THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2024/2025

Timetable information in the Course Catalogue may be subject to change.

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

Undergraduate Course: The Economics of Cities and Regions (ECNM10086)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Economics CollegeCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThis course introduces some key concepts and major issues of urban and regional economics for students with a knowledge of economic and econometric analysis at the undergraduate level. It emphasizes the role of market forces in the development of cities.
Course description Recent advances and empirical evidence in the subject will be used to cover the following topics:
Market forces in the development of cities: spatial equilibrium, agglomeration and congestion forces, transportation costs; Land rents and land-use patterns (urban land rents, land use patterns, neighbourhood choice, zoning and growth controls); Urban Transportation; Housing; Urban distress; Cities and public policy.
The course is taught through a programme of lectures and tutorials. Both group work and an independent project will be important ingredients of the course.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Students MUST have passed: Economics 2 (ECNM08006)
Co-requisites Students MUST also take: Essentials of Econometrics (ECNM10052)
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesVisiting students must have an equivalent of at least 4 semester-long Economics courses at grade B or above for entry to this course. This MUST INCLUDE courses in Intermediate Macroeconomics (with calculus); Intermediate Microeconomics (with calculus); Probability and Statistics; and Introductory Econometrics. If macroeconomics and microeconomics courses are not calculus-based, then, in addition, Calculus (or Mathematics for Economics) is required.
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2024/25, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  100
Course Start Semester 1
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 80 %, Coursework 20 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Essay: 20%
Final exam: 80%
Feedback Feedback will take the form of a mark and written comments, which will be made available to students individually by email. Students will receive feedback three weeks after the due date.
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S1 (December)The Economics of Cities and Regions Degree Exam December 20242:120
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 urban and regional economics, along with empirical evidence on 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
Amongst other readings we will draw on:

Arthur O' Sullivan (2012) "Urban Economics", Eight Edition, McGraw-Hill (International Edition).

In addition, there could be a variety of readings assigned as needed either in class or as the module progresses which students are advised to read carefully. These readings are selected primarily to aid your comprehension.
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Research and Inquiry
B1. The ability to identify, define and analyse theoretical and applied economic problems and identify or devise approaches to investigate and solve these problems.
B3. The ability to critically assess existing understanding of economic and social issues, the limitations of that understanding and the limitations of their own knowledge and understanding of those issues.
B4. The ability to question the principles, methods, standards and boundaries of economic knowledge

Personal and Intellectual Autonomy
C1. The ability to be independent learners who take responsibility for their own learning, and are committed to continuous reflection, self-evaluation and self-improvement.
C4. The ability to collaborate and debate effectively to test, modify and strengthen their own views.

Communication
D1. The ability to make effective use of oral, written and visual means to critique, create and communicate understanding.
D2. The ability to further their own learning through effective use of feedback.
D3. The ability to use communication as a tool for collaborating and relating to others.

Personal Effectiveness
E1. The ability to manage tasks and also skills in time-management.
E4. The ability to work effectively with others, capitalising on their different thinking.
Additional Class Delivery Information One 2 hour lecture per week plus tutorials.
KeywordsCitiReg
Contacts
Course organiserMr Andrei Potlogea
Tel: (0131 6)51 3759
Email: Andrei.Potlogea@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMs Sam Stewart
Tel:
Email: v1sstew7@ed.ac.uk
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