Statistics is an essential course for economists. An economist analyses and quantifies relationships between economic variables; for instance the relationship between prices and quantities or between inflation and unemployment. In doing so, an economist makes use of economic theory to formulate relationships and hypotheses, and statistics to quantify relationships between economic variables and to test hypotheses.
The course 'Statistics' includes the following topics: descriptive statistics, probability theory, estimation of parameters and hypothesis testing, mathematical expectations and regression analysis.
Academic skills
This course focuses on the following academic skills:
Analytical skills
• Problem solving (identifying the problem, devising a path towards the solution, following this path, verifying the outcome) for
specific questions.
Information processing
• Being able to work with data software, such as Excel and Stata.
Format
One lecture and two tutorials per week of two hours each.
Effort requirements
The effort requirement consists of pParticipation in at least 10 out of 14 tutorials
Assessment method
• Midterm exam (50% of the final grade)
• Final exam (50% of the final grade)
Course repeaters
Students who signed up for the course in previous years and failed the course (and did not sign off in time), will participate in the course repeaters program.
With respect to the teaching format, this implies that course repeaters:
- Can attend the lectures
- Cannot attend the regular tutorials;
- Will have the possibility to attend a special tutorial before each exam if there has been a change in the course content;
- Do not have effort requirements;
With respect to the assessment method, this implies that course repeaters:
• Have a mid-term exam (50%) and an end-term exam (50%)