NTU Course
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Urban Economics and Policy

Offered in 113-2Updated

  • Serial Number

    45987

  • Course Number

    ECON5217

  • Course Identifier

    323 U3110

  • No Class

  • 3 Credits

  • Elective

    DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS / GRADUATE INSTITUTE OF ECONOMICS

      Elective

    • DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS

    • GRADUATE INSTITUTE OF ECONOMICS

  • Wen-Tai Hsu
  • Wed 6, 7, 8

  • 社科402

  • Type 2

  • 50 Student Quota

    NTU 50

  • No Specialization Program

  • English
  • NTU COOL
  • Core Capabilities and Curriculum Planning
  • Notes
    The course is conducted in English。
  • Limits on Course Adding / Dropping

    • Restriction: juniors and beyond or Restriction: MA students and beyond or Restriction: Ph. D students

  • NTU Enrollment Status

    Enrolled
    0/50
    Other Depts
    0/0
    Remaining
    0
    Registered
    0
  • Course Description
    This course is designed as an introductory course of urban economics. It covers fundamental principles developed in economics to understand the functioning/workings of an urban economy and the various aspects of urban life. Firstly, the course begins with the definition of a city, and why cities form by introducing the economics of agglomeration, and how cities interact to form the urban system of the entire economy. These factors affect all urban phenomena. Secondly, the course analyzes the internal spatial structure of a city by developing a theory of commuting, housing demand and housing production. It then analyzes transportation and land/housing issues in more detail. On transportation, we focus on the economics of traffic congestions, the rationale for congestion pricing, and the so-called fundamental law of highway congestion. The discussion on land and housing will address various housing phenomena, and we will use this topic to illustrate how economists think of policies. Finally, the course will discuss the optimality of local public good provision and connect local public finance and housing markets with land taxation. See below for the list of topics covered.
  • Course Objective
    The course aims to introduce students to urban economics, focusing on fundamental principles essential for understanding urban economies and urban life. Topics include city formation, agglomeration economics, spatial structure, transportation, housing, land use, and public goods provision.
  • Course Requirement
    Participation (10%); Group Project (25%, group-based); Midterm (30%); Final Exam (35%). More details below.
  • Expected weekly study hours after class
  • Office Hour
  • Designated Reading
    There will be lecture slides for all the topics. See the full list of readings in the syllabus file in Module "Syllabus and Course Administration".
  • References
    Textbook：Urban economics -- Brueckner, Jan (2011), Lectures on Urban Economics, MIT Press.
  • Grading
    30%

    Midterm

    35%

    Final Exam

    10%

    Participation

    Participation accounts for 10% of the final grade. The evaluation is mainly based on Q&As during lectures and group project presentations. You should pay attention and actively participate during classes and when others present their group projects. Any forms of questions and discussions are welcomed. This component is individual based. You get a point (of the total grade) when you ask one meaningful question or answer the instructor’s question once. Simple answers such as yes or no without explanation does not count. Simply ask a question such as can you please repeat does not count either.

    25%

    Group Project

    (1) Class Presentation (12.5%): Inclusive of Q&As, a presentation should take at most 30 minutes. Each member of the group has to present. (2) Slides (12.5%): The presentation slides must be submitted to the instructor in both hard and soft copies two weeks after the presentation. The length of the slides can be at most 25 slides or 2000 words. Exceeding either 25 slides or 2000 words will result in a penalty in grade. A complete list of references must be included at the end, and it does not count toward the page limit or word count. Proper citations are needed throughout the slides.

  • Adjustment methods for students
  • Course Schedule
    Week 1-2Weeks 1-2: Introduction to “Cities” • What is a city? • Why are there cities? (Chapter 1, Brueckner’s textbook) • De La Roca and Diego (2017)
    Week 3-4Weeks 3-4: Internal Spatial Structure of a City • Monocentric City Model – Chapters 2 and 3 of Brueckner’s textbook
    Week 5Week 5: Spatial Competition • Spatial Competition: Salop (1979)
    Week 6Week 6: Cities in Space: Central Place Theory • Hsu, Holmes, and Morgan (2014)
    Week 7Week 7: Housing -- Chapter 6 of Brueckner’s textbook
    Week 8Week 9: How Economists Think of Policies – Housing as an Example • Housing -- Chapter 7 of Brueckner’s textbook • How to Think about Housing and Public Housing
    Week 9Week 9: Midterm Exam
    Week 10Week 10: Local Public Finance • Henry George Theorem, adapted from Arnott and Stiglitz (1979)
    Week 11-14Weeks 11-14: Urban Transportation (Group Project Presentations are held in these four weeks) • Congestion Tax • Fundamental Law of Highway Congestion
    Week 15Week 15: Local Public Good • Chapter 8 of Brueckner’s textbook
    Week 16Week 16: Final Exam