Note from June 29, 2020
Although we do not yet know how long the social distancing related to the Covid-19 pandemic will last, and regardless of the changes that had to be made in the evaluation of the June 2020 session in relation to what is provided for in this learning unit description, new learnig unit evaluation methods may still be adopted by the teachers; details of these methods have been - or will be - communicated to the students by the teachers, as soon as possible.
Although we do not yet know how long the social distancing related to the Covid-19 pandemic will last, and regardless of the changes that had to be made in the evaluation of the June 2020 session in relation to what is provided for in this learning unit description, new learnig unit evaluation methods may still be adopted by the teachers; details of these methods have been - or will be - communicated to the students by the teachers, as soon as possible.
5 credits
30.0 h
Q2
Teacher(s)
Bodart Vincent;
Language
French
Main themes
The main focus of the course is the analysis of the economic business cycle, that is the sucession over time of periods of expansion and periods of recession. The course is divided in two parts. The first part is devoted to the presentation of some important stylized facts about the economic business cycles in the advanced economies and to the analysis of the principal economic mechanisms that are considered to be at the origin of business cycle fluctuations.
In the second part, we will examine the tools and methodologies that are necessary to build a rigorous conjonc-tural analysis and to establish short-term macroeconomic forecasts
Aims
At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to : | |
| 1 | The course has two main objectives : (1) analyze the principal economic mechanisms that are at the origin of business cycle fluctuations ; (2) give students the tools and methodologies that are necessary to build a rigorous conjonctural analysis and to establish short-term macroeconomic forecasts. |
The contribution of this Teaching Unit to the development and command of the skills and learning outcomes of the programme(s) can be accessed at the end of this sheet, in the section entitled “Programmes/courses offering this Teaching Unit”.
Content
Topics
The main focus of the course is the analysis of the economic business cycle, that is the sucession over time of periods of expansion and periods of recession. The course is divided in two parts. In the first part, we will examine the tools and methodologies that are necessary to build a rigorous conjonctural analysis and to establish short-term macroeconomic forecasts. The second part is devoted to the presentation of some important stylized facts about the economic business cycles in the advanced economies and to the analysis of the principal economic mechanisms that are considered to be at the origin of business cycle fluctuations.
Content
Introduction
Part I. Conjonctural analysis
Part II: Business cycles : definitions, stylized facts and et analysis
The main focus of the course is the analysis of the economic business cycle, that is the sucession over time of periods of expansion and periods of recession. The course is divided in two parts. In the first part, we will examine the tools and methodologies that are necessary to build a rigorous conjonctural analysis and to establish short-term macroeconomic forecasts. The second part is devoted to the presentation of some important stylized facts about the economic business cycles in the advanced economies and to the analysis of the principal economic mechanisms that are considered to be at the origin of business cycle fluctuations.
Content
Introduction
Part I. Conjonctural analysis
- Chapter 1. Tools and methods
- Chapter 2. Conjonctural diagnosis and short-term macroeconomic forecasting
Part II: Business cycles : definitions, stylized facts and et analysis
- Chapter 3. Definitions of the business cycle
- Chapter 4. The business cycle : empirical facts
- Chapter 5. The dynamics of the business cycle
- Chapter 6. The stabilization of the business cycle since 1980
- Chapter 7. The international synchronization of business cycles
Teaching methods
A syllabus is available and a list of additional readings is provided. Within Part I, the students will have to work by groups on a case study.
Evaluation methods
Learning outcome
At the end of the course, students are supposed to have a good understanding of what are the principal economic mechanisms that are at the origin of business cycle fluctuations. Students are also supposed to know how to use properly the tools and methodologies that are necessary to build a rigorous conjonctural analysis and to establish short-term macroeconomic forecasts.
Evaluation procedure
The evaluation is composed of a written exam (syllabus and readings) and the report of the case study (work in group). The weight of the case study report is the final grade is determined according to the result of the written exam. It varies between 30% and 50%. The weighting scheme will be communicated precisely during the class.
If, for whatever reasons, a student has not undertaken the case study but however decides to take the written exam, the note of its written exam will not count for the final grade. Its final note will therefore be 0/20. Furthermore, if he has no valuable reasons (sickness, ...) that explain why he has not undertaken the case study during the course period, it will not be allowed to undertake the case study for the second examination period (within a same academic year).
If a student fails during its first participation at the exam but has undertaken the case study, he will only be allowed to undertake the written exam during its second participation at the exam (within the same academic year). The note of the case study will be unchanged.
At the end of the course, students are supposed to have a good understanding of what are the principal economic mechanisms that are at the origin of business cycle fluctuations. Students are also supposed to know how to use properly the tools and methodologies that are necessary to build a rigorous conjonctural analysis and to establish short-term macroeconomic forecasts.
Evaluation procedure
The evaluation is composed of a written exam (syllabus and readings) and the report of the case study (work in group). The weight of the case study report is the final grade is determined according to the result of the written exam. It varies between 30% and 50%. The weighting scheme will be communicated precisely during the class.
If, for whatever reasons, a student has not undertaken the case study but however decides to take the written exam, the note of its written exam will not count for the final grade. Its final note will therefore be 0/20. Furthermore, if he has no valuable reasons (sickness, ...) that explain why he has not undertaken the case study during the course period, it will not be allowed to undertake the case study for the second examination period (within a same academic year).
If a student fails during its first participation at the exam but has undertaken the case study, he will only be allowed to undertake the written exam during its second participation at the exam (within the same academic year). The note of the case study will be unchanged.
Other information
Prerequesite: Undergraduate macroeconomics
Online resources
Syllabus + slides + readings
Bibliography
- Cycles économiques, analyse conjoncturelle et prévisions
Teaching materials
- Cycles économiques, analyse conjoncturelle et prévisions
Faculty or entity
ECON
