Economics Courses

Description:

This course examines selected topics in microeconomic analysis such as general equilibrium analysis, welfare economics, the theory of the firm, factor pricing, and income distribution.

Component(s):

"Lecture"; "Tutorial"

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

Description:

This course examines selected topics in macroeconomic analysis such as the construction of models including the labour market, the goods market, and financial markets; the role of monetary and fiscal policies; classical, Keynesian, and post-Keynesian models.

Component(s):

"Lecture"; "Tutorial"

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

Description:

This course covers the evolution of economic thought from the Greek philosophers up to (and including) Classical economics. It seeks to provide the student with an outline of the development of economic analysis in this period.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

Description:

This course covers the evolution of economic thought from the Historical School to modern controversies in economic reasoning, which includes a comparative treatment of Keynesian economics and Monetarism.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

Description:

This course reviews various theories explaining the causes of economic fluctuations and the determinants of economic growth. It also examines issues relevant to macroeconomic stabilization policies.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

Description:

This course offers an advanced treatment of selected topics related to issues in economic development. Particular emphasis is placed on models of growth and structural change, such as the two-gap model, input-output analysis, and computable general equilibrium models. Trade and industrial policies, fiscal and financial policies, as well as public-sector policies including taxation, spending, and cost-benefit analysis are also discussed.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

• Students who have received credit for ECON 511 may not take this course for credit.

Description:

This course builds on the classical linear regression model as well as introducing time series models involving both stationary and non-stationary variables. Topics may include random regressors, method of moments estimation and a variety of models involving simultaneous equations, VEC, VAR, ARCH, panel, qualitative and limited dependent variables. Students continue to build on their knowledge of data management and a statistical software package through the application of these concepts and theories.

Component(s):

"Lecture"; "Tutorial"

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following courses must be completed previously: ECON 521.

Description:

This course is intended for those interested in further developing their knowledge of econometrics and/or those contemplating pursuing graduate studies in economics. It re-examines the properties, assumptions and interpretation of the classical linear regression model and the maximum likelihood model through the use of matrix algebra. Students continue to build on their knowledge of data management and a statistical software package through the application of these concepts and theories.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Description:

This course focuses on the development of skills in the analysis of both time-series and cross-sectional data. Time-series topics may include univariate stationary time series models, forecasting, unit-root theory, trend-stationarity, and testing and applications. Cross-sectional topics may include logit, probit and linear probability models. Students may also analyze large-survey microdata.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

Description:

This course gives students the requisite mathematical background for graduate studies in economics. Topics include algebraic methods, and static and dynamic optimization techniques needed for the study of economic theory and econometrics. Difference and differential equations are also examined.

Component(s):

"Lecture"; "Tutorial"

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

Description:

This is a course in the field of applied economics, with a focus on transportation economics. Topics may include the evaluation of the economic benefits of various transportation systems, the social costs of transportation, road pricing, government participation in transportation finance and urban planning, the redistributive and other economic effects of transportation investment.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• Students who have received credit for this topic under an ECON 598 number may not take this course for credit.

Description:

This course examines the nature of the Monetarist-Keynesian controversy and gives a critical appraisal of the IS-LM-AS model. Topics covered may include the term structure of interest rates, post-Keynesian theories of money supply and demand as well as issues in macroeconomic policy theory such as transmission mechanisms, policy coordination and implementation lags, and international constraints.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

Description:

This course introduces students to the theory and practice of finance as seen from the economist’s point of view. In particular, it examines the following topics: the theory of decision-making under uncertainty; the basic portfolio models, such as the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) and the Arbitrage Pricing Theory (APT); equilibrium aspects of financial markets, such as the role of arbitrage in the pricing of financial assets; the pricing of derivative securities, such as options.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

• Students who have received credit for this topic under an ECON 598 number may not take this course for credit.

Description:

This course focuses on the effects of taxation on economic behaviour. Major topics considered include the excess burden of taxation in decisions to supply effort, savings and investment, the incidence of corporate taxation, and the design of commodity taxation. Among policy issues, topics such as tax evasion, and the taxation of multinational enterprises are examined.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

• Students who have received credit for ECON 535 may not take this course for credit.

