Economy

Basics of Mathematics.

Presentation and discussion of topics related to the syllabus.
Accompaniment of groups of students in the elaboration of the works.

The Economics curricular unit aims to provide students with knowledge regarding basic economic concepts and principles that govern the functioning of the economy, both at the microeconomic and macroeconomic levels.

The first part of the program, dedicated to microeconomics, will help students to know and understand fundamental microeconomic concepts and, when faced with a problem, feel able to analyze it and present proposals using economic reasoning.

The second part of the program, dedicated to macroeconomics, will help students gain a view of the aggregate functioning of the economy, through knowledge of the main macroeconomic variables, the indicators used in measurement and the main relationships between these variables.

1. Introductory concepts

2. Microeconomics

2.1. Demand (demand function, demand law, and the positioning of the demand curve)

2.2. Supply (supply function, the supply law, and the positioning of the supply curve)

2.3. Market equilibrium (price, quantity and surplus)

2.4. State intervention in the market (price control policies, taxes and subsidies)

2.5. The consumer’s rational choice (preferences, income and optimal)

2.6. The producer’s rational choice (production function, cost structure, principle of profit maximization)

3. Macroeconomics

3.1. Framework (long-term analysis (growth theory) versus short-term analysis (fluctuations))

3.2. Measurement of economic activity: main indicators

3.3. Economic policy: main objectives and instruments

NAO

Frank, Robert (2006), Microeconomia e Comportamento, McGraw-Hill, 6.ª Edição.

Frank, Robert; Bernanke, Ben; (2007), Principles of Macroeconomics, McGraw-Hill, 3rd Edition.

Mateus, Abel (2006), Economia Portuguesa – Crescimento no contexto internacional (1910-2006), 3.ª Edição, Verbo Editora, Lisboa.

Mateus, Augusto (2013), 25 Anos de Portugal Europeu – A Economia, a sociedade e os fundos estruturais, Fundação Francisco Manuel dos Santos.

Pinheiro, António C.A.; Carvalho, Maria Leonor da S. (2003), Economia e Política Agrícolas, Edições Sílabo, 1.ª Edição.

Samuelson, Paul; Nordhaus, William (2012), Economia, McGraw-Hill, Lisboa, 19.ª Edição.