Economics, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, York University
Course Outline
APECON1000B
COURSE TITLE: INTRODUCTION TO MICROECONOMICS
S1 2014
1. Course Instructor Contact:
Name: Dr Shadab Qaiser
Office: 1078 Vari Hall
Phone: 416-736-2100 Ext 33344
Office Hours: TBA
Email: qaisers@yorku.ca
Link to Course Website: http://dept.econ.yorku.ca/qaisers/
The course website will be used for posting announcements, lecture handouts, practice assignments,
practice tests, and some interesting links.
Teaching Assistant Information: TBA
2. Course Description and Prerequisites/Co-requisites:
The purpose of this introductory course in Microeconomics is to:
1. Introduce students to the “economic” way of thinking.
2. We will explore fundamental microeconomic concepts and principles.
3. This course will help students to understand basic microeconomic concepts such as the
Market Demand and Supply, Consumer behavior, Profit maximization strategies under
different markets and firm behavior and government regulations.
4. Students will develop skills to analyze current microeconomic issues and situations.
3. Required Course Text/Readings:
“Microeconomics: Canada in the Global Environment.” Eighth Edition. By Michael Parkin and Robin
Bade. Pearson 2012.
Optional Course Material
Study Guide accompanying the required text book by Parkin and Bade is optional.
4. Weighting of Course:
Midterm Exam – MT (40 %)
Thursday May 22, 2014 in Class
Final Exam – Cumulative F (60%) Held during Official examination period
The final Course mark (M) will be calculated according to the following Formula:
M= Max (.40 MT + .60F, F)
Where MT is for Midterm Exam and F is for final exam. There will be no make-up exam for the midterm
exam. Students absent from the midterm exam will have the weight transferred to their final exam. The
final exam will be cumulative and will cover all materials discussed in class. Both midterm and final
exams will consist of multiple choice questions. The date of the final exam will be scheduled by the
registrar’s office. Students absent from the final examination and requesting for deferred standing must
follow the guidelines for Deferred Standing of the Department of Economics at York University. The
grades may be scaled to conform to the regulations of the Faculty of Arts.
5. Course Content:
We plan to cover the following topics.
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Chapter 1: What is Economics and Economic Way of Thinking? Key Principles and Concepts
Chapter 2: The Economic Problem and the Emergence of a Market Economy (page 31- page 34)
Chapter 3: How Markets Work? The Crucial Tools of Demand and Supply
Chapter 4: Elasticity
Chapter 5: Efficiency and Equity
Chapter 6: Government Actions in Markets
Chapter 10: Organizing Production
Chapter 11: Outputs and Cost
Chapter 12: Perfect Competition
Chapter 13: Monopoly
Chapter 14: Monopolistic Competition