Admission requirements
This course is available for students in the BA Urban Studies programme and to a limited amount of external students.
Description
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the benefits of applying economic logic to the problem of how to regulate cities. To that end, the course will begin with a discussion of some basic economic principles and models, drawn mostly from microeconomics. Then, the course will continue with an introduction to how markets affect the growth of cities, the distribution of cities, and the allocation of resources within cities. In subsequent lectures, land use and the regulation of land use will be discussed. After the mid-term, the course will discuss the problem of maximizing the efficiency of urban transportation networks both public and private, and finally, the course will conclude with units on municipal revenue, spending, and major policy areas such as education and crime.
Course objectives
Via the medium of exams, a paper, and class participation, students are expected to develop the following skills:
A general orientation of the topic of urban economics, as it relates to other fields of urban studies
A fundamental understanding of some basic theories and problems in economics, particularly as they relate to the urban milieu
Students will then be expected to apply their knowledge gained from the textbook and via their own secondary research, to craft an essay and participate in class dicsussions. In the process, students will be expected to uphold standard scientific mentality and develop more familiarity with the scientific method as it applies to this field. Writing skills, and verbal communication skills, will be improved via the paper and class discussion. Workgroups will expose students to pertinent scholarly secondary literature, with the aim of improving reading, comprehension, and critical reading skills of semi-technical literature.
Timetable
The timetables are available through My Timetable.
Mode of instruction
Lecture
Tutorial (compulsory attendance)
This means that students have to attend every tutorial session of the course. If a student is unable to attend a tutorial or lecture, they should inform the lecturer in advance, providing a valid reason for absence. The teacher will determine if and how the missed session can be compensated by an additional assignment. If they are absent from a tutorial without a valid reason, they can be excluded from the final exam in the course.
Assessment method
Assessment
Midterm exam
Written examination with essay questionsFinal exam
Written examination with essay questionsTutorial grade
The tutorial assessment will be stated on the tutorial guidelines, which will be posted to Brightspace prior to the first tutorial.
Weighing
| Partial grade | Weighing |
|---|---|
| Tutorial grade | 30 |
| Midterm Exam | 30 |
| Final Exam | 40 |
End grade
To successfully complete the course, please take note of the following:
The end grade of the course is established by determining the weighted average of all assessment components.
The weighted average of the midterm exam grade and the final exam grade needs to be 5.50 or higher.
This means that failing exam grades cannot be compensated with a high tutorial grade.
Resit
If the end grade is insufficient (lower than a 6.0), or one of the exam grades is lower than 5.50, there is a possibility of retaking the written examination material, replacing the previous exam grade(s). No resit for the tutorial grade is possible.
Faculty regulations concerning participation in resits are listed in article 4.1 of the Faculty Course and Examination Regulations.
Inspection and feedback
How and when an exam review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam results at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will have to be organised.
Reading list
The course textbook, along with any additional readings for the lectures, will be announced in the course syllabus, as placed on Brightspace immediately prior to the beginning of the course. Tutorial readings will be located within the tutorial guidelines, also to be found on Brightspace prior to the first tutorial.
Registration
- Enrolment through MyStudyMap is mandatory.
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: Student Affairs Office for BA Urban Studies
Remarks
A limited amount of external students can follow this course as an elective course. To enroll, send an email to the Education Administration Office: osz-admin-thehague@hum.leidenuniv.nl