CQUniversity Unit Profile
ECON11026 Principles of Economics
Principles of Economics
All details in this unit profile for ECON11026 have been officially approved by CQUniversity and represent a learning partnership between the University and you (our student).
The information will not be changed unless absolutely necessary and any change will be clearly indicated by an approved correction included in the profile.
Corrections

Unit Profile Correction added on 29-11-23

CPA accreditation requirements require a 50% invigilated exam, therefore the online test should actually be an invigilated exam. 

General Information

Overview

This unit introduces basic principles of microeconomic and macroeconomic theory and the methods of economic analysis . You will examine the demand-supply model, market equilibrium, elasticity, and how the prices of goods and services, and the cost and revenue curves are determined. You will compare the key market structures: perfect competition, monopoly, monopolistic competition, and oligopoly and examine why government intervention is necessary in order to correct market failure and achieve allocative and productive efficiency. You will be introduced to the key macroeconomic indicators and their role in managing the economy. You will be given the opportunity to explore the dynamics of macroeconomic policies, and their effectiveness in achieving national economic objectives and dynamic efficiency to achieve long term economic growth.

Details

Career Level: Undergraduate
Unit Level: Level 1
Credit Points: 6
Student Contribution Band: 10
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load: 0.125

Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

There are no requisites for this unit.

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

Offerings For Term 3 - 2023

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).

Class and Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.

Class Timetable

Bundaberg, Cairns, Emerald, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, Townsville
Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Assessment Overview

1. Online Quiz(zes)
Weighting: 20%
2. Written Assessment
Weighting: 30%
3. Examination
Weighting: 50%

Assessment Grading

This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.

Previous Student Feedback

Feedback, Recommendations and Responses

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Feedback from Through Moodle Site

Feedback

More explanation and interpretations of graphs required.

Recommendation

Unit Coordinator and the campus lecturers will spend more time on explaining graphs during lectures and review the understanding during the tutorial sessions.

Feedback from Through Moodle Site

Feedback

I have a much broader understanding of economics through examples, and how it affects every area of our lives in ways we never knew!

Recommendation

Unit Coordinator and the campus lecturers will continue to provide theory to practice examples relating micro-economics and macro-economics to everyday life.

Feedback from In Class and Unit Evaluation Comments

Feedback

The theory to practice exercises and revision quizzes helped to score high marks in the quiz test and assignment. But I feel a more interactive approach would help with this unit.

Recommendation

Unit Coordinator will continue to provide revision quizzes and other H5P inter-active activities to suit diverse learning style of the students, to increase moodle engagement, learning from all types of diverse resources and assignment task.

Feedback from Unit Evaluation Comment

Feedback

Having a zoom tutorial session from 5 to 7pm is great especially for distance students.But having the option where distance students who work can attend the tutorial session is a really nice thing

Recommendation

Timetabling will consider to continue to have evening zoom tutorial session from 5pm-7pm for distance ad offshore students.

Unit Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  1. Describe and illustrate basic economic principles as they relate to consumer and business decisions.
  2. Describe the firm's production decisions in a range of market structures.
  3. Demonstrate how government intervention may be beneficial in cases of market failure in order to achieve more desirable outcomes for the economy and the society.
  4. Explain macroeconomic goals and assess various macroeconomic policies to stabilise the economy.

This Core Unit  meets the  Bachelor of Business (Accounting) professional  outcomes and standards as required by the external  accrediting bodies. 

Alignment of Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Graduate Attributes
N/A Level
Introductory Level
Intermediate Level
Graduate Level
Professional Level
Advanced Level

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes

Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4
1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 20%
2 - Written Assessment - 30%
3 - Examination - 50%

Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes

Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4
1 - Communication
2 - Problem Solving
3 - Critical Thinking
4 - Information Literacy
5 - Team Work
6 - Information Technology Competence
7 - Cross Cultural Competence
8 - Ethical practice
9 - Social Innovation
10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures
Textbooks and Resources

Textbooks

Prescribed

Essentials of Economics

Edition: 5th (2022)
Authors: Hubbard, G.R., Garnett, A. M., Lewis, P., & O’Brien, A.
Pearson Education
Melbourne Melbourne , Victoria , Australia
ISBN: 9780655702870
Binding: Paperback

Additional Textbook Information

Prescribed Texbook is Available in:  Paper Back, e-Book (not-interactive),  and Revel Book (interactive).

