ECON4915 ¨C Development Economics

Course content

Development Economics addresses development issues for poor countries. The course aims at explaining the causes and effects of poverty and deriving policy implications. The course is based on theoretical economics, adapted to reflect the special institutional structures that characterize most developing countries.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

You should know

• the magnitude of the differences in incomes between countries and peoples of the world
• a variety of theoretical models and mechanisms and arguments that are relevant for development and poverty issues
• empirical research relevant for development and poverty issues

Skills

You should be able to

• master theoretical models that illustrate important development issues
• derive and discuss policy implications
• critically assess the quality and relevance of empirical research

Competence

You should

• be able to read and understand project reports and journal articles that make use of the concepts and methods that are introduced in the course
• be able to make use of the course content in your own academic work, for example in analyses that are part of the master¡¯s thesis

Admission to the course

Students admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.

Students not admitted to the Master¡¯s programme in Economics or the Master¡¯s programme in Economic Theory and Econometrics (Samfunns?konomisk analyse), can apply for admission to one of our study programmes, or apply for guest student status.

Formal prerequisite knowledge

You must also fulfill one of these prerequisites:

• Bachelor`s degree in Economics, or equivalent.
• ECON3220 ¨C Microeconomics 3 / ECON4220 ¨C Microeconomics 3, or equivalent.

Overlapping courses

• 10 credits overlap with SO?480.
• 10 credits overlap with S?K480.
• 10 credits overlap with ECON480.

Teaching

Lectures and seminars.

Students are?encouraged to form informal reading groups. In the seminars the students are trained in oral and written presentations.

The seminars are integrated with the lectures and the students will take part, individually and on a group basis, also in the lectures. The students will throughout the term receive written and oral feedback.

At the start of the semester, the course reponsible can update the syllabus list by replacing up to 3 articles, without the scope and thematic content of the syllabus changing significantly.

The syllabus also includes any lecture notes that are made available during the semester.

Examination

A 3-hour written school exam.

Previous exams

Exam papers with comments from examiner

Examination support material

Usage of a dictionary during the examination is allowed, subject to prior inspection by SV-info.?See guidelines for further details.

Language of examination

The examination text is given in English. You may submit your response in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.

Resit an examination

If you are sick or have another valid reason for not attending the regular exam, we offer a postponed exam later in the same semester.

See also our information about resitting an exam.

Students who wish to take the exam again in a later semester are not guaranteed that the course will be given with the same content and syllabus, or that the form of assessment will be the same.

More about examinations at UiO

• Use of sources and citations
• Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
• Withdrawal from an exam
• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Explanation of grades and appeals
• Resitting an exam
• Cheating/attempted cheating

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.