Outline

Overview

This unit represents a culminating academic experience for students in the Master of Economics by bringing together their knowledge in economic theory and methodology to analyse an economic problem. The unit involves writing a 6,000-word report. The emphasis is on students acquiring skills in identifying an economic problem, undertaking the required analysis using appropriate tools, and disseminating the results.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Economics
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	24 credit points from Economics elective units of study
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	ECON7010 or ECON7020
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Chandana Maitra, chandana.maitra@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Marian Vidal-Fernandez, m.vidal-fdez@sydney.edu.au
	Chandana Maitra, chandana.maitra@sydney.edu.au
	Gilliane Angela De Gorostiza, gilliane.degorostiza@sydney.edu.au
	Robert Annabel, robert.annabel@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 1 September 2025

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length	Use of AI
In-person written or creative task	Writing in class In-class tutorial writing exercises	40%	Multiple weeks	2000 words (equivalent)	AI prohibited
Outcomes assessed:
Interactive oral	Interactive in-person oral Communicate key ideas from your research project to a non-economics audience	20%	Week 10	4-5 min (500 words equiv.)	AI prohibited
Outcomes assessed:
Research analysis	Research project Research project on a topic relating to the lecture content	40%	Week 13 Due date: 08 Nov 2025 at 23:59	2000 words	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Writing in class: Writing exercises to check your undertanding of lecture content. Writing occurs during the first hour of the 3-hour combined lecture-tutorials in Weeks 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11.
Research project: Short research project on a topic related to stream-specific weekly lectures. You will apply your learnings in a broader, real-world context. You will demonstrate undertanding of relevant economic theories and quantitave techniques learnt in the unit as well as in the MEc program.
Interactive in-class oral: You will present a pitch (using 1 slide) of your research to your assessors (lecturers & tutors) and respond to their questions. The assessment will primarily test your conceptual understanding of the research you are about to complete in Week 13. It will also allow you to get feedback on your research before you submit the final written report in Week 13.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High Distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a Credit a good standard, and a Pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	Outstanding
Distinction	75 - 84	Superior
Credit	65 - 74	Sound
Pass	50 - 64	Satisfactory
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

You can use generative AI tools for open assessments. Restrictions on AI use apply to secure, supervised assessments used to confirm if students have met specific learning outcomes.

Refer to the assessment table above to see if AI is allowed, for assessments in this unit and check Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks and AI use.

If you use AI, you must always acknowledge it. Misusing AI may lead to a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Writing in class: This assessment can only be completed in person and during class time. The best four of five count toward your final grade. You are required to complete a minimum of three (out of the five) in-class writing exercises. Failure to complete at least three of the five writing exercises may result in anything from an alternative assessment to receiving a mark of AF (Absent Fail) for the unit. Simple extensions are NOT allowed. Interactive in-class oral assessment: This assessment can only be completed in person. Simple extensions are NOT allowed. Research project: Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date. After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded. Simple extensions (5 calendar days) are allowed.

Academic integrity

The University expects students to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

Our website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. This includes advice on how to avoid common breaches of academic integrity. Ensure that you have completed the Academic Honesty Education Module (AHEM) which is mandatory for all commencing coursework students

Penalties for serious breaches can significantly impact your studies and your career after graduation. It is important that you speak with your unit coordinator if you need help with completing assessments.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Lecture 1- Stream-specific content	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Lecture 2- Stream-specific content	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Tutorial 1	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 03	Lecture 3- Stream-specific content+ In-class Tutorial Assignment 1	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 04	Lecture 4 - Stream-specific content	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	Tutorial 3	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 05	Lecture 5 - Stream-specific content+ In-class Tutorial Assignment 2	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 06	Lecture 6 - Stream-specific content	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	Tutorial 5	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 07	Lecture 7 - Stream-specific content+ In-class Tutorial Assignment 3	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 08	Lecture 8 - Stream-specific content	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 08	Tutorial 7	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 09	Lecture 9 - Stream-specific content+ In-class Tutorial Assignment 4	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 10	Lecture 10 - Stream-specific content	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	Tutorial 9	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 11	Lecture 11 - Stream-specific content+ In-class Tutorial Assignment 5	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 12	Tutorial 11	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 13	Tutorial 12	Tutorial (1 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 90% of their classes. If you attend less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner’s Board. The Examiner’s Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold.
Lecture recording: Most lectures (in recording-equipped venues) will be recorded and may be made available to students in Canvas. However, if the recording fails due to technical reasons or otherwise (which does happen from time to time), your instructor may not create a new recording. Moreover, you should not rely on lecture recording to substitute your classroom learning experience.
Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately three hours’ preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit will be available on Canvas.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Demonstrate understanding of insights provided by economics theories as they apply to real-world problems
LO2. Demonstrate understanding of appropriate quantitative and analytical techniques to generate and interpret results for real-world research problems
LO3. Apply economic principles to problems in a broader real-world context
LO4. Critically review relevant literature
LO5. Critically examine the nature and implications of assumptions and value judgements involved in economic research
LO6. Communicate research results effectively to a broader audience

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Updated schedule and assessments based on student feedback to include additional scaffolding that break down the summative assessment into more manageable sub-tasks.

Additional information

School of Economics Student Portal

The streams available in Semester 2, 2025 are:

Topics in Food Security (Stream 1): The stream will explore the economic dimensions of food security, examining how market forces, policy decisions, climate change, and global systems might influence economic access to food. Students will (i) learn about measurement food insecurity; (ii) understand the causes, consequences, and potential solutions to food insecurity through the lens of economic theory; and (iii) explore how poverty, inequality, market failures, and policy decisions might contribute to food insecurity. Through case studies, data analysis, and research papers, students will develop the skills to critically assess food systems and propose economically sound solutions to food insecurity at local, national, and global levels. The content crosscuts development economics, agricultural economics, and health economics.

Topics in Human Capital (Stream 2): The welfare of an economy relies heavily on the capacity of its people to innovate, collaborate, and contribute productively to society. On the one hand, this unit formally explores how individual skills, education, motivation, incentives, biases, and effort shape organisational performance and broader economic progress. On the other hand, it examines how organisations can design mechanisms to select, motivate, and retain productive workers. The unit integrates microeconomic theory and behavioural economics with empirical labour economics—drawing on evidence from laboratory, field, and natural experiments—to shed light on the mechanisms underpinning human capital management and productivity. Students will gain insights into how to enhance human capital and improve worker performance through evidence-based studies and policy design.

The Macroeconomic Effects of Global Shocks (Stream 3): The stream will focus on developing skills in macroeconomic policy analysis. Students will learn (1) how researchers evaluate the quantitative effects of macroeconomic policies and various shocks to the economy on inflation, economic activity, and interest rates; (2) key findings in the literature on these effects, with a focus on global shocks to commodity prices, monetary conditions, and financial markets; and (3) how to apply tools to conduct policy analysis and communicate this analysis to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.

Topics in Industrial Organization (Stream 4): In modern economies, markets and firms are both ubiquitous and central to welfare. This stream introduces students to contemporary applied research in the field of industrial organization—the study of the strategic actions of firms in markets. Key topics include: (i) mergers, collusion, and competition policy; (ii) innovation and environmental regulation; and (iii) the industrial organization of electricity, financial, selection, and health care markets. By engaging with recent research papers in each of these areas, students will develop the skills to apply economic theory and empirical methods to formulate and evaluate firm strategy and regulation in markets. They will also enhance their ability to conduct, communicate, and critically assess research in industrial organization.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

ECON7030: Economics Research Project

Semester 2, 2025 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links