Students registering in grouped study mode are advised that there may be some differences in the evaluation and course materials information indicated below. To obtain the most up-to-date information, contact the Faculty of Business Student Support Centre at 1-800-468-6531.
Overview
Welcome to ECON 366: Economic Development. This three-credit, senior-level course in economics at Athabasca University can be taken as an elective for students in business, political science, international studies, and history. An introductory economics course is a prerequisite for ECON 366.
In this course, you will study the economic circumstances and development experiences of the nations in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. We will examine the likely reasons that some countries have developed more rapidly than others and the range of economic policies that have been implemented to promote the process of economic development.
Outline
ECON 366 is divided into eight units, as outlined below:
Unit 1: Economic Development: An Introduction and Overview
Unit 2: Development Ideas in Historical Perspective
Unit 3: Growth, Poverty, and Income Distribution
Unit 4: Population Growth, Urbanization, and Internal Migration
Unit 5: Human Capital: Education and Health in Economic Development
Unit 6: Agricultural Transformation and Rural Development
Unit 7: International Trade and Development
Unit 8: Capital Flows and Development
Learning outcomes
After completing this course, students should be able to:
explain the broader meaning of development.
discuss the development experiences and prospects of the countries in Africa, Latin America, and Asia.
explain the very different levels of development and economic growth in countries around the world.
explain the relationships between growth and poverty, and growth and income distribution.
discuss how factors such as technological progress, population growth, urbanization, rural-urban migration, education, and health affect the process of development.
explain the relationships between international trade and development, and international capital flow and development.
Evaluation
Your final grade in ECON 366 will be based on your performance on five assignments and a Final Examination. The passing grade for the Final Examination is D (50 percent). You must also achieve an overall course grade of at least D (50 percent) to pass the course. The weighting of each assessment activity is indicated in the table below.
Activity
Weight
Assignment 1
10%
Assignment 2
10%
Assignment 3
10%
Assignment 4
10%
Assignment 5: Essay
20%
Final Exam
40%
Total
100%
The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.
Materials
Todaro, M. P., & Smith, S. C. (2020). Economic development (13th ed.). Pearson. ISBN 9781292291208 (eText)
All other learning resources will be available online.
Challenge for credit
Overview
The challenge for credit process allows you to demonstrate that you have acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university-level course.
Full information about challenge for credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.
Evaluation
To receive credit for the ECON 366 challenge registration, you must achieve a grade of at least 50 percent on the examination.
Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized study counterparts.