Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: None | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory

Description:
Introduction to economics: decision making (utility maximization, PPF and opportunity cost marginal benefit vs. marginal cost and ethics components such as motivations), scarcity, choice and economic systems; demand, supply and equilibrium; markets and government; elasticity: application of supply and demand; production and cost, how firms make decisions: profit maximization; market structure: efficiency and market failure; factor of production markets and income distribution; introduction to game theory and information economics; application of economics: transport, tourism, agriculture, environment, education, health, crime, discrimination, poverty and inequality.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: None | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory

Description:
Introduction to Macroeconomics; Measuring National Income; Circular Flow of Income: Closed and Open economy Models; Determination of Equilibrium level of National Income; Introduction to Business Cycle, Economic Growth, Unemployment, Inflation; Macroeconomic Policy: Fiscal and Monetary; Money: Properties of Money, Demand for Money, Supply of Money; Quantity theory of Money; Introduction to Central Banking and Commercial Banking; Introduction to International Trade and Finance.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: None | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory

Description:
This foundation course will expose students to the abstract nature of mathematics; mathematics as a language; mathematics and logical reasoning; real numbers; variables; conceptual framework of lemma, theorem, law, proposition, axiom; relations and functions; algebra; scientific notation and factoring, solving linear equations and inequalities, transformations; graphical representation of linear and non linear relations; basic coordinate geometry; basic probability; basic trigonometry; basic introduction to limits, differentiation and integration.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: None | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory

Description:
This course focuses on computer systems: components of a computer system, classification of hardware, functionality of major hardware components, classification of software, efficient use of computers, future trends; Operating Systems (OS): role of operating systems, types of operating systems, command line interfaces, GUI interfaces, open source and proprietary OS, file management; word processing: open source and proprietary word processing software, text formatting, image formatting, single level and multi-level lists, tables, SmartArt and shapes, document formatting, mail merge, printing; and spreadsheet software: open source and proprietary spreadsheet software, worksheets, cell reference and formatting, functions and formulas, sorting and filtering, conditional formatting, charts, data validation, printing; presentation software: open source and proprietary presentation software, slide layouts, formatting slides, slide transition, custom and animation motion paths, hyperlinks, slide master, printing; computer networks: introduction to computer networks, advantages and disadvantages of networks, types of networks, network topology, client and server computers; internet and email: introduction to internet and email, web browsers, personalizing web browsers, searching, resources available on internet; and web development: introduction to web development, introduction to HTML, basic web page formatting, and single level and multi-level lists.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: None | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory

Description:
This course covers the topics of basic statistics including an introduction to social statistics; data – quantitative, qualitative and scale; methods of data collection (including survey and questionnaire designing); data analysis: descriptive techniques (graphical and numerical); concepts / principles of probability; introduction to random variables and distributions (discrete only).

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN1001 | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory Course for Economics Honours and General Degree

Description:
Theory of Consumer Behaviour: Cardinal Utility Approach; Ordinal Utility Approach; Application of Indifference Curve Analysis; The Revealed Preference Hypothesis; Theory of Production with One Variable; Theory of Production with Two Variables; Theory of the Cost of Production; Modern Theory of Cost; Theory of the Firm and Production; Price and Output Determination under Perfect Competition; Price and Output Determination under Monopoly; Price and Output Determination under Monopolistic Competition; Game Theory and Applications; Factor Price Determination; Wage Determination; Theory of Profit; Market Failures; Externalities and Public Goods.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN1002 | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory Course for Economics Honours and General Degree

Description:
Commodity market and IS curve; Money market and LM curve; IS-LM model and macroeconomic policies; IS-LM model and Aggregate Demand (AD) curve; Resource market and short-run and long-run Aggregate Supply (AS) curves; AD-AS model and analysis of monetary and fiscal policies; Consumption function hypotheses: Absolute Income; Permanent Income; Relative Income; and Life-Cycle Income; Investment models: Classical; Keynesian and Neo-classical. Inflation-unemployment trade-off.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ESS1001 | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory

Description:
Differential Calculus: Introduction to Differentiation; Limits; Derivative; Rules of Differentiation; Higher order Derivatives; Implicit Differentiation; Uses of the Derivative: Concavity and Convexity; Relative Extrema; Optimization of Functions; Marginal concepts; Optimizing Economic Functions; Multivariable Functions: Rules of Partial Derivatives; Second order Partial Derivatives; Optimization of Multivariable functions; Constrained Optimization; Total and Partial Differentials; Total Derivatives; Implicit Functions; Multivariable Functions in Economics: Optimization; Constrained Optimization; Exponential and Logarithmic Functions.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ESS1005 & ESS1001 | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory

