Syllabus
EN
IT
Basic knowledge of mathematics is required.
The course consists of 2 modules of 36 hours for a total of 72 hours of lectures in an interactive environment between professors and students. The slides used in class are made available on the course website at the end of each lesson.
There will be weekly exercises to delve deeper into the topics and to test innovative teaching methods, such as Timed Responses and the 5Ws method. The 5Ws method is an originally journalistic technique that involves answering five key questions to provide all essential information about an event, topic, or fact in a clear and concise way. The five questions are: Who?, What?, When?, Where?, and Why?.
Frequenza del Corso
Attendance at lectures is optional, and the teaching materials (textbook and slides) are sufficient to prepare for the written exam.
However, participation is strongly recommended. The instructor's approach is based on innovative teaching methods that promote interaction, the development of interpersonal skills, and teamwork — all essential elements for entering the job market.
Actively participating in class will allow you to acquire not only theoretical knowledge but also practical skills that self-study alone cannot provide.
Introduction (Week 1)
o Fundamentals of Economic Analysis: Basic principles, economic model building, concepts of optimization and equilibrium.
• Consumer Theory (Week 2-3-4)
o Preferences and Utility: Analysis of consumer preferences, the concept of indifference curves, and utility functions.
o Budget Constraint and Optimal Choice: Study of the budget constraint and how consumers make decisions to maximize utility.
o Demand Theory: Derivation of individual and market demand, income and substitution effects, and the concept of consumer surplus.
• Production and Cost Theory (Week5- 6-7)
o Production: Production functions, returns to scale, and cost minimization.
o Cost Curves: Analysis of production costs in the short and long run, including average and marginal costs.
• Market Structures ((Week 8-9)
o Demand and Supply: Study of demand and supply curves, determination of market equilibrium, and comparative statics analysis.
o Perfect Competition: Market characteristics, short and long-run equilibrium, and practical applications.
o Monopoly: Causes, monopolist behavior, price and quantity determination, and price discrimination.
o Imperfect Competition and Game Theory: Models of oligopoly and monopolistic competition, introduction to game theory to analyze strategic interactions among firms.
• Advanced Topics and Applications (Week 9)
o Risk and Uncertainty: Study of expected utility, risk aversion, and decisions under uncertainty.
o General Equilibrium and Welfare: Concepts of Pareto efficiency and the fundamental theorems of welfare economics.
o Behavioral Economics: Introduction to the principles of behavioral economics that deviate from traditional rational models.
VINCENZO ATELLA
SARA SAVASTANO
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of mathematics is required.
Program
The course consists of 2 modules of 36 hours for a total of 72 hours of lectures in an interactive environment between professors and students. The slides used in class are made available on the course website at the end of each lesson.
There will be weekly exercises to delve deeper into the topics and to test innovative teaching methods, such as Timed Responses and the 5Ws method. The 5Ws method is an originally journalistic technique that involves answering five key questions to provide all essential information about an event, topic, or fact in a clear and concise way. The five questions are: Who?, What?, When?, Where?, and Why?.
Frequenza del Corso
Attendance at lectures is optional, and the teaching materials (textbook and slides) are sufficient to prepare for the written exam.
However, participation is strongly recommended. The instructor's approach is based on innovative teaching methods that promote interaction, the development of interpersonal skills, and teamwork — all essential elements for entering the job market.
Actively participating in class will allow you to acquire not only theoretical knowledge but also practical skills that self-study alone cannot provide.
Introduction (Week 1)
o Fundamentals of Economic Analysis: Basic principles, economic model building, concepts of optimization and equilibrium.
• Consumer Theory (Week 2-3-4)
o Preferences and Utility: Analysis of consumer preferences, the concept of indifference curves, and utility functions.
o Budget Constraint and Optimal Choice: Study of the budget constraint and how consumers make decisions to maximize utility.
o Demand Theory: Derivation of individual and market demand, income and substitution effects, and the concept of consumer surplus.
• Production and Cost Theory (Week5- 6-7)
o Production: Production functions, returns to scale, and cost minimization.
o Cost Curves: Analysis of production costs in the short and long run, including average and marginal costs.
