Welcome to MSc Economics

IAN WALKERMSc Course Leader

These slides are available here and have been emailed to you.

Today (September 26)• Room S2.79 is free for your exclusive use today• Check out MSc webpages in Econ PG computer lab S2.81b

– http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/pg/econ/handbook/

• Orientate yourself– see map on MSc webpages– Figure out location of PG Office (S2.134), noticeboard, pigeon-holes

• Introduce yourself to fellow students. Find the bar …• Introductory Meeting

– 14.00 in Lecture Theatre S0. 21 – Important information relevant to decisions you need to make

• Departmental reception– S2.79 at 16.00-17.00 – Free drinks

Introductory Meeting• Immediate things to do• Identify key people • Course structure• Pastoral support system• Other learning opportunities

– Research workshops and seminars– IT and Library– Life-skills

• These slides contain lots of information

– Download the free MS PowerPoint viewer from www.microsoft.com/downloads.

– Download the free Adobe pdf viewer from www.adobe.com.

Tuesday• Register with IT Services soon

– https://www.warwick.ac.uk/cgi-bin/secure/register.pl – You’ll need your date of birth and your Library Card number

• Say YES to the “ATHENS” option

• You will get a userid, password and email address• Which will enable you to register for your

modules. • Register for your modules

– Use OMR (Online Module Registration)– http://www.warwick.ac.uk/ and click on my.insite

Module Registration• The University

needs to know your modules choice– use OMR– via my.insite– follow the

onscreen instructions

– and see helpsheet

Wednesday

• Teaching starts– See timetable in Registration Pack– Maths Methods Weds 10.00-12.00

• in Lib 2 (Library “bridge level”)

• Sign up for Research Methods module workshops in IT and Library facilities– MSc Noticeboard (Social Studies, first floor)– by WEDS

Important people:The most important person

Mark HarrisonHead of Departmentmark.harrison@...

Quite important people

Ian Walkeri.walker@...

MSc Economics Course Leader

Ben Lockwoodb.lockwood@...

Director of Graduate Studies

Really very important people

Mandym.eaton@...Ext 23048

Kellykelly.robinson@...

Ext 23276

Jimj.g.worsnop@....

Ext 23501

MSc administration Teaching Manager Computer support

Basic course structure• See the Electronic Handbook for the gory details• Note exceptions

Term 1 Term 2 Term 3 Summer

Economic Analysis

Micro

Macro

QM Math Methods

Econometrics A or B

Options Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

Research Research Methods Dissertation

Econometrics A or B ?• Take B if you are familiar with (or are prepared to

fill in any gaps on your own):– Ordinary Least Squares– Tests of significance (t & F), Tests of linear restrictions– Properties of N, t, chi-squared, and F distributions– Multicollinearity, Prediction– Autocorrelation, Durbin-Watson test– Heteroscedasticity, Weighted Least Squares– Dummy variables, Endogeneity

• Otherwise take A• If in doubt, email Mark Stewart

Term 2 “Option” modules ?• Advice session at end of Term 1• Email me to do something outside the mainstream• PROVISIONALLY choose THREE from:Labour

Trade Theory

Public

Game Theory

Industrial

Micro development

Microeconometrics (T1)

International Monetary

Macro development

Economic History

ONE WBS module from:

Investment Management

Derivative Securities

International Financial Markets

Stochastic Methods in Finance (T1)

Pastoral Support• Personal tutors

– Allocated to you next week– See your PT every term = PT “Day” Oct 6, and Feb 1

Adviser to foreign and women students (Term 1)Natalie CHEN

Adviser to foreign and women students (Term 2/3)Gianna BOERO

Institutional support• The Student Union

– Advice and Welfare Services factsheets on many subjects• study skills, changing/leaving your course,….emergency contraception

– Nightline service • 9pm to 9am student-run listening service, Tel 22199

• The University Health Centre – Make sure you are registered with a GP – before you get sick– NHS Direct 0845 4647 and http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/

• The University International Office– languages, social and financial support

• University Counselling Service– Senior Tutor's office

• Personal/emotional problems, disability etc• Tel 23761

Teaching quality• Our teaching is “research-led”

– Top marks in recent “RAE” exercise – (with UCL, LSE and Essex)

• Top marks in a recent national “TQA”– Along with UCL and Essex

• But it doesn’t always go right– We want feedback

• Module assessment questionnaires• End-of-year survey

– If all else fails – see me!

• And you can help …………..

… Staff-Student Liaison• We need student reps on GSSLC

– 4 MSc Economics, 2 Diploma, 2 PhD students– Ethnic/geographic/gender mix

• Please think about “standing” for this office– See http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/pg/

and click on GSSLC – Don’t be shy - nominate yourself or a friend– Email me by Oct 3

• a few words of background and a photo

– Vote from Oct 6 to Oct 10• We will email details to the “winners”

• First meeting Oct 19

My.economics

• Information gateway for students

• Communicate with staff

• Click on my.economics

Research workshops and seminars• Research seminar

– External (often international) speakers– Thursdays 16.00-17.30 in S0.20

• and join us for drinks in Common Room afterwards

• Specialist workshops– Mostly internal speakers– Most lunchtimes (13.00-14.00)– S2.79

• http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/seminars/

IT facilities• PC facilities

– S2.74, S2.82, and any open area on campus

– and S2.81b – reserved for ecpxxx logins

• Connect from a campus residence– http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/its/facilities/studentcomputing/r

esidences/

• Learn how to connect from off-campus– http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/its/facilities/offcampus/

• Computer service point– http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/its/facilities/purchasemaintain/

servicepoint/

IT training• Basic IT in Week 1 of Research Methods• See what IT Services offers

– http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/its/

• Help for the seriously IT-phobic– Tutor Support Service, IT Training Suite, Student

Computer Centre– http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/its/training/openlearni

ng/• telephone to the Service Desk on ext. 73737, • Email the ServiceDesk• visit Tutors' Room between 10 am and 4 pm Monday to Thursday

Library

• The basics of library familiarisation is part of Research Methods module– Electronic journals– Bibliographic databases

– http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/library/

• Opening hours – Weekdays 08.30 – 00.00– Weekends 10.00 – 20.00– Different in vacations

Life Skills• Warwick Skills Certificate

– Short courses in• IT, Communications• Creativity, Personal development• Career development, Academic skills• http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/academicoffice/postgrad/gsp/

• Foreign language skills• http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/languagecentre/

• English Language skills• Multimedia EASE – email CELTE

Life after Warwick• Jobs

– Check out the Careers Service soon– http://www.warwick.ac.uk/careers/

• PhD– Briefing in Research Methods lecture in week 2

• My notes are available here• Careers Service can help with this too• Staff have many connections elsewhere

• Discuss with your PT

And don’t forget …..• IT Services on-line registration• Online Module Registration• Research Methods

– sign-up for workshops on MSc Noticeboard

• First lecture– Maths Methods– Weds 10-12 in Lib 2 (bridge level in Library)

• Check out the on-line handbook for details• Free drinks 16.00-17.00 in S2.79