Hubbard, G.R., Garnett, A. M., Lewis, P., & O’Brien, A. (2022). Essentials of Economics. 5th Edition. Melbourne, Victoria. Pearson Education, Australia.

e-Book (not-interactive) is also available for half the price of paperback from the CQU - Bookshop or Pearson Direct : https://www.pearson.com.au/9781488620225
Revel Book- with Interactive content. (***Recommended option***) Revel is your book delivered interactively. Read, practice, and study in one continuous experience on your computer, tablet or mobile device – quizzes, videos,
interactive activities.

IT Resources

You will need access to the following IT resources:
  • CQUniversity Student Email
  • Internet
  • Unit Website (Moodle)
  • Zoom Account (Free)
Referencing Style

All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)

For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.

Teaching Contacts
Anita Medhekar Unit Coordinator
a.medhekar@cqu.edu.au
Schedule
Week 1 Begin Date: 06 Nov 2023

Module/Topic

Economics: Foundations, Models and
Trade-Offs

Chapter

Hubbard et al. (2022) Chapters 1 & 2

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 2 Begin Date: 13 Nov 2023

Module/Topic

Market Demand, Supply and Elasticity

Chapter

Hubbard et al. (2022) Chapters 3 & 4

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 3 Begin Date: 20 Nov 2023

Module/Topic

Technology, Production and Costs

Chapter

Hubbard et al. (2022) Chapter 6

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 4 Begin Date: 27 Nov 2023

Module/Topic

Market Structures and Competition

Chapter

Hubbard et al. (2022) Chapter 7
Selected sections of Chapters 8 & 9

Events and Submissions/Topic

Term 3 Census Date = 28th
November

Vacation Week Begin Date: 04 Dec 2023

Module/Topic

Mid-Term Break
Please work on submitting Assignment
-1 Quizzes

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Mid-Term Break- Monday 4-
Sunday 10 December

Week 5 Begin Date: 11 Dec 2023

Module/Topic

Market Failure and The Role of
Government

Chapter

Hubbard et al. (2022) Chapter 11

Events and Submissions/Topic

Assignment-1 Online Quiz(zes)


Online Quiz(zes) Due: Week 5 Friday (15 Dec 2023) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 6 Begin Date: 18 Dec 2023

Module/Topic

Introduction to Macroeconomics and
GDP

Chapter

Hubbard et al. (2022) Chapters 13

Events and Submissions/Topic

Vacation Week Begin Date: 23 Dec 2023

Module/Topic

Christmas and New Year Holidays

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Christmas Holidays
23rd December to 1st January
2023

Week 7 Begin Date: 01 Jan 2024

Module/Topic

Unemployment and Inflation

Chapter

Hubbard et al. (2022) Chapters 14 & 15
Selected sections of Ch. 15 Aggregate
Demand (AD) & Aggregate Supply

Events and Submissions/Topic

1- January 2024 - New Year Day Holiday 

Week 8 Begin Date: 08 Jan 2024

Module/Topic

Monetary Policy

Chapter

Hubbard et al. (2022) Chapters 16 & 17
Selected sections of Ch.16. Money,
Bank & RBA

Events and Submissions/Topic

Assignment -2 


Written Assessment (Short Answer Response) Due: Week 8 Thursday (11 Jan 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 9 Begin Date: 15 Jan 2024

Module/Topic

Fiscal Policy

Chapter

Hubbard et al. (2022) Chapter 18

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 10 Begin Date: 22 Jan 2024

Module/Topic

International Trade and Globalisation

Chapter

Hubbard et al. (2022) Chapter 20

Events and Submissions/Topic

Time to check the exam timetable

Date, Time, Room, & Location

Start Exam Revision (Assessment 3)

Week 11 Begin Date: 29 Jan 2024

Module/Topic

International Finance and Exchange
Rates

Chapter

Hubbard et al. (2022) Chapter 20

Events and Submissions/Topic

Start Exam Revision 

Week 12 Begin Date: 05 Feb 2024

Module/Topic

Revision: Exam is based on macroeconomic
topics covered in weeks
6-11

Chapter

Chapters covered under Macroeconomic
section of the Unit

Events and Submissions/Topic

Start Exam Revision 

Please check the exam timetable -:
Date, Time, Room, & Location

Exam Week Begin Date: 12 Feb 2024

Module/Topic

Exam Week 12th-16th February 2024

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Please check the exam timetable-:
Date, Time, Room & Location

