ECON 302 : Economics of Labour Markets

Business and Economics

2024 Semester One (1243) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

The application of economics to labour issues that confront policymakers around the world. Examines how labour markets function and focuses on the use of economic frameworks to evaluate the effects of various policies, including education and training, welfare and taxation, workplace health and safety, minimum wages, and immigration. Discusses effective strategies to mitigate workplace discrimination.

Course Overview

This course applies economic theory to understand issues in labour markets, many of which are central to current political debates in New Zealand and abroad. For example, both inequality and New Zealand's low productivity growth are related to some of the main topics of this course: education, minimum wages, and immigration. This is an elective course that will provide an opportunity to apply many tools learnt in earlier core courses, such as microeconomics and econometrics. Material is taught through a combination of lectures and small group tutorials. 

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: ECON 201

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Commerce

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Evaluate and explain how firm and worker behaviour affects employment, wages and other labour market outcomes. (Capability 1.1, 4.1 and 4.2)
  2. Analyse how institutions, market structures and regulatory frameworks affect labour market outcomes, including wages, employment and unemployment. (Capability 3.1, 3.2 and 4.2)
  3. Evaluate the effectiveness of policies and strategies used to mitigate workplace discrimination, enhance workplace safety, and increase wages and employment opportunities for low income households. (Capability 3.2, 5.2 and 6.2)
  4. Identify and critically analyse the impact of public policies such as welfare, education and immigration on labour market outcomes. (Capability 2.2 and 4.2)
  5. Communicate orally a clear, coherent message to diverse audiences using a range of appropriate formats and techniques (Capability 6.1)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Quizzes 5% Individual Coursework
Assignments 30% Individual Coursework
Tests 60% Individual Test
Presentation 5% Group Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5
Quizzes
Assignments
Tests
Presentation

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 3 hours of lectures, a 1 hour tutorial, 2 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 4 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including tutorials will not be available as recordings.
The course will not include live online events.
Attendance on campus is required for lectures, tutorials, and tests.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Prescribed Text: George J. Borjas, Labor Economics, 9th edition, 2024, McGraw Hill.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Student feedback is valued and used in the development of the course over time.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 10/11/2023 04:34 p.m.