Description:

This course examines the economic consequences of public expenditure on the economy. Topics covered include public goods, externalities, the theory of welfare measurement, public investment criteria, pricing policy of public enterprises, public choice and intergovernmental fiscal relations.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

• Students who have received credit for ECON 535 may not take this course for credit.

Description:

This course focuses on the design and analysis of market mechanisms, which are concerned with how to construct rules for allocating resources and how to structure successful marketplaces. It draws on tools of game theory to identify why certain market rules or institutions succeed and why others fail. Topics may include matching markets, auctions, contracts, economic platforms and network effects. The main objectives of this course are to introduce students to some of the fundamental concepts and ideas in the theory of market design and to connect this theory to real-life markets and to practical aspects of market design policy.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• Students who have received credit for this topic under an ECON 598 number may not take this course for credit.

Description:

This course examines the foundations of international trade, the origins of gains from trade, factor-price equalization, tariffs, Canadian trade policy, the role of trade in development, and economic integration.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

Description:

This course is an introduction to theory of national income determination in open economies with capital mobility. It includes analyses of balance of payments, exchange rate, and the role of monetary and fiscal policies under different exchange rate regimes. Among other issues covered are international policy coordination, optimum currency areas, and features of the international monetary system.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

Description:

This course covers advanced topics in economic history with an emphasis on the application of economic theory to specific historical issues.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

Description:

This course examines departures from the perfect competition paradigm to analyze economic behaviour in an industrial setting. An industry consists of a number of firms which interact strategically to maximize their profits. Topics addressed include measures of market structure, theories of oligopoly, effects of potential entry, product differentiation and advertising, technological change, vertical integration, and monopoly and merger issues.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

Description:

This course investigates the nature and behaviour of the firm. Economic rationalizations are presented for organizing production within a firm. The economic effects of various organization structures are examined. Topics addressed include team production, contractual models of the firm, principal-agent theory, tournaments, and the relationship between managers, shareholders, and the outside market.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

Description:

This course is devoted to an examination of the economic aspects of governmental regulations. Besides a critical review of the economic theories of regulation, the spectrum of the existing regulatory network, and empirical investigations aimed at discerning cost- benefits, the course focuses on the process of regulatory reforms in all aspects of the Canadian economy.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

Description:

This introductory course on game theory is a collection of mathematical tools to model and analyze strategic interactions in a variety of settings, from economic and social situations to politics and international relations. The course focuses on both non-co-operative and co-operative game theoretic modelling, in particular, strategic and extensive form games, Bayesian games, and coalitional games. Students learn to solve games using the concepts of dominant strategies, Nash-equilibrium, subgame perfection, Bayesian equilibrium, and the core. Applications may include repeated games, auctions, bargaining, oligopoly games, entry deterrence, pricing strategies, and collusion.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

Description:

This is a course in applied microeconomic theory. Various observations on the state of professional sports are explained using economic theory. Evidence of the statistical relevance of such explanations is also investigated. Issues addressed include the magnitude of the earnings of professional sports stars; the impact of free agency on competitive balance in sports leagues; the value of professional sports teams to cities, and whether such valuation justifies public subsidization of franchises or arenas.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

• Students who have received credit for this topic under an ECON 598 number may not take this course for credit.

Description:

The course deals with topics in labour economics using microeconomic concepts such as inter-temporal decision-making, uncertainty, moral hazard, adverse selection and market signalling. The following topics are covered: labour supply and demand, wage differentials, human capital theory, efficiency wages and implicit contracts.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

Description:

The main objective of this course is to describe how modern microeconomics and modern labour economics can be used to solve practical human resource and personnel issues. These include hiring and firing practices, optimal payment and compensation structure, unions and strike behaviour.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

Description:

This course covers topics in labour economics from the macroeconomic perspective. The key topics include equilibrium unemployment, job search, wage determination mechanisms, labour income processes and labour mobility. The course also devotes a substantial amount of time to macroeconomic policy issues of the labour markets such as employment insurance, minimum wage and union.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

Description:

