Students

ECON8030 – Applied Economics Project

2023 – Session 2, In person-scheduled-infrequent, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Andrea Chareunsy
andrea.chareunsy@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
(ECON840 or ECON8040) and (ECON912 or ECON8012) and (ECON913 or ECON8013)
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit is a Capstone for the Master of Applied Economics. It is designed to create a bridge between the knowledge and skills acquired in the course, and the broader society, including business and government. The unit attempts to provide students with a practical understanding of how theories, methods and knowledge of economics can be relied upon to understand and solve issues in the real world. The unit is primarily based on a specific economic project chosen from the students' own business or social environment. Students work in teams to nominate a problem, and to undertake appropriate research and analysis so as to ultimately propose solutions. The scope of the economic project can be microeconomics or macroeconomics; this will depend on the nature of the chosen problem, and the theories and techniques selected in response.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Apply advanced knowledge of key economic ideas to the problems faced by economic decision makers.
  • ULO2: Synthesise and creatively adapt learning to complex economic issues in preparation for professional practice.
  • ULO3: Effectively communicate complex economic ideas and solutions to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
  • ULO4: Interpret and apply ethical dimension of business practice to economic and policy decision choices.
  • ULO5: Collaborate with peers to prepare and present research findings on current real-world issues.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Research project proposal 40% No Week 6
Presentation 20% No Week 13
Research project 40% No Week 13

Research project proposal

Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 21 hours
Due: Week 6
Weighting: 40%

 

The research project proposal, due in week 6, consists of two parts. Part A, worth 20%, is an individual literature survey of the team's proposed topic which will include background, relevance and impact. Part B, worth 20%, is a 3 minute individual pitch followed by a 5 minute team challenge.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply advanced knowledge of key economic ideas to the problems faced by economic decision makers.
  • Synthesise and creatively adapt learning to complex economic issues in preparation for professional practice.
  • Effectively communicate complex economic ideas and solutions to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
  • Interpret and apply ethical dimension of business practice to economic and policy decision choices.

Presentation

Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: Week 13
Weighting: 20%

 

Formal presentations will take place in Week 13. Students present the findings of their group project. However, students will be assessed based on their individual presentation of their assigned section.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply advanced knowledge of key economic ideas to the problems faced by economic decision makers.
  • Synthesise and creatively adapt learning to complex economic issues in preparation for professional practice.
  • Effectively communicate complex economic ideas and solutions to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

Research project

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: Week 13
Weighting: 40%

 

The written team report will provide an analysis of the chosen topic based on existing literature. Students are expected to work in groups to offer a critique of the theories and methods employed for these analyses and propose solutions to problems and issues encountered in their chosen area. The group report will be due in Week 13.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply advanced knowledge of key economic ideas to the problems faced by economic decision makers.
  • Synthesise and creatively adapt learning to complex economic issues in preparation for professional practice.
  • Effectively communicate complex economic ideas and solutions to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
  • Interpret and apply ethical dimension of business practice to economic and policy decision choices.
  • Collaborate with peers to prepare and present research findings on current real-world issues.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

Please refer to the Unit website on iLearn for details. Please note that Week 1 lecture attendance is compulsory.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via AskMQ, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Unit information based on version 2023.01 of the Handbook