Description:
Data Analysis-Descriptive measures: Frequency distribution/Measures of Central tendency/ Dispersion/ Skewness/ Kurtosis/ Measures of relative standing using summation and product operators; Exploratory Data Analysis - Stem and Leaf and Box Plot; Introduction to measures of association; Random variables and probability distribution – Univariate case (discrete and continuous distributions); Index numbers; and Introduction to time series analysis and forecasting (Univariate case); Application of relevant Statistical Software packages.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: None | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory Course for Economics Honours and Optional for other disciplines

Description:
The course will emphasize the simultaneous presence of diverse theoretical positions on which empirical analyses and policy formulations are based. It will also examine the different epistemological approaches in social and economic theory.Contents: Classical political economy: economic thought before Adam Smith; Adam Smith's wealth of nations; Robert Malthus; David Ricardo; Post-Ricardian Economics; Contradictions in the system: John Stuart Mill; Contradictions of modernity; Marxian Economics; Neoclassicism and its critics: Marginalism; crisis of neo classical theory and a paradigm shift; Political economy of development: Economic Development in the History of Economic Thought Development Economics and its Critiques

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 30 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ESS1001 and ECN2003 | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory

Description:
Integral Calculus: Introduction to Integration; Indefinite and Definite Integral; Rules of Integration; Initial/Boundary Conditions; Applications in Economics; Fundamental Theorem of Calculus; Area under Curve; Area between Curves; Applications in Economics; Integration by Substitution; Integration by Parts; Integration by Partial Fractions. Improper Integrals; Double Integrals. Matrix Algebra: Introduction to Matrices; Types of Matrices; Matrix Operations - Addition; Subtraction; Scalar Multiplication; Multiplication of Matrices; Determinants of Matrix; Matrix Inversion; Solving Simultaneous Equation Systems; Applications in Economics. Other: Introduction to Differential Equations; Introduction to Difference Equations.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ESS1005 and ECN2004 | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory

Description:
Probability distribution - bivariate - discrete and continuous distribution (joint/ conditional/marginal); Mathematical expectations - conditional expectations; variance; conditional variance; covariance; Moments; Measures of association (Theoretical); Theoretical Probability distributions; Discrete case - Bernoulli trials; Binomial distribution; Poisson distribution; Continuous case - Uniform ; Exponential; Normal; Standard normal; Student's t; Chi-Square and F distribution; Approximations to selected probability distributions; Sampling distribution theory; Law of large numbers and central limit theorem; and Statistical inferential theory: Estimations and Hypothesis testing.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN2002 | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory Course for Economics Honours and Optional for other disciplines

Description:
Topics include: Methodology of Applied Economics - Inductive vs. deductive approaches; Sri Lanka's post-independence economic development - External Environment; Policies; Outcomes and Recurring Themes; Trade; FDI and Balance of Payments; Macroeconomic management: Monetary and Fiscal Policy; The Labor Market; Inflation - Sources; Measurement and Policies; Poverty and Inequality; Rural; urban and regional development; Sector-wise issues - Agriculture; Industry; Services; and Economic development - Current and Prospective Challenges

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ESS1004 | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory Course for Economics Honours and Optional for other disciplines

Description:
Topics include: Introduction to DBMS: Definition of a DB; Database Management Systems; components of a DB; ER Diagrams: Entities; attributes; cardinality; converting E-R diagrams into table structures; Integrity Constraints; Forms and Reports: using forms to enter data; use of reports to present; data Queries; Introduction to SQL; Data Normalization: 1NF; 2NF; 3NF; advantages of data; normalization; Importing and exporting data into and from a database; Applications of DB's in Social sciences.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 22.5 ; Tutorials: 22.5 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN2001 | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory

Description:
Consumer Theory: Choice; Preferences; Utility; Demand; Revealed Preferences; Comparative Statics; Consumer Surplus; Aggregation; Variations to the basic choice model (Time and Uncertainty); Producer Theory: Technology; profit maximization; Cost Minimization; Supply; Aggregation; Markets: Monopoly; Oligopoly and Game Theory; Walrasian Equilibrium; Market Failures: Externalities; Public Goods; Small Number of Agents.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 50% ; End-semester: 50%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN2002 | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory Course for Economics Honours and General Degree

