Historical Perspectives on Current Economics Issues: Big Data and Applications

Study Board of Market and Management Anthropology, Economics, Mathematics-Economics, Environmental and Resource Management

Teaching language: English
EKA: B560057112, B560057102
Censorship: Second examiner: None
Grading: Pass/Fail, 7-point grading scale
Offered in: Odense
Offered in: Summer school (autumn)
Level: Master

Course ID: B560057101
ECTS value: 10

Date of Approval: 13-01-2020


Duration: Intensive course

Course ID

B560057101

Course Title

Historical Perspectives on Current Economics Issues: Big Data and Applications

Teaching language

English

ECTS value

10

Responsible study board

Study Board of Market and Management Anthropology, Economics, Mathematics-Economics, Environmental and Resource Management

Date of Approval

13-01-2020

Course Responsible

Name Email Department
Philipp Ager phag@sam.sdu.dk Institut for Virksomhedsledelse og Økonomi

Offered in

Odense

Level

Master

Offered in

Summer school (autumn)

Duration

Intensive course

Recommended prerequisites

There are no formal requirements for following the course, except for having acquired an understanding of econometrics at the level of the BA. Basic knowledge of statistical programs such as STATA or R is useful. Having followed the undergraduate classes ‘An Introduction to Economic and Business History’ and ‘Applied Economics’ would be an advantage.

Aim and purpose

The course is designed to introduce a selection of themes from economic history with a focus on understanding how history impacts on current economic outcomes and debates. The idea is thus not simply to gain an understanding of economic history for its own sake, but most importantly a realization that it is not possible to have a full understanding of the world economy today without knowing how we got there. For example, only history can teach us why economic disparities across and within countries persist. Also certain questions such as how mobile a society is across generations or how fast immigrants assimilate over time can only be answered using “big data” (for example complete individual-level census records).

The aim is also to prepare students for writing a masters’ thesis which explicitly recognizes the role of history for current economic outcomes and debates, as well as the importance of big data.

The course will feature lectures from a leading guest professor, and their lectures will constitute the main theme of the summer school. Additional lectures will be given by local faculty, and will explore other themes in economic history as well as methods for analyzing big data such as machine learning. More information will be available under “Teaching” on https://www.sdu.dk/en/hedg. 

Content

The lectures will include some or all of the following topics:

Danish economic history Labor markets
Health and demography
Open economy macro and trade Culture and institutions
The use of big data in economic history

Learning goals


Description of outcome - Knowledge

By the end of the course the students should be able to:

Demonstrate knowledge about the course’s focus areas, enabling the student to


Apply data to assess problems frequently asked in economic history.
Apply statistical methods, such as regression analysis, to selected problems. Assess the quality and relevance of scientific articles and statistical material.
Understand the relevance and use of big data to economic history.

Description of outcome - Skills

Demonstrate skills, such that the student is able to:

Use relevant literature and data to work on a specific topic relevant to economic history. Use econometric methods to analyze historical data and big data.
Communicate orally and in writing economic history to peers and non-peers.

Description of outcome - Competences

Demonstrate competences, such that the student is able to:

Share knowledge in a work process.
Identify and reflect on their own learning goals.
Identify a need for further development of the models and theories related to economic history.

Literature

Examples:
The literature will be based on journal articles, book chapters and other materials to be assigned during class.

Teaching Method

The course will consist of 3 hours of lectures per day plus 3 hours of exercise classes per day. Exercise classes will be left to the discretion of the individual teachers, but can include replication exercises, class presentations, and class discussions.

Workload

Scheduled classes (over 10 days):

2 weeks (34 and 35):

1 lecture (3 hours) every day.

3 hours exercise classes every day.

Workload:

The students' workload is expected to be distributed as follows: 

Lectures – 30 hours

Exercise classes - 30 hours

Preparation – 186 hours

Exam – 24 hours

Total: 270 hours


Examination regulations

Exam

Name

Exam

Timing

Exam part 1: August
Reexam: August

Exam part 2: August
Reexam: September/October

Tests

Exam part 1 - Participation

Name

Exam part 1 - Participation

Form of examination

Participation

Censorship

Second examiner: None

Grading

Pass/Fail

Identification

Student Identification Card - Date of birth

Language

English

Duration

30 hours - attendance in all classes is compulsory

ECTS value

1

Additional information

Attendance in all classes is compulsory.

Re-examination

Form of examination

Oral examination

Identification

Student Identification Card - Date of birth

Preparation

No preparation

Duration

10 minutes with no preparation

Additional information

The reexam for the participation is a 10-minutes oral exam with no preparation, covering all the material in the lectures. 

EKA

B560057112

Exam part 2 - Final exam

Name

Exam part 2 - Final exam

Form of examination

Take-home assignment

Censorship

Second examiner: None

Grading

7-point grading scale

Identification

Student Identification Card - Exam number

Language

English

Duration

72 hours home assignment

Length

No limitations

Examination aids

All examination aids allowed

Assignment handover

Digital submission

Assignment handin

Digital submission

ECTS value

9

Additional information

The exam will take place from immediately after the course until the following Monday. It will consist of a number of questions relating to the materials and methods discussed over the two weeks.

From the last Friday of the course at 4pm until the following Monday at 4pm.

Re-examination

Form of examination

Oral examination

Identification

Student Identification Card - Date of birth

Preparation

No preparation

Duration

20 minutes

Additional information

Examination form at the re-exam will be an oral exam (20 minutes) without preparation time, covering all the material covered in the lectures.

EKA

B560057102

External comment

Please note that this course is also available for PhD students too. 

NOTE - This course is new.

Used examination attempts in the former identical course will be transferred.
Courses that are identical with former courses that are passed according to applied rules cannot be retaken.

The student is automatically registered for the first examination attempt when the student is registered for a course or course element with which one or more examinations are associated. Withdrawal of registration is not possible, and students who fail to participate in an examination have used one examination attempt, unless the University has made an exemption due to special circumstances. 


Courses offered

Offer period Offer type Profile Education Semester

URL for Skemaplan