Assessment Tasks

1 Online Quiz(zes)

Assessment Title
Online Quiz(zes)

Task Description

Number of Quizzes = 4 Quiz Tests (5 marks each = 20 marks)
Students must attempt all four (4) quizzes online (Moodle). These quizzes cover the topics from the first three weeks of study (Chapters 1 - 4 & 6 of the prescribed text).
Students have three attempts for each online quiz test. 
The quizzes comprise multiple-choice questions and students are expected to complete these graded quizzes weekly in a progressive manner and not in one go.


Number of Quizzes

4


Frequency of Quizzes


Assessment Due Date

Week 5 Friday (15 Dec 2023) 11:45 pm AEST


Return Date to Students

Feedback is provided after the completion of the quiz.


Weighting
20%

Assessment Criteria

No Assessment Criteria


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Submission Instructions
Online

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Describe and illustrate basic economic principles as they relate to consumer and business decisions.
  • Describe the firm's production decisions in a range of market structures.

2 Written Assessment

Assessment Title
Written Assessment (Short Answer Response)

Task Description

Assessment 2 takes a short-answer format and requires responding to four questions focusing on the topics covered in Weeks 4-5 (Chapters 7, 8, 9 & 11 of the prescribed text).
Assignment Weighting: 30 marks (30%)
The task involves theoretical questions, graphs, calculations, real-life applications of market structures, externalities, and the role of government.
It is recommended that students work on the questions progressively rather than attempt to complete them in one go.
It is important that you familiarise yourself with the University Plagiarism
Policy https://www.cqu.edu.au/student-life/services-and-facilities/referencing/what-is-plagiarism
1. Penalties apply for plagiarism including own plagiarism.
2. Penalties (5% of the Assessment marks per day) also apply for late submissions without an approved extension.
3. This assessment allows for a resubmitted attempt in certain circumstances.
If you have achieved between 40–49% of the total marks for this assessment item, you may request the Unit Coordinator for this unit to allow you to make a resubmission.
You must make this request in writing via email within three calendar days of receiving your marks and feedback for this assessment.
The Unit Coordinator has the sole discretion for allowing a re-submission attempt. If the Unit Coordinator allows a resubmission attempt, the decision will be conveyed to you in writing via email to your student email address.
The notice will include instructions for you on:
What has to be done by you? When and how you must resubmit? (no more than seven calendar days from the decision being emailed to you will be allowed).
Your resubmission will result in no more than 50% of the allowed marks for this assessment item being awarded in total.
That is, if you are allowed a resubmission, you can achieve no more than 50% for this assessment item, regardless of how well you perform in your resubmission.
Please Note: No extensions will be allowed for your resubmission.


Assessment Due Date

Week 8 Thursday (11 Jan 2024) 11:45 pm AEST


Return Date to Students

Two weeks from the assignment submission date


Weighting
30%

Assessment Criteria

The assessment criteria includes:
1. Clarity of presentation
2. Evidence of research and referencing
3. Analysis of the real-life scenario or policy
4. Application of economic theory (definitions, assumptions, relevant graphs with examples)
5. More details of Assignment 2 task and questions will be available on the Unit Moodle site.


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Submission Instructions
OnlIne submission in word document

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Describe and illustrate basic economic principles as they relate to consumer and business decisions.
  • Describe the firm's production decisions in a range of market structures.
  • Demonstrate how government intervention may be beneficial in cases of market failure in order to achieve more desirable outcomes for the economy and the society.

Examination

Outline
Complete an invigilated examination

Date
During the examination period at a CQUniversity examination centre

Weighting
50%

Length
120 minutes

Minimum mark or grade
Minimum mark of grade 15/50 = 30% to pass the Examination

Exam Conditions
Open Book

Materials
Dictionary - non-electronic, concise, direct translation only (dictionary must not contain any notes or comments).
Calculator - all non-communicable calculators, including scientific, programmable and graphics calculators are authorised
Academic Integrity Statement

As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.

Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.

When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.

Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.

As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.

What is a breach of academic integrity?

A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.

Why is academic integrity important?

A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.

Where can I get assistance?

For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.

What can you do to act with integrity?