• Market Structures ((Week 8-9)
o Demand and Supply: Study of demand and supply curves, determination of market equilibrium, and comparative statics analysis.
o Perfect Competition: Market characteristics, short and long-run equilibrium, and practical applications.
o Monopoly: Causes, monopolist behavior, price and quantity determination, and price discrimination.
o Imperfect Competition and Game Theory: Models of oligopoly and monopolistic competition, introduction to game theory to analyze strategic interactions among firms.
• Advanced Topics and Applications (Week 9)
o Risk and Uncertainty: Study of expected utility, risk aversion, and decisions under uncertainty.
o General Equilibrium and Welfare: Concepts of Pareto efficiency and the fundamental theorems of welfare economics.
o Behavioral Economics: Introduction to the principles of behavioral economics that deviate from traditional rational models.
Books
• Textbook:
o David A. Besanko, Ronald R. Braeutigam, Microeconomics, IV or V Edition, 2020, 2024, McGraw-Hill. (Italian edition edited by Giam Pietro Cipriani, Paolo Coccorese, Stefania Ottone)
• Supplementary materials: Slides, exercises, analytical applications, and policy briefs provided by the lecturer
o David A. Besanko, Ronald R. Braeutigam, Microeconomics, IV or V Edition, 2020, 2024, McGraw-Hill. (Italian edition edited by Giam Pietro Cipriani, Paolo Coccorese, Stefania Ottone)
• Supplementary materials: Slides, exercises, analytical applications, and policy briefs provided by the lecturer
Exam Rules
EXAM REGULATIONS
The exam consists of a traditional written test that includes a combination of multiple-choice questions, dichotomous (True/False) questions, open-ended questions, multi-part structured questions, and practical exercises. The written exam has a maximum duration of 90 minutes. The tests are based on the indicated texts and materials, with no differences between attending and non-attending students.
Exam Passing Modalities
• Mid-terms: The final grade can be determined by the arithmetic mean of two mid-term exams taken during the course, provided that the average is 18 or higher.
• Final Written Exam: Alternatively, students can take a final written exam during one of the sessions, where a score of 18 or higher is required to pass.
• Those who do not pass the two midterm exams cannot attend the first exam session
Scoring for Multiple-Choice Questions:
• Correct answer = +1 point.
• Wrong answer = -0.3 points.
• No answer = 0 points (neither positive nor negative).
DISCRETIONARY ORAL EXAM: CREATIVE ORAL
An oral exam may be possible at the discretion of the lecture
Students who wish to engage in innovative exam formats aimed at developing advanced communication skills have the option to take a voluntary oral exam. This test, called "Creative Oral," aims to connect traditional economic concepts with modern professional and media communication dynamics.
The goal is to foster synthesis, clear exposition, and the ability to make complex topics accessible. The test may take one of the following forms:
• Timed Responses: Concise and rapid responses (max 2 minutes) to specific questions, to practice effective communication under pressure.
• Lightning Talk: A structured 7-minute presentation that requires presenting a topic quickly and incisively, typical of professional formats.
• "Economic Telling": A narrative approach inspired by storytelling to explain an economic concept or a case study, making it more memorable and accessible to the public.
• Video Explainer: Creation of short videos or tutorials for digital platforms, with the goal of communicating economic content in a clear and modern way.
The lecturer reserves the right to propose and evaluate other formats, to be agreed upon with the students. All materials produced will be subject to strict controls to verify their originality and prevent plagiarism.
Suggestions for the Lightning Talk or Group "Lightning Oral"
Students, in groups of a maximum of 3 people, will have to prepare a presentation that will take place through a lightning talk (Group "Lightning Oral") of a maximum of 7 minutes, with the mandatory participation of all members. The order of presentation of team members will be random, chosen by the lecturer during the exam.
The presentation will be supported by a PowerPoint presentation.
Lightning Talk Structure (max 7 slides) (oral)
• Slide 0: Title, authors, objectives.
• Slide 1-2: Theoretical background and economic problem.
• Slide 3: Literature review.
• Slide 4: 5W+1H.
• Slide 5-6: Empirical evidence and data.
• Slide 7: Conclusions, policy, and decision-making implications.
*The 5 W's rule includes: What – What, Who – Who, Where – Where, When – When, Why – Why.
