THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2021/2022

Information in the Degree Programme Tables may still be subject to change in response to Covid-19

University Homepage
DRPS Homepage
DRPS Search
DRPS Contact
DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Economics : Economics

Undergraduate Course: The Economics of Sorting (ECNM10103)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Economics CollegeCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThis course examines the sorting decisions of economic agents across a range of markets. The aim is to provide students with the tools to understand the economic forces that determine sorting patterns, as well as the influence the sorting process wields on the distribution of income in the economy.
Course description This course examines the sorting decisions of economic agents across a range of markets. The aim is to provide students with the tools to understand the economic forces that determine sorting patterns, as well as the influence the sorting process wields on the distribution of income in the economy.

As an example, observe the following facts about the labour market: workers differ greatly in their skills and preferences; jobs differ in the types of skills they require, the extent to which the worker's skills matter, and the amenities they offer.
Which workers will then perform which jobs in a market equilibrium? How much of a paycut would a worker need take to land their dream job? How much of a premium would a firm need to offer in order to hire the most skilled worker? These are the types of questions we will attempt to answer in this course.

The course will cover five topics. Each topic will be divided into two parts: theory and applications. The theory part will develop and solve a particular sorting model, while the applications part will apply said model to specific markets. The following topics may be covered (subject to change):

1. The one-dimensional model of sorting. Applications: sorting and CEO compensation, marriage market (1), distributional consequences of international migration.
2. Roy's model of self-selection/occupational sorting. Applications: selection into migration, technological change and the distribution of wages (1).
3. Multi-dimensional sorting. Application: technological change and the distribution of wages (2).
4. Sorting with non-transferable utility. Applications: school choice, marriage market (2).
5. Sorting with imperfectly transferable utility. Application: marriage market (3).
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Students MUST have passed: Economics 2 (ECNM08006) AND ( Probability (MATH08066) OR Statistical Methods for Economics (ECNM08016)) AND ( Data Analysis for Psychology in R 2 (PSYL08015) OR Statistics (Year 2) (MATH08051))
Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2021/22, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  None
Course Start Semester 2
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Lecture Hours 20, Seminar/Tutorial Hours 6, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 170 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 75 %, Coursework 25 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Essay - 25%
Exam - 75%
Feedback Not entered
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May)2:00
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. A knowledge and understanding of key concepts, issues and models in the economics of sorting, along with applications and policy implications of those models and a deeper understanding of recent research activity in some more specialised areas.
  2. Research and investigative skills such as problem framing and solving and the ability to assemble and evaluate complex evidence and arguments.
  3. Communication skills in order to critique, create and communicate understanding.
  4. Personal effectiveness through task-management, time-management, dealing with uncertainty and adapting to new situations, personal and intellectual autonomy through independent learning.
  5. Practical/technical skills such as, modelling skills (abstraction, logic, succinctness), qualitative and quantitative analysis and general IT literacy.
Reading List
None
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
Keywordssorting,labour,labour market
Contacts
Course organiserDr Pawel Gola
Tel:
Email: pawel.gola@ed.ac.uk
Course secretary
Navigation
Help & Information
Home
Introduction
Glossary
Search DPTs and Courses
Regulations
Regulations
Degree Programmes
Introduction
Browse DPTs
Courses
Introduction
Humanities and Social Science
Science and Engineering
Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
Other Information
Combined Course Timetable
Prospectuses
Important Information