MSc Economics

Students in this unit will think about the reasons why different regions developed at different times and at different speeds. The influence of geography, demography, culture and institutions will play a central role when considering the above question.

The unit aims to:

Introduce students to the Economic History at a graduate level.

Improve students’ skills in critical evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of historical empirical evidence.

Syllabus (indicative curriculum content):

Introduction

Geography

Institutions

Culture

Demography

Colonisation

Why did Northwestern Europe become rich first?

Britain’s Industrial Revolution 
The rise of the modern economy

Industrialization and the world it created 

Student work will be organised around lectures and tutorial sessions.  

Lectures: In lectures the main content of the respective topics will be presented. This will provide the basis knowledge and understanding that will be useful for the reading that will be required for the following tutorial debates.

Tutorials: Most tutorials will be organised around debate topics based on weekly readings.

In addition, guided self study.

Any learning materials required will be delivered through the unit’s site on the CLE.

Students will be able to:

Identify the historical origins of economic developments;  

Understand and apply the key features of economic development models (such as the Malthusian model) to explain key historical economic processes and stylised facts;

Identify and discuss key empirical evidence in order to explain the historical origins of economic growth.

Students will be able to engage critically with academic research on topics in economic history.

Students will be able to succinctly summarise research findings.
 

Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to present arguments clearly in written form.

Formative Assessment:

Tutorial Questions

Summative Assessment:

2 x Paper Discussion - 2 x 250 words (20%)

Final Exam - 2 hours (80%)

Paper Discussion - feedback will be provided via comments on submission and group feedback

Fina Exam - feedback on scripts and group feedback.

Main textbook:

Mark Koyama and Jared Rubin (2022). How the World Became Rich: The Historical Origins of Economic Growth. Wiley

Additional weekly journal readings for the tutorials will be listed in the syllabus and made available through the Library’s online reading list.