The project aims to develop synthesis skills, clear exposition, and adherence to time limits.
The lightning talk and oral exams will be evaluated based on:
• Clarity of exposition and the contribution of each member.
• Synthesis skills and adherence to timing/structure.
• Technical rigor in the use of microeconomic concepts.
• Soundness of empirical evidence.
• Relevance of the link between theory and topic.
• Coherence and significance of conclusions and policy implications.
La metodologia didattica prevede lezioni frontali teoriche e pratiche, attività didattiche per affiancamento degli studenti nella preparazione dell’elaborato finale, e se previsto, “ l’orale creativo”
The teaching methodology includes theoretical and practical lectures, tutoring activities to support students in preparing their final paper, and, if planned, the "creative oral exam".
The exam consists of a traditional written test that includes a combination of multiple-choice questions, dichotomous (True/False) questions, open-ended questions, multi-part structured questions, and practical exercises. The written exam has a maximum duration of 90 minutes. The tests are based on the indicated texts and materials, with no differences between attending and non-attending students.
Exam Passing Modalities
• Mid-terms: The final grade can be determined by the arithmetic mean of two mid-term exams taken during the course, provided that the average is 18 or higher.
• Final Written Exam: Alternatively, students can take a final written exam during one of the sessions, where a score of 18 or higher is required to pass.
• Those who do not pass the two midterm exams cannot attend the first exam session
Scoring for Multiple-Choice Questions:
• Correct answer = +1 point.
• Wrong answer = -0.3 points.
• No answer = 0 points (neither positive nor negative).
DISCRETIONARY ORAL EXAM: CREATIVE ORAL
An oral exam may be possible at the discretion of the lecture
Students who wish to engage in innovative exam formats aimed at developing advanced communication skills have the option to take a voluntary oral exam. This test, called "Creative Oral," aims to connect traditional economic concepts with modern professional and media communication dynamics.
The goal is to foster synthesis, clear exposition, and the ability to make complex topics accessible. The test may take one of the following forms:
• Timed Responses: Concise and rapid responses (max 2 minutes) to specific questions, to practice effective communication under pressure.
• Lightning Talk: A structured 7-minute presentation that requires presenting a topic quickly and incisively, typical of professional formats.
• "Economic Telling": A narrative approach inspired by storytelling to explain an economic concept or a case study, making it more memorable and accessible to the public.
• Video Explainer: Creation of short videos or tutorials for digital platforms, with the goal of communicating economic content in a clear and modern way.
The lecturer reserves the right to propose and evaluate other formats, to be agreed upon with the students. All materials produced will be subject to strict controls to verify their originality and prevent plagiarism.
Suggestions for the Lightning Talk or Group "Lightning Oral"
Students, in groups of a maximum of 3 people, will have to prepare a presentation that will take place through a lightning talk (Group "Lightning Oral") of a maximum of 7 minutes, with the mandatory participation of all members. The order of presentation of team members will be random, chosen by the lecturer during the exam.
The presentation will be supported by a PowerPoint presentation.
Lightning Talk Structure (max 7 slides) (oral)
• Slide 0: Title, authors, objectives.
• Slide 1-2: Theoretical background and economic problem.
• Slide 3: Literature review.
• Slide 4: 5W+1H.
• Slide 5-6: Empirical evidence and data.
• Slide 7: Conclusions, policy, and decision-making implications.
*The 5 W's rule includes: What – What, Who – Who, Where – Where, When – When, Why – Why.
The project aims to develop synthesis skills, clear exposition, and adherence to time limits.
The lightning talk and oral exams will be evaluated based on:
• Clarity of exposition and the contribution of each member.
• Synthesis skills and adherence to timing/structure.
• Technical rigor in the use of microeconomic concepts.
• Soundness of empirical evidence.
• Relevance of the link between theory and topic.
• Coherence and significance of conclusions and policy implications.
La metodologia didattica prevede lezioni frontali teoriche e pratiche, attività didattiche per affiancamento degli studenti nella preparazione dell’elaborato finale, e se previsto, “ l’orale creativo”
The teaching methodology includes theoretical and practical lectures, tutoring activities to support students in preparing their final paper, and, if planned, the "creative oral exam".