Development Economics

Module code: EC3061

Module co-ordinator: Dr Martin F Koppensteiner

Development economics is a branch of economics which deals with economic aspects of the development process in low- and middle-income countries.

The module will discuss some of the great questions of economics. Why are some countries rich and others poor? What is the role of markets? Should we be concerned about inequality? Is government intervention a good thing? Should we care about poverty? We will see techniques of economic reasoning being applied to such fundamental, real-world questions.

Topics covered

• Models of economic growth
• Growth and convergence
• Economic inequality and its consequences
• Population growth and the demographic transition
• Poverty and under nutrition
• The role of insurance
• Theory and empirics of human capital in development
• Health and the disease environment

Learning

• 10 two-hour lectures
• 4 seminars
• 8 tutorials

Assessment

This module will be assessed by:

• A coursework component based on a quantitative exercise to be submitted online (20%).
• A two hour examination at the end of the semester (80%).