This course provides a theoretical and empirical discussion of labour markets. Main topics to be discussed are: labour supply, including determinants of labour market participation and hours of works; investments in human capital and returns to education; labour demand; labour market equilibrium and wage determination; discrimination in the labour markets; internal labour markets; trade unions, and macroeconomic issues related to wages and unemployment. Policy application questions will be covered whenever appropriate

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. be introduced to basic theoretical models in the labour economics literature;
2. be exposed to published articles in the academic literature;
3. have the ability to formally analyse policy related issues in labour economics.

Research-Led Teaching

All of the materials discussed in this course are research based. We will discuss a set of journal articles in depth in this course. Researchers have conducted surveys and experiments to understand the behaviour of agents on the labour market as well as how these agents interact with each other. The pandemic since 2020 also serves as an "natural experiment" for us to learn about the fundamentals of labour market.This course prepares students for applying economic insights to think about labour market behaviour and policy.

Examination Material or equipment

Details about the material or equipment will be updated on course wattle, “Exams related” section

Recommended Resources

Whether you are on campus or studying remotely, there are a variety of online platforms you will use to participate in your study program. These could include videos for lectures and other instruction, two-way video conferencing for interactive learning, email and other messaging tools for communication, interactive web apps for formative and collaborative activities, print and/or photo/scan for handwritten work and drawings, and home-based assessment.

ANU outlines recommended student system requirements to ensure you are able to participate fully in your learning. Other information is also available about the various Learning Platforms you may use.

Labor Economics 7th or 8th edition, Borjas, George J., McGraw-Hill Education

E-book available, for example at https://www.mheducation.com.au/ebook-online-access-for-labor-economics-9781259291876-aus

The 7th edition hard-copies are available in Chifley Library on reserve.

The 8th edition ebook has been ordered by the ANU library for this course to put on reserve.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• written comments
• verbal comments
• feedback to the whole class
• to groups
• to individuals

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Other Information

Course Description

This course’s main topics include labour supply (such as, determinants of labour market participation and hours of works; investments in human capital and returns to education); labour demand; labour market equilibrium and wage determination; discrimination in the labour markets; internal labour markets; trade unions, and macroeconomic issues related to wages and unemployment. Policy application questions will be covered whenever appropriate. The honours and post-graduate section provides a theoretical and empirical discussion of labour markets based on journal articles.

Other Information

RSE has a Frequently Asked Questions page where you can find relevant policies and information on a broad range of topics

https://www.rse.anu.edu.au/students/students/frequently-asked-questions/

Presentations will be video recorded, which will enable later validation and verification of assessment if required (in accordance with point 7 in the ANU Student Assessment (Coursework) policy).

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Job search theory [lecture]
2	Journal paper(s) on labour supply [lecture]	quiz
3	Journal paper(s) on labour demand [lecture]	quiz
4	Journal paper(s) on incentive pay [lecture]	quiz, Assignment 1 due
5	Journal paper(s) on pay scheme [lecture]	quiz
6	Journal paper(s) on gender difference [lecture]	quiz, Assignment 2 due
7	Journal paper(s) on racial discrimination [lecture]	quiz
8	Journal paper(s) on human capital formation/education/childcare [lecture]	quiz
9	Group presentations	quiz, Assignment 3 due
10	Group presentations	quiz
11	Group presentations	quiz
12	Big data and job market [lecture]
13	Examination period	Final exam

Tutorial Registration

For remote learning students, tutorials will be delivered remotely for this semester. For on campus students, face to face tutorial might be arranged conditional on ANU policies regarding COVID19 policies. Signing up for a tutorial will be available on the Wattle site in O-week, when more details about tutorial can be found as well.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Assignment 1	10 %	14/03/2022	28/03/2022	1.2.3
Assignment 2	10 %	31/03/2022	19/04/2022	1.2.3
Assignment 3	10 %	02/05/2022	16/05/2022	1.2.3
Final Exam	40 %	*	*	1.2.3
Online quizzes	30 %	*	*	1.2.3

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information 
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Integrity . In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

Lectures for ECON8041 will be delivered both on campus and via pre-recoded sessions uploaded to Wattle. Those students unable to make the on campus lectures will be able to access the Echo360 recordings via Wattle. If circumstances change, the live lectures will revert to pre-recorded lectures. 

A live zoom workshop will also be held each week. 

Tutorials/Computer labs for the course will be available both on campus and via zoom. 

Attendance at live activities, while not compulsory, is expected in line with “Code of Practice for Teaching and Learning”, clause 2 paragraph (b).

Examination(s)

There will be a formal final exam for this course delivered on-line. Details will be announced through Wattle.

Assessment Task 1

Assignment 1

Detailed assignment tasks for assignment 1 will be released by 2022-02-21.

• write a summary of an article of your choice from a given set of articles; [one page maximum]
• practice solving individuals' labour supply problems under various circumstances.

This is an individual assignment to be handed in via Turnitin. ??More details will be provided on the class wattle site no later than 2 weeks before the assessment??.

Assessment Task 2

Assignment 2

Detailed assignment tasks for assignment 2 will be released by 2022-03-11.

• write a summary of the article designated. [2-3 pages]

This assignment is to be handed in via Turnitin. Students will be randomly allocated into groups. Each group will have two to four students depending on enrolment. Each group will be designated with the same journal article. The article and group arrangement will be released by week 3 after the enrolment is finalised. Discussions among students are allowed and encouraged. But each student need to write her/his own summary. ??More details will be provided on the class wattle site no later than 2 weeks before the assessment??.

Assessment Task 3

Assignment 3

Detailed assignment tasks for assignment 3 will be released by 2022-04-17.

• present the article designated for your group on class;

This is the same article and group arrangement for assignment 2. All members of each group will need to present together as a team. Presentations will be video recorded, which will enable later validation and verification of assessment if required (in accordance with point 7 in the ANU Student Assessment (Coursework) policy).???More details will be provided on the class wattle site no later than 2 weeks before the assessment???.

Assessment Task 4

Final Exam

Final exam will be held during the ANU Exam block at the end of the semester. The final exam usually takes about 2 hours. The exam will be delivered online and may be invigilated through Proctorio or zoom. The exam will cover all material delivered in lectures and tutorial over weeks 1-12. This is an exam to be done individually. More information will be made available in week 10 of semester on Wattle.

Assessment Task 5

Online quizzes

Throughout the semester there will be 10 online quizzes delivered through Wattle. These quizzes will be held in 10 weeks (all weeks except week 1 and 12). They will cover material from the proceeding weeks lectures and tutorials. The wattle quiz will be available over a period of 3 days, however, the quiz, once started in only open for 1 hour. There will be 5 questions to be answered. They will be randomly assigned. Please also note that you will not be able to navigate backwards through the quiz and there is only one attempt allowed. No late submission accepted. The outcomes of the quizzes will be within two weeks from the quizzes.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically, committing to honest and responsible scholarly practice and upholding these values with respect and fairness.

The ANU commits to assisting all members of our community to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle and Academic Misconduct Rule, uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with.

The Academic Misconduct Rule is in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Very minor breaches of the academic integrity principle may result in a reduction of marks of up to 10% of the total marks available for the assessment. The ANU offers a number of online and in person services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. Visit the Academic Skills website for more information about academic integrity, your responsibilities and for assistance with your assignments, writing skills and study.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

No submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date will be permitted. If an assessment task is not submitted by the due date, a mark of 0 will be awarded.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Returning Assignments

Through Turnitin.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

Students wish to resubmit some or all assignments will need to get the permission from the course convener.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students