ECONOMICS OF LIFE - 2027/8
Module code: ECO3065
Module Overview
The module examines the nature and behaviour of households in modern economies. It will use economic theory and empirical evidence to illuminate why families are organized as they are and why this varies between countries. In the second part of the module students will be encouraged to apply the theory and evidence they have learned to their own lives. This will give students the opportunity to reflect on the preferences and constraints that will affect their future lives as they prepare to leave university. Students will make use of the Microeconomic knowledge and Econometrics skills that they have developed in Level 5, applying them in a new context.
Module provider
Economics
Module Leader
BLANDEN Jo (Economics)
Number of Credits: 15
ECTS Credits: 7.5
Framework: FHEQ Level 6
Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A
Overall student workload
Workshop Hours: 11
Independent Learning Hours: 87
Lecture Hours: 11
Guided Learning: 30
Captured Content: 11
Module Availability
Semester 2
Prerequisites / Co-requisites
N/A
Module content
How different societies have reacted to changing economic conditions and what this means for the lives of their citizens, focusing on family life.
How families decide on the goods produced in the household and how they are distributed between family members. Understanding this has important implications for gender equality in work and access to resources.
Fertility and investments in children and elderly family members and the implications of household decisions for the relationships between generations.
Assessment pattern
| Assessment type | Unit of assessment | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Oral exam or presentation | Group presentation | 30 |
| Coursework | Individual report based on presentation | 30 |
| Coursework | Individual coursework | 40 |
Alternative Assessment
Group presentation can be substituted with an individual presentation if necessary. If students feel uncomfortable in writing about themselves in the final coursework they may make up an individual and design their dream-life instead.
Assessment Strategy
The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of household behaviour and contemporary family policies and their developing skills in research, synthesis, and critical reflection.
The presentation allows students to demonstrate their ability to work in teams and produce a clear economic argument that is based on research and well-communicated, both visually and verbally.
In the individual report, students will use the feedback I have provided on their presentation to develop their own write up of the topic they have studies in a group. This will demonstrate their ability to synthesise data and research to evaluate different arguments and evidence.
In the second piece of coursework, students will use the material covered in the module as a starting point to reflect on their own future lives, taking into account the constraints they are likely to face.
Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:
- A group presentation
- A report based on the presentation.
- An individual coursework assignment.
The formative assessment for this module consists of:
Discussion in class, including in workshops specifically designed to develop the ideas for the final coursework.
Students will be supported as they develop initial plans for their presentation.
Feedback on the presentation will give students the opportunity to reflect on their performance and help improve it as they develop their final report. Additional feedback on draft reports will be available in student consultation hours.
Appointments in student consultation hours will allow students to discuss their individual reflective coursework. I will also encourage them to make use of peer feedback.
Module aims
- To extend students' microeconomic toolkit to analyse fundamental contemporary questions concerning the individual's behaviour relating to relationships, children and leisure.
- To help students to understand contemporary issues in economics and public policy concerning the formation and dissolution of families, family decision making, and investments made in children. The coverage of this material will emphasize their implications for inequality, both within and between households and reflect on differences between countries and communities within them.
- To give students the opportunity to develop teamwork, communication, research and evaluation skills, preparing them for employment or higher-level study.
- To encourage students to apply their learning to their own circumstances and reflect on what they want out of life, mindful of the constraints they will face.
Learning outcomes
| Attributes Developed | ||
| 001 | Apply economics to fundamental contemporary questions concerning individuals' behaviour inside and outside the family. | CKT |
| 002 | Describe the main features of, and trends in, the UK household patterns and family policies, comparing how these patterns differ from those found in other countries and why. | CKT |
| 003 | Interpret relevant data and empirical findings on household behaviour, adopting a critical perspective when possible. | CKT |
| 004 | Gather own evidence from academic research and other sources, synthesise and evaluate it. | CPT |
| 005 | Work in a small group to produce a coherent and attractive presentation, based on your research. | CPT |
| 006 | Demonstrate that you have absorbed and reflected on the module content by applying it to your own personal circumstances. | CPT |
Attributes Developed
C - Cognitive/analytical
K - Subject knowledge
T - Transferable skills
P - Professional/Practical skills
Methods of Teaching / Learning
The learning and teaching strategy is designed to present new facts and economic theories so that students can apply their economic analysis to a new area of study. We will also consider how Government policy decisions shapes family responses. As the module develops, students are exposed to research which evaluates important theories and debates in the economics of family and wellbeing, enabling them to develop their capacity to synthesise research in this area; and most importantly to begin to evaluate the quality of research they find and judiciously apply it to their own lives.
Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.
Reading list
https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: ECO3065
Other information
The School of Economics is committed to developing graduates with strengths in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability, and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module is designed to enhance students' knowledge, skills, and capabilities in the following areas.
Sustainability: This module helps students develop their understanding of inequalities in income and wellbeing across both socio-economic and gender dimensions.
Global and cultural capabilities: Examples will be taken from a variety of contexts and the interaction of cultural , policy and economic factors in explaining household behaviour will be discussed.
Resourcefulness and Resilience: The module contains substantial engagement with research which will enable students to develop skills in finding relevant materials and becoming critical consumers of the latest evidence. Students will develop their ability to respond to feedback as they develop their material between the presentation and the report.
Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2027/8 academic year.