This course will provide a solid grounding in programming and computational methods for quantitative economic modeling. Students will learn how to use existing numerical algorithms routinely used in economic modeling, such as optimization, linear algebra and basic simulation, as well as how to design, plan and implement specific algorithms for quantitative economic analysis (e.g., dynamic programming, competitive equilibria, solving games). Students will also learn to obtain and manipulate economic and financial data (e.g., use existing data APIs or web scraping) and implement statistical routines such as regression and classification, or new tools from data science. The course will include a project component.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
By the end of this course students will have:- Familiarity with numerical techniques commonly used in economics
- Programming and software engineering skills suitable for economic modeling
- Experience in using computational skills in a research project
Indicative Assessment
- Individual test-assignment with feedback (by week 4)
- Mid-term Report (40%)
- Individual Analytical Project (60%)
In response to COVID-19: Please note that Semester 2 Class Summary information (available under the classes tab) is as up to date as possible. Changes to Class Summaries not captured by this publication will be available to enrolled students via Wattle.
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Workload
2 hour lecture + 2 hour tutorial in computer labRequisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
- Jérôme Adda, Russell W. Cooper “Dynamic Economics: Quantitative Methods andApplications”, MIT Press, 2003
- Quantitative Economics online resource
Preliminary Reading
- Ken Wolpin “The Limits of Inference without Theory”, MIT Press, 2013
- Rust, John (2014): "The Limits of Inference with Theory: A Review of Wolpin (2013)."Journal of Economic Literature, 52(3): 820-50.
Assumed Knowledge
General knowledge of mathematical techniques in economics and basic programming skills.Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 3
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2020 | $4320 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2020 | $5760 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
