Microeconomics/Planning Economics is taught as two modular courses to Master of City Planning students. The logistics of the modules are explained below and syllabi and course notes follow.
A feature of the two courses is a set of web-based tools designed to help a student visualize and experiment with various microeconomic concepts. While 11.202 delves more deeply into urban planning economics, the tools might still be of some use, and can be found in the tools section.
Planning Economics (11.202) is a course that runs for the last one-third of a semester and covers economics topics of particular interest to city planning students: location theory, the interplay between externalities and zoning, international trade and globalization, and housing finance. Few incoming students have had prior exposure to these topics.
The first two-thirds of the semester is given over to Microeconomics (11.203). It is designed for incoming city planning students with little or no economics background. Incoming students take a voluntary microeconomics test-out at the beginning of the semester. Those that pass the test-out are exempt from taking Microeconomics.
To minimize disruption, Planning Economics is positioned as the last third of a semester long core course on Planning Institutions and Economics. All students are required to take this final segment of the semester, including students who have tested out of microeconomics.
Technical Requirements
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