalan | second semester | afternoon |
| (TE) Theory | 1 | Catalan | second semester | afternoon |