Economics

Minor

*Understand how the economy works and shapes today’s challenges

Description

**Economics is everywhere **

Economic forces shape the world around us. From rising grocery prices to debates over government subsidies for green technology, from the influence of big tech to labour shortages, economics is at the heart of today’s biggest societal challenges. Why is the U.S. government raising tariffs on foreign goods, and how does that impact businesses and consumers, at home and abroad? What role do central banks play in controlling inflation, and why does it matter for your future? In this minor, you will use economic principles to analyze pressing issues, gaining the tools to understand and shape the policies that influence our daily lives.

What will you learn?

This minor provides a solid basis in core courses in economics. You will learn to analyse decisions taken by firms, consumers, investors and the government. You will get essential insights to understand the working of the economy as a whole, on a national and international scale.

You will gain important skills in terms of data analysis, and economic reasoning and communication, that will help you to solve problems in economics and beyond, as well as to formulate well-informed policy responses.

You will also understand what is included in the economics toolkit and what is not, and how economic insights relate to insights from other disciplines.

For whom is this minor?

All third-year students from Leiden University, Delft University of Technology, Erasmus University Rotterdam and other universities (all programs) with 30 EC minor space in the first semester.

A better understanding of economics can be an asset for people holding a bachelor in many different disciplines. It can be particularly relevant for students of Political Science, International Studies, Security Studies, Law and Public Administration.

Are you studying Public Administration at Leiden University? You can take this minor if you follow the specialization “Beleid, Bestuur en Organisatie”, but not if you follow the specialization “Economie, Bestuur en Management”.

Successful completion of the full minor gives access to the Master Economie van de Publieke Sector to students who hold a University bachelor without a major in Economics.

The minor can also be a good preparation for the Msc programme Economics and Governance.

Only students holding a university propaedeutic certificate and who are also enrolled at a university institution can be admitted to the minor.

Program

You will take the minor in the first semester of the third undergraduate year. The minor is taught at Leiden University's The Hague Campus. The language of instruction is English.

The minor consists of the following 6 courses of 5 EC:

Block 1:

Micro-economics
Macro-economics
Project 1: Introduction to data science

Block 2:

Public Economics
Trade and finance in the global economy
Project 2: Applied economic analysis

In block 1, you get a broad introduction in economic theory about individual decision making (“Micro-economics”) and about the working of the economy as a whole (“Macro-economics”). “Project 1: Introduction to data science” is an introductory statistics course for students without a quantitative background, but is also attractive for students who have already had statistics, due to its focus on visualizations.

In block 2, economic concepts are further used to analyse policy issues at the national level (“Public Economics”) and about international In block 2, the economic concepts introduced in block 1 are applied to analyse policy issues at the national level (“Public Economics”) and about international trade, the international financial system and the role of organizations such as WTO, IMF and EU (“Trade and Finance in the Global Economy”). In “Project 2: Applied economic analysis”, you learn to understand quantitative methods used by economists to establish causal relationships, and apply them to a societal issue of your choice.

The teaching format and testing will combine written examinations, work on data analysis projects, presenting and writing notes on societal issues. You will develop skills in data analysis, analyzing and weighing information and presenting in writing and orally, so that you can use them in the world of economics and policy after your studies.

Given the structure of the program, preference is given to students taking the full minor of 30 EC. If you can fill a maximum of 15 EC of elective space, the courses taken, once passed, will be listed as electives on your degree. If you can take only 15 EC, we recommend taking the courses in Block 1, but you can also contact us for alternative arrangements.

Admission and application

Students from Leiden University, Erasmus University and Delft University of Technology can register for this minor via EduXchange.

Registration is in order of receipt of applications. You will automatically be notified whether you are admitted or placed on a waiting list if the minor is full (capacity: 75 students). If you are admitted from the waiting list, you will also be notified automatically.

Don't want to do the minor after all? Students from Leiden can unsubscribe via uSis, students from Delft and Rotterdam can unsubscribe via an unsubscription form.

If you do not study at Leiden University, Delft University or Erasmus University, you can request registration as a guest student from the faculty/program offering the minor.

Want to know more?

For more information, please contact the secretariat of the Department of Economics: economie@law.leidenuniv.nl.

If you are interested in this minor, you are more than welcome to attend an economics course from our department. This will give you an impression of how education looks like in the minor, and to ask questions to students and teachers. You can e-mail our department secretariat to arrange it.

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