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Labour Economics - ECO00043H

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• Department: Economics and Related Studies
• Module co-ordinator: Prof. Emma Tominey
• Credit value: 20 credits
• Credit level: H
• Academic year of delivery: 2024-25
  • See module specification for other years: 2023-24

Module summary

Economic models and empirical evidence of labour market issues that help shape public policy

Related modules

Module will run

Occurrence	Teaching period
A	Semester 2 2024-25

Module aims

This course is an introduction to the economic analysis of behaviour and institutions in labour markets.

Primarily microeconomic models are applied to labour market phenomena. These include

• How do firms set wages? And how do workers respond to incentives to work?

• Why do some people get paid based on their performance and others get a fixed wage?

• Is there discriminiation against women/minority ethnic groups in the labour market?

• How important is education in determining labour market outcomes?

• How will technological change affect who is hired and at what wage?

• Is immigration bad for natives with poor qualifications?

• Can policy reduce inequality and discrimination without harming efficiency?

Module learning outcomes

On completing the module, students should be able to understand

• Why inequalities and discriminiation are policy problems

• how microeconomic models can be used to make predictions related to labour market

• how micro models and empirical evidence are important policy tools

• the empirical evidence linked to specific questions and use this evidence to understand policy solutions

Assessment

Task	Length	% of module mark
Closed/in-person Exam (Centrally scheduled) Labour Economics	3 hours	100

Special assessment rules

None

Reassessment

Task	Length	% of module mark
Closed/in-person Exam (Centrally scheduled) Labour Economics	3 hours	100

Module feedback

Fortnightly problem sets: students can get feedback on each assignment if they choose to submit.

Fortnightly problem set lectures: the students will solve the problems together with the lecturer in class.

Indicative reading

G Borjas, Labor Economics.

Additional reading, drawn from journals, will be suggested during the course.