This course introduces students to the role of economics in health, health care, and health policy. It surveys the major topics in health economics and forms an introduction to the ongoing debate over health care policy. Topics include the economic determinants of health, the market for medical care, the market for health insurance, the role of government in health care, and health care reform.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

Description:

This course provides a survey, from the perspective of economics, of public issues regarding the use of environmental resources, ecosystems and the management of environmental quality. The course covers both conceptual and methodological topics with recent and current applications. It begins with an introduction to the theory and methods of environmental and natural resource economics and concepts of sustainable development. Then the emphasis is shifted to the optimal use of natural resources, both non-renewable resources (mineral and energy) and renewable resources, and the valuation of environmental resources. The last part of the course examines national and international environmental policy issues, including intergenerational equity and environmental ethics.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

Description:

This course examines geographic aspects of economies through the application of microeconomic theories. The objective of the course is to understand why, how and where cities are created and organized (or disorganized), and what types of remedies urban economics has to offer when market failure is present at a city level. Topics may include location choice, suburbanization, New Economic Geography, city-size distribution, geographic mobility, spatial sorting, and quality-of-life index.

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

Description:

This course introduces the student to the methods and techniques of regional economic analysis, and their application to the problems of regional economies within Canada. Among the micro-economic topics covered are the location behaviour of firms and households, and the factors determining the allocation of land among alternative competing uses. Macroeconomic topics include the measurement and analysis of regional income and growth levels, cyclical changes in those levels, and interregional differences in growth rates. Policy problems pertinent to Canadian regions are stressed throughout the course.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

Description:

This course focuses on the problems of the finiteness of the natural resources base in Canada and in the world, and on an analysis of the demand for and supply of natural resources and energy. The course also discusses the economic aspects of a selected group of conservation measures (financial incentives, reallocation of property rights, regulation).

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

• Students who have received credit for this topic under an ECON 598 number may not take this course for credit.

Description:

This course examines the extent and dimensions of economic inequality among households both domestically and internationally. Topics covered include theories of income inequality, wealth inequality, recent trends in polarization, poverty, intergenerational bequests, the welfare state, and the role of government economic policy.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Description:

Specific topics and relevant prerequisites for this course are stated in the Graduate Class Schedule.

Notes:

• This course is cross-listed with an undergraduate 400-level course.

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

Enrolment in the MA or PhD in Economics is required, or permission of the Department.

Description:

This course provides a rigorous introduction to microeconomic theory, covering topics such as consumer behaviour, revealed preference theory, production theory, and an introduction to game theory. The course emphasizes the development of formal mathematical models to analyze economic behavior.

Component(s):

"Lecture"; "Laboratory"

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following course must be completed previously:ECON 612

Description:

This course covers advanced topics in microeconomic theory, including general equilibrium theory, choice under uncertainty, the economics of information, and selected topics in game theory and mechanism design. Emphasis is placed on the development and application of formal models to analyze strategic behaviour and information asymmetries in economic environments.

Component(s):

"Lecture"; "Laboratory"

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

Enrolment in the MA or PhD in Economics is required, or permission of the Department.

Description:

This course offers a rigorous introduction to dynamic macroeconomic theory, covering growth models, overlapping generations models, business cycle models, monetary economies, and new Keynesian models. Emphasis is placed on microfoundations, equilibrium concepts, and dynamic programming.

Component(s):

"Lecture"; "Laboratory"

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following course must be completed previously: ECON 615. Enrolment in the MA or PhD in Economics is required, or permission of the Department.

Description:

This course examines macroeconomic theory within a dynamic general equilibrium heterogeneous-agent framework, with emphasis on efficient allocation under aggregate and idiosyncratic uncertainty. Topics include Pareto optimality, equilibria in complete and incomplete market economies, growth models, taxation, economic inequality, and policy analysis in overlapping generations models with idiosyncratic risk.

Component(s):

"Lecture"; "Laboratory"

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

Enrolment in the MA or PhD in Economics is required, or permission of the Department.

Description:

This course uses the New Keynesian framework to explore why money is valued, the objectives of monetary policy, and the evaluation of monetary policy effects, with tools such as constrained optimization and dynamic programming.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• Students who have received credit for ECON 618 may not take this course for credit.

