Module Information

Module Identifier
AB33620
Module Title
Labour Economics
Academic Year
2025/2026
Co-ordinator
Semester
Semester 2
Pre-Requisite
Reading List
Other Staff

Course Delivery

 

Assessment

Assessment Type Assessment length / details Proportion
Semester Assessment Group project  including a presentation and a report produced by groups of 3-4 students on a policy-relevant topic 5000 Words  30%
Semester Exam 3 Hours   Exam  70%
Supplementary Assessment Essay  1500 Words  30%
Supplementary Exam 3 Hours   Supplementary Exam  70%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

Describe, illustrate and discuss the determination of wage levels and employment levels through the interaction of supply and demand for labour

Critically analyse and evaluate the empirical evidence relating to the relationship between human capital characteristics and income

Understand and be able to demonstrate the purpose, design and implementation of investment on human capital, with particular regard to the UK

Discuss and demonstrate an understanding of the form, implications and limitations of interventions in the labour market

Explain the causes and reasons for wage inequalities between workers and examine empirical evidence on wage discrimination

Evaluate how imposition of policies such as minimum wage laws or social norms such as sex and race discrimination or segmentation of workers affect outcomes

Brief description

The module aims to present the economic study of the labour market and issues in the economics of human resources in a policy oriented context.It examines labour demand and supply, investment in human capital, frictions in the labour market, wage determination within the firm,effects of labour market policies.

Content

The basis of labour supply and its applications
Long-run influences on labour supply, especially that of education and training
The matching of workers to jobs in the labour market
Wage determination within the firm
Wage in equalities between workers and the importance of compensating differentials
Investments in Human Capital: Education and Training
Job turnover and Labour Mobility
Pay and hiring discrimination
Collective bargaining
Labour market policies and their evaluation

Module Skills

Skills Type Skills details
Application of Number Treatment of numerical problems in tutorial exercises, and appropriate examination questions
Communication Oral: During tutorial class discussion Written: in preparation of compulsory coursework component of the module.
Improving own Learning and Performance Inpreparation for, attending and participating in and reflecting on tutorial classes. Preparing and producing essay and eventual assessment in examination
Information Technology Appropriate accessing of the internet for reference material, and use of word-processing skills in essay production
Personal Development and Career planning Development of various personal and interpersonal skills, generally transferable in career terms, including initiative,independence and self-awareness in addition to skills listed above
Problem solving Treated in lectures and applied in tutorials
Research skills Obtaining, selecting, assimilating information from a variety of sources for use in tutorials,essay preparation and production and expanding on lecture material
Subject Specific Skills Government policy making issues and impact treated in lectures and tutorials
Team work Group oriented tutorial tasks

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 6