Description:
Open Economy Macroeconomics; Aggregate Supply and Aggregate Demand; Aggregate Supply and the Phillips Curve; Unemployment; Inflation; Long run Economic Growth; Business Cycles; Modern Developments in Macroeconomics; Macroeconomic Policy

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN2001 and ECN2002 | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory Course for Economics Honours and General Degree

Description:
The first part of the course uses standard tool of microeconomics and provides an introduction to the classical theories of international trade; neoclassical trade theories; the Hecksher-Ohlin model; and extensions to the Heckscher-Ohlin model. The course also examines instruments of trade policy; basic tariff analysis and other trade instruments including import quotas and Voluntary Export Restraints. Part two covers topics in international finance; including the balance of payments; exchange rate regimes; international capital flows; sovereign debt; and currency and financial crises. The course concludes with an introduction to globalization and the functions of major global economic institutions.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN2004 and ECN2014 | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory

Description:
Overview of the research process; Scientific research; Research proposal formulation; Literature review; Introduction to reference styles; Research design; Sampling techniques; Levels of measurement; types of data and sources; Indexes and Scales; Primary data collection; Designing a questionnaire; Ethics in Research; Scientific Writing; Introduction Qualitative and Quantitative Data Analysis; Data analysis using statistical software - STATA: (file maintenance; generating variables and managing data; data analysis); Preparation of reference lists; writing effective reserch proposals and research reports

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN2003, ECN2004 and ECN2014 | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory

Description:
The course covers the fundamentals of regression theory with a primary focus on simple and multiple linear regression models. Topics include: What is Econometrics? The structure of Economic data; Introduction to regression analysis: Simple linear regression model (SLR); Estimation methods: OLS; Sampling distributions; Properties of OLS Estimators; Hypothesis testing in regression Analysis; Prediction; Transformation; Functional forms; Software applications; Multiple regression model; estimation; Hypothesis testing; Dummy variables in regression models.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN1001 and ECN1002 | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory Course for Economics Honours and Optional for other disciplines

Description:
Topics include: The economic role and activity of the government: mechanistic and organic view of the government; rationale for government intervention; Fundamentals of welfare economics; market efficiency; market failure; efficiency and equity. Analysis of public choice; political economy: direct democracy and representative democracy. The functions of government: provision of public goods: education; health; transport; and infrastructure; characteristics and choice of public goods; Efficient provision of public goods; Externalities in consumption and production: Externalities and public policy; Private and public responses to externalities. Income distribution and welfare policies; public enterprises and their price determination; alternative methods of public finance such as bond financing and pay attention to SL public policy issues

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN3024 | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory

Description:
Multiple regression model; asymptotic properties of OLS estimator; hypothesis testing; testing restrictions on the model; testing stability of the model; use of interactive dummy variables in regression models; testing restrictions on the model; diagnostic testing for multicollinearity; heteroscedasticity; autocorrelation and specification error; consequences and remedies for violation of regression assumptions; simultaneous equation models; 2SLS; introduction to Panel data Regression Model: the Fixed and the Random effects models; binary choice models: linear probability; Probit and Logit models; introduction to stationary time series data analysis; Introduction to ML and GMM Estimation.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: None | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory Course for Economics Honours and Optional for other disciplines

Description:
Introduction to environment and natural resource: Concepts and types; renewable and non-renewable resources. Management models: public participation; protected areas; ecosystem based management and adaptive management. Fundamental rules of renewable resource exploitation and management; fundamental rules of non-renewable resource exploitation and management. Environmental management policies- decentralized policies: liability laws; property rights; moral suasion; command-and-control strategies: the case of standards. Incentive-based strategies: emission charges and subsidies; transferable discharge permits; Market-based instruments: tradable permits. Challenges towards natural resource conservation and management Case studies: soil; water; solid waste

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN2001 and ECN2002 | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory Course for Economics Honours and Optional for other disciplines

Description:
Conceptual definition of entrepreneur and entrepreneurship and its historical development. Economic theories of Entrepreneurship; Strategies for strengthening an entrepreneurial culture. Economic models of occupational choice. Features and Types of entrepreneurs. Factors influenced to entrepreneurship. Impact of macroeconomic policies on entrepreneurship and financial decision of entrepreneurs; Entrepreneurial process and the role of entrepreneurship in economic development; Entrepreneurs affects on economic growth; inequality and poverty. Business Incubation and business Incubators' role in development. Transforming rural economies through entrepreneurial networks

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN2001 and ECN3001 | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory Course for Economics Honours and Optional for other disciplines