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

Enrolment in the MA or PhD in Economics is required, or permission of the Department.

Description:

This course develops the skills and knowledge needed to formulate and solve dynamic economic models using advanced numerical techniques. These tools have become central to many areas of economics, enabling researchers to solve models that were previously intractable. The methods taught in this course are applicable to research in applied microeconomics, econometrics, and macroeconomics.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• Students who have received credit for this topic under ECON 695 may not take this course for credit.

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

Enrolment in the MA or PhD in Economics is required, or permission of the Department.

Description:

This course examines how our understanding of economic growth has evolved over time and how this evolution has shaped economic and development policies. The course takes a macroeconomic perspective, with a focus on growth and development policies, their inherent challenges, and the factors that mitigate their success.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

Enrolment in the MA or PhD in Economics is required, or permission of the Department.

Description:

This course examines the root causes and mechanisms behind income differences across nations. It focuses on models of human capital, fertility, and health, as well as productivity and structural transformation, institutions, and financial development.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

Enrolment in the MA or PhD in Economics is required, or permission of the Department.

Description:

This course offers in-depth coverage of some important topics in mostly non-cooperative, but also cooperative, game theory. While formal reasoning, precise definitions, and proofs are part of the course, the emphasis is on interpreting and applying game-theoretic concepts in economics. Main topics include Nash equilibrium and subgame perfection, correlated equilibrium, rationalizability, repeated games, Bayesian games, the core, the Shapley value, and stable sets.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• Students who have received credit for ECON 614 or for this topic under ECON 695 may not take this course for credit.

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

Enrolment in the MA or PhD in Economics is required, or permission of the Department.

Description:

This course examines the connection between individual preferences and the economic and political outcomes in democratic societies. It considers both the interaction of individuals and entities within given political processes and institutions, and how these processes and institutions are shaped by individual and societal interests. The course employs game-theoretic and information-theoretic tools for analysis. Topics covered include voting, election campaigns, legislative processes, political accountability, and political reforms, among others.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• Students who have received credit for ECON 619 or for this topic under ECON 695 may not take this course for credit.

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

Enrolment in the MA or PhD in Economics is required, or permission of the Department.

Description:

This course explores the design of institutions and markets, with a focus on mechanism and market design. Primary emphasis is placed on mechanisms involving monetary transactions, with auctions as a key example. This interdisciplinary topic spans economics, operations research, and computer science. The course also covers mechanisms without monetary transfers and introduces the emerging field of information design.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• Students who have received credit for this topic under ECON 695 may not take this course for credit.

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

Enrolment in the MA or PhD in Economics is required, or permission of the Department.

Description:

This course examines the design and analysis of markets that require a selection process and do not rely on prices. To understand how the organization of such markets affects their performance, several centrally administered mechanisms and their properties are discussed, including those used in real-world marketplaces. The course also explores the interplay between theory and practice, with applications to labor market clearinghouses, school choice programs, and the allocation of organs for transplantation.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• Students who have received credit for this topic under ECON 695 may not take this course for credit.

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

Enrolment in the MA or PhD in Economics is required, or permission of the Department.

Description:

This course introduces the theory of industrial organization, focusing on firm behaviour in various market structures. It uses price theory and game-theoretic tools for this analysis. Topics include monopoly pricing, price discrimination, product differentiation, oligopoly, entry and exit, advertising, information disclosure, data privacy, and digital platforms.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• Students who have received credit for ECON 673 may not take this course for credit.

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

Enrolment in the MA or PhD in Economics is required, or permission of the Department.

Description:

This course introduces students to the basic methodology of experimental economics and discusses its applications in behavioural game theory, financial economics, public economics, labour economics, political economics, environmental economics, and decision theory.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• Students who have received credit for this topic under ECON 695 may not take this course for credit.

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

Enrolment in the MA or PhD in Economics is required, or permission of the Department.

