Students
ECON8030 – Applied Economics Project
2024 – 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
|
|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
|
| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
ECON840 or ECON8040
|
| 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 by the students, based on their own business or social environment and the themes set by industry guests. Students work in teams to nominate a problem, and to undertake appropriate research and analysis so as to ultimately propose solutions to a panel of experts from industry and academia. The focus of this Capstone is on employability skills, as activities assist students in transforming into economists in a virtual workplace. |
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.
General Assessment Information
Late Assessment Submission Penalty (written assessments)
Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a grade of ‘0’ will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical concern. For any late submissions of time-sensitive tasks, such as scheduled tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, and/or scheduled practical assessments/labs, students need to submit an application for Special Consideration.
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 at the end of the session. 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 at the end of the session.
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
Seminars (lectures)
There will be a compulsory three-hour face to face (on-campus) seminar at 6pm - 9pm on odd weeks, starting in Week 1. Alternate (even weeks) are reserved for online team discussions and project consultation. Attendance at both on-campus seminars and online meetings/consultations are mandatory.
The Capstone project is built on team work and collaboration. As such, in-class interactions are essential to a successful project. In-class interactions during on-campus seminars include interactive demonstrations, debates and team challenges, and during online discussions include inter and intra team meetings. You are therefore encouraged to attend all face to face and virtual classes.
iLearn
The unit webpage on iLearn will contain up to date information: weekly topics and learning activities and information about assessments. Students are strongly encouraged to access iLearn frequently, at least once a week.
Unit Schedule
The unit will be organised as three modules of learning activities, covering:
- Discovery and Research - team-building activities alongside project fine-tuning (Weeks 1 - 4)
- Formulating the Project - project planning and tasks implementation (Weeks 5 - 8)
- Finalising the Project - preparation and delivery of the Team's final project output (Weeks 9 - 12)
Note: Week 13 is dedicated to project presentation and industry networking to cap off the session.
Further details of learning activities and online scheduled tasks of each module will be provided on iLearn weekly.
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:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Complaints Resolution Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy
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 connect.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.
- Workshops
- Chat with a WriteWISE peer writing leader
- Access StudyWISE
- Upload an assignment to Studiosity
- Complete the Academic Integrity Module
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:
- IT Support
- Accessibility and disability support with study
- Mental health support
- Safety support to respond to bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual assault
- Social support including information about finances, tenancy and legal issues
- Student Advocacy provides independent advice on MQ policies, procedures, and processes
Student Enquiries
Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, 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 2024.02 of the Handbook