Referring to knowledge

Referring to abilities, skills

Referring to attitudes, values and norms

To follow this course successfully, students are expected to have a level of mathematics equivalent to that taught during the first weeks of September in the transition courses at the Faculty of Economics and Business. Accordingly, students are responsible for ensuring they have attained this level prior to enrolling in Introduction to Economics.

This subject is taught through three main types of activity, following the teaching model adopted by the Faculty of Economics and Business.

First, students attend face-to-face classes of two different types (a total study load of 60 hours per semester):

a) Lectures with a practical component, during which the teaching staff explains the main concepts of each topic and presents the theoretical approaches for analysing them, while working through practical examples. This activity has a total study load of 50 hours per semester.

b) Face-to-face practical problem-solving sessions, during which students work through numerical exercises and/or discuss set texts related to the lecture content. Students should prepare the exercises and texts in advance of each session. This activity has a total study load of 10 hours per semester. The schedule for these sessions is detailed in the course programme.

Secondly, students are expected to carry out supervised work (outside class hours), consisting mainly of reading the course bibliography and completing practical activities and assignments set by the lecturer (40 hours per semester).

Third, students carry out independent learning activities, which should include going through class notes, reviewing and assimilating key concepts, consulting additional reference materials and preparing for the continuous assessment tests and final examination (50 hours per semester).

Student workload for this course is approximately divided into 60, 40, and 50 hours for these three types of activity, respectively.

Students are offered two modes of assessment for this subject: (1) continuous assessment + repeat assessment (if applicable) or (2) single assessment + repeat assessment (if applicable). No explicit waiver of continuous assessment is required. Students who do not sit the second continuous assessment test (CAT) described below are automatically entered for single assessment.
 

Continuous assessment

The mark awarded for continuous assessment is based on the following activities: a) continuous assessment exercises (CAE), b) continuous assessment tests (CAT) and c) a final exam.

a) Continuous assessment exercises (CAE): students are set a range of CAEs during the course. These exercises assess the application of knowledge to practice.

b) Continuous assessment tests (CAT): students complete two continuous assessment tests during the course. The date and content of each test is posted on the Virtual Campus. Tests are held during normal class hours. CATs assess the capacity for analysis, synthesis, global vision and application of knowledge to practice.

The continuous assessment exercises and tests together contribute 40% of the final grade.

c) Final exam: the exam consists of a multiple-choice test (40%), two questions on theory (30%) and two problem-solving exercises (30%). A minimum mark of 4 out of 10 in the exam is required to be eligible for continuous assessment. The mark for the final test is worth 60% of the final grade for the subject. The final examination assesses the capacity for analysis, synthesis, global vision and application of knowledge to practice.

For students opting for continuous assessment, the final grade for the course is the higher of the continuous assessment mark and the final exam mark.

Repeat assessment (for students who do not pass the subject) takes place on the date set by the Academic Board and consists of an examination with the same characteristics as those of the single mode of assessment. Note, taking the repeat assessment exam overrides any previously earned continuous assessment marks.

Examination-based assessment

Final examination and weighting: the exam consists of a multiple-choice test (40%), two questions on theory (30%) and two problem-solving exercises (30%). The final examination assesses the capacity for analysis, synthesis, global vision and application of knowledge to practice.

Repeat assessment (for students who do not pass the subject) takes place on the date set by the Academic Board and consists of an examination of the same characteristics.