Description:

This course surveys major themes in financial economics, emphasizing competitive financial equilibrium across models like Arrow-Debreu and the Consumption Capital Asset Pricing Model. It covers fundamental financial theory concepts and develops arbitrage pricing models used in the financial industry for pricing futures, swaps, options, and structured products. Integrating utility-based theoretical frameworks with these practical models, the course provides a comprehensive foundation for understanding financial markets and pricing mechanisms.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following courses must be completed previously: ECON 642 and ECON 680. Enrolment in the MA or PhD in Economics is required, or permission of the Department.

Description:

This course explores asset pricing theory through continuous-time models and introduces recent empirical methods in finance. The first part covers diffusion models, stochastic calculus, contingent securities pricing, and the term structure of interest rates. The second part covers advanced financial econometrics, including asset pricing model estimation, and continuous-time econometrics. Topics also include the generalized method of moments, maximum likelihood, and nonparametric estimation of diffusion processes, and volatility models.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

Enrolment in the MA or PhD in Economics is required, or permission of the Department.

Description:

This course examines how taxation and public expenditure policies shape economic behaviour, including work-leisure choices and saving decisions. It evaluates optimal tax and spending designs for equity, efficiency, and fiscal sustainability. Emphasis is on analytical tools and policy applications.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

Enrolment in the MA or PhD in Economics is required, or permission of the Department.

Description:

This course deals with the inter-relationship between economics and the physical environment. The objective is to depict the problem of environmental quality as an economic problem. The course focuses on the use of concepts and instruments derived from public finance for the resolution of environmental issues. Numerous case studies are discussed.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

Enrolment in the MA or PhD in Economics is required, or permission of the Department.

Description:

Selected topics in international finance or open economy macroeconomics are analyzed within modern dynamic general equilibrium models. These include deviations from the law of one price and from purchasing power parity, pricing to market, exchange rate determination, the international transmission of business cycles, the international financial system and crises, sovereign debt and default, global trade imbalances, currency unions (like the European Monetary Union), customs unions (like the European Union), and optimal monetary and fiscal policy in an open economy setting.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

Enrolment in the MA or PhD in Economics is required, or permission of the Department.

Description:

This course studies labour supply, welfare dependency, human capital, migration, discrimination, and wage inequality. It covers structural and non-structural approaches, focusing on theory, econometric methods, and policy applications.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

Enrolment in the MA or PhD in Economics is required, or permission of the Department.

Description:

This course covers selected topics in labour market dynamics, integrating theoretical frameworks and empirical studies with a macroeconomic focus. Key topics include advanced theories of employment, wages, labour income processes, job search, job creation, labour market transitions, and labour mobility. The course also explores labour market institutions and the effects of various policies, such as minimum wage regulations and (un)employment insurance. In addition, students gain hands-on experience with advanced quantitative data analysis.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

Enrolment in the MA or PhD in Economics is required, or permission of the Department.

Description:

This course introduces theoretical econometrics, focusing on linear regression models and estimation methods. Topics include the ordinary least squares estimator, maximum likelihood estimation, asymptotic theory, the Generalized Method of Moments, and issues arising from heteroskedasticity, autocorrelation, and endogeneity. The course also covers foundational concepts of causal inference.

Component(s):

"Lecture"; "Laboratory"

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following course must be completed previously: ECON 680. Enrolment in the MA or PhD in Economics is required, or permission of the Department.

Description:

This course covers advanced topics in non-linear econometrics, including asymptotic theory for extremum estimators, the generalized method of moments, quasi-maximum likelihood, and simulation-based methods such as indirect inference and the simulated method of moments, as well as nonparametric and semiparametric estimation techniques. Additional topics include causal inference, quantile regression, and the analysis of static and dynamic panel data models.

Component(s):

"Lecture"; "Laboratory"

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

Enrolment in the MA or PhD in Economics is required, or permission of the Department.

Description:

This course provides a theoretical and applied introduction to time series econometrics, with an emphasis on models used in macroeconomics and finance. Topics include the properties of univariate stationary processes, Autoregressive Moving Average (ARMA) models and their use in forecasting, causality, and vector autoregressive (VAR) models. The course also examines nonstationary processes, including unit roots, cointegration, and vector error correction models, as well as nonlinear time series models.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

Enrolment in the MA or PhD in Economics is required, or permission of the Department.

