ECON 777 : Economic Development and Wellbeing
Business and Economics
2025 Semester Two (1255) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
This course explores the origins of wealth and inequality across the globe. It examines (i) the determinants of the growth process since the emergence of Homo sapiens, (ii) the roots of the dramatic transformation in standards in the past two centuries, and (iii) the role of deeply rooted geographical, institutional, and cultural characteristics as well as human diversity in the uneven development across the countries and regions. The analysis proposes a resolution for some of the most fundamental mysteries of the journey of humanity: What trapped humankind in poverty for most of human existence? What sparked the massive metamorphosis in living standards over the past two centuries? And what led to the emergence of immense inequality across nations?
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 2: | Sustainability |
| Capability 3: | Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 4: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 6: | Communication |
Learning Outcomes
- Identify mysteries of the journey of humanity and the deep roots of wealth and inequality. (Capability 3 and 6.2)
- Describe the significance of the agricultural revolution in the process of economic development. (Capability 2)
- Analyse The Malthusian hypothesis. (Capability 2 and 6.2)
- Explain the demographic transition and the empty planet trap in the knowledge-based growth models. (Capability 3 and 6.2)
- Critically evaluate the macro development models based on the Unified Growth Theory. (Capability 3 and 6.2)
- Demonstrate an understanding of the role of institutions, culture and geography in shaping the diversity in macroeconomic development across the world. (Capability 3, 4 and 6.2)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Presentation | 20% | Group & Individual Coursework |
| Essay | 20% | Individual Coursework |
| Take Home Test | 20% | Individual Coursework |
| Final Exam | 40% | Individual Examination |
| 4 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |||||
| Presentation | ||||||||||
| Essay | ||||||||||
| Take Home Test | ||||||||||
| Final Exam | ||||||||||
No plussage applies.
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 or Online
This course is offered in two delivery modes:
Campus Experience
Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including tutorials to receive credit the course. Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including tutorials will be available as recordings. Attendance on campus is not required for the test/exam. The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.
Online
Attendance is expected at scheduled online activities.
Where possible, study material will be released progressively throughout the course.
This course runs to the University semester timetable and all the associated completion dates and deadlines will apply.
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.
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.
Other Information
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations 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. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.
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 your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, 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 you may be asked to submit your 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. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.