Labour Economics - ECO00043H
Module summary
Economic models and empirical evidence of labour market issues that help shape public policy
Related modules
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 2 2025-26 |
Module aims
This course is an introduction to the economic analysis of behaviour and institutions in labour markets.
Primarily microeconomic models are applied to labour market phenomena. These include
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How do firms set wages? And how do workers respond to incentives to work?
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Why do some people get paid based on their performance and others get a fixed wage?
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Is there discriminiation against women/minority ethnic groups in the labour market?
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How important is education in determining labour market outcomes?
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How will technological change affect who is hired and at what wage?
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Is immigration bad for natives with poor qualifications?
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Can policy reduce inequality and discrimination without harming efficiency?
Module learning outcomes
On completing the module, students should be able to understand
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Why inequalities and discriminiation are policy problems
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how microeconomic models can be used to make predictions related to labour market
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how micro models and empirical evidence are important policy tools
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the empirical evidence linked to specific questions and use this evidence to understand policy solutions
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Closed/in-person Exam (Centrally scheduled) | 100 |
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Closed/in-person Exam (Centrally scheduled) | 100 |
Module feedback
Fortnightly problem sets: students can get feedback on each assignment if they choose to submit.
Fortnightly problem set lectures: the students will solve the problems together with the lecturer in class.
Indicative reading
G Borjas, Labor Economics.
Additional reading, drawn from journals, will be suggested during the course.