Description:

This course introduces students to advanced econometric methods, with a focus on modeling and estimation techniques used in microeconomic applications. It begins with a review of linear regression models and instrumental variables. It then covers models for discrete and limited dependent variables, maximum likelihood estimation, and program evaluation techniques such as matching, differences-in-differences, and regression discontinuity. The course emphasizes the practical application of econometric tools through coding and data analysis.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

Enrolment in the MA or PhD in Economics is required, or permission of the Department.

Description:

This course introduces students to machine learning methods and their applications in economics. The focus is on supervised learning, with an emphasis on predictive methods. Topics include high-dimensional regression and classification, splines, tree-based methods, support vector machines, and deep learning. Selected aspects of causal machine learning are also covered.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• Students who have received credit for this topic under ECON 695 may not take this course for credit.

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

Enrolment in the MA or PhD in Economics is required, or permission of the Department.

Description:

This course provides an opportunity to study a selected topic in economics. Topics vary by term and reflect current interests and faculty expertise.

Component(s):

"Lecture"

Notes:

• This course may be taken more than one time for credit, provided the subject matter is different each time.

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

Enrolment in the MA or PhD in Economics is required, or permission of the Department.

Description:

This course introduces students to the methods economists use to conduct scientific research and generate new knowledge. It covers how to formulate a research question and hypothesis, review the literature, build and explain a suitable model, describe data, and communicate findings effectively. The course also discusses data sources and types, as well as key research design concerns such as endogeneity.

Component(s):

"Lecture"; "Thesis Research"

Description:

A thesis demonstrates a student’s ability to carry out original independent research in Economics. The topic of the thesis must be approved by the Graduate Program Director and a full-time member of the Department who is prepared to act as a supervisor. The thesis is examined in accordance with the guidelines outlined in the Thesis Regulations section of this calendar.

Component(s):

"Thesis Research"

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following courses must be completed previously: ECON 613 and ECON 616.

Description:

All students must pass one examination in Microeconomic Theory and one examination in Macroeconomic Theory.

Component(s):

"Thesis Research"

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following course must be completed previously: ECON 696.

Description:

Doctoral students are required to submit an original research paper by the end of the second academic year, demonstrating the knowledge and skills gained during the first two years and the capacity to conduct independent research in economics. The paper should pose a clear and well-motivated research question; situate it within the relevant literature; develop testable hypotheses or a coherent analytical, theoretical, or computational framework as appropriate; apply a suitable methodological approach; analyze and interpret results or model implications; and reflect on the work’s potential contribution. Satisfactory completion of this paper, as determined by a faculty committee appointed by the Graduate Program Director, is required to advance in the program.

Component(s):

"Thesis Research"

Notes:

• This course is graded on a pass/fail basis

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following course must be completed previously: ECON 802.

Description:

Students are required to defend their thesis proposal before a supervisory committee in a meeting chaired by the Graduate Program Director. The supervisory committee consists of the principal supervisor(s) and at least two other members of the Department. The thesis proposal must include a sound rationale for the proposed research, situate this research within the relevant literature, describe the intended research methods, and discuss the overall research agenda towards the completion of a Thesis.

Component(s):

"Thesis Research"

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following course must be completed previously: ECON 804.

Description:

This seminar requires the writing and oral presentation of a completed research paper, which normally constitutes the first chapter of the Thesis.

Component(s):

"Seminar"; "Thesis Research"

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following course must be completed previously: ECON 806.

Description:

Doctoral students must submit a thesis, based on their own extensive research, which makes an original contribution to knowledge and defend it in an oral examination in accordance with the thesis regulations specified in the relevant section of this calendar.

Component(s):

"Thesis Research"

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following course must be completed previously: ECON 806.

Description:

Doctoral students must submit a thesis, based on their own extensive research, which makes an original contribution to knowledge and defend it in an oral examination in accordance with the thesis regulations specified in the relevant section of this calendar.

Component(s):

"Thesis Research"

Notes:

• The research thesis is graded accepted or rejected.