Special Topics in Economics 2

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

60 hours

Admission to the PhD program in Economics.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

The substantive content of the Special Topics subject will include current research projects being conducted by Faculty staff and/or visiting scholars.

Alongside the Economics Thesis Workshop, which enhances the preparation of the student’s research project, Special Topics will provide graduate-level engagement with contemporary work in Economics in the student’s own area, or in cognate sub-disciplinary areas.

Special Topics is an opportunity for students to expand their repertoire and demonstrate their graduate-level knowledge in other areas of the discipline. It provides a forum that will inform the research and project development of Graduate Research Degree students, assisting in the framing of research questions and the development and articulation of argument and evidence.

On successful completion of this subject, students should have:

• a detailed knowledge of contemporary scholarship in the particular field of Economics addressed;
• an increased awareness of the range of contemporary scholarship in Economics;
• the ability to critically assess contributions to the literature;
• the skills needed to formulate and analyse models used in that field of Economics;
• the ability to prepare and present original research papers in that field.

• One or two-30 minute presentations of a paper fromt the reading list, dates will be assigned to students in the first week of term (Hurdle)
• 1000-word referee report, due Week 6 (20%)
• 10-minute research pitch, due Week 6 (20%)
• 3000-word research proposal, due last day of semester (60%)

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On successful completion of this subject, students should have improved the following generic skills:

• oral communication,
• written communication,
• interpretation and analysis,
• critical thinking,
• synthesis of data,
• evaluation of data,
• accessing data and other information from a range of sources.