Description:
Topics include: Introduction to Health Economics; An Economic Perspective of Health and Medical Care; The Demand for Medical Care; Medical Care Production and Costs; Structure; Conduct; Performance; and Market Analysis; Equity; Efficiency; and Need; Government; Health; and Medical Care; Health Insurance; Unhealthy behavior: evidence and policy issues; Health and economic development; Healthcare system in Sri Lanka; Cost-Benefit and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN2001 and ECN2002 | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory Course for Economics Honours and Optional for other disciplines

Description:
Gender inequality: an empirical overview; costs of gender inequality; overview of theoretical approaches to gender; economic models of the household and the balance of power; unpaid work and care work; gender inequality in labor markets; overview of analytical approaches to gender and development; gender and poverty; policies to empower women; gender and politics; gender mainstreaming: definitions and challenges; gender budgeting; gender in project planning

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN2001 and ECN2002 | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory Course for Economics Honours and Optional for other disciplines

Description:
Overview of thoughts on development: classical; neoclassical; modern and institutional economists; The evaluation of concepts; theories; approaches and strategies of development: classical; modernization; dependency; neo-liberalism; postmodernism post; colonialism; human development; human rights; sustainable development. Goals; Indicators; obstacles and challenges for economic development. Choice of techniques economic development: Issus related to economic development in developing countries: inequality and poverty: population growth and demographic transition; education and health; labour and unemployment: urban development and migration; rural and agricultural development; environment and development; gender and development; State policy and development failure: Market and institutional failures; sustainable development goals and future challenges; international economic relations and globalization of development.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN3001 | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory Course for Economics Honours and Optional for other disciplines

Description:
The scope of Industrial Organization; Monopoly and welfare consequences of market power; Structure-conduct-performance model; Market concentration; determinants of market structure; Advertising; product differentiation and research and development; Cournot and Stakelburg models; Bertrand model; entry; accommodation and exit; Economic theory of regulation; deregulation; Public Enterprises and Industrial policy issues in Sri Lanka.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN2001 and ECN2002 | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory Course for Economics Honours and Optional for other disciplines

Description:
Introduction to Money; Banking and Financial Markets; Financial Markets: understanding interest rates; behavior of interest rates; risk and term structure; Financial Institutions: economic analysis of financial structure; banking and management of financial institutions; Central Banking and Monetary Policy: Central Banking; Money Supply process; Tools of Monetary Policy; International Finance; Development Finance; Financial Development and Economic Growth; Microfinance; Informal Finance.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 2 | Prerequisites: ESS1004 and ECN2020 | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory

Description:
Introduction to Big data; Real world examples of Big Data applications V's of Big data; Comparison of traditional Database Management System and a Big Data Management System; Data collection; monitoring; storing; analysing and reporting; Architectural components for Big Data analysis Big data operation techniques; Install and run simple programs using Hadoop; Frequent operations for different data types

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN3001 | Compulsory/Optional: Optional for Economics Honours

Description:
Overview of the global energy markets and the local context; analyze markets related to energy resources; commodities and technologies; economic regulation in energy markets; concepts related to energy conservation; efficiency; and security; environmental impacts and climate issues; energy sector planning and forecasting models.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN3002 and ECN3053 | Compulsory/Optional: Only Compulsory for Stream 3

Description:
The course covers; introduction to international development; international development theories; strategies; policies and approaches; Structural transformation and Economic development experiences of East Asia; South Asia Sub-Saharan countries and Western economies. Economics of Globalization: theories; causes and consequences of globalization; Economic Development in a Globalizing World; Macroeconomics of international development and globalization: Determinants of economic growth; Trade liberalization; capital flows and labour migration and Foreign aid. Global convergence; divergence and development; International Development Cooperation; Role of Multilateral institutions; international organizations; NGOs and United Nations in international development International relations and economic development; the emergence of governance agenda and the politics of international development

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN3053 | Compulsory/Optional: Only Compulsory for Stream 3

Description:
Theoretical and conceptual explanations of the economic development policy and planning process; objectives; goals; types and stages of economic development and policies; Different planning and appraisal techniques: Choice of techniques; input-output analysis; shadow pricing; plan appraisal; project appraisal; financial appraisal; economic appraisal; Contrasting economic development approaches and methods on policy formulation and planning; International; national and regional factors affecting local economic development policy and planning; Equity; participation; conflict; and cooperation in economic development policy practice and planning

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN3001 | Compulsory/Optional: Only Compulsory for Stream 8

Description:
Introduction to environmental economics; The basic theories of environmental economics: market and efficiency; efficiency and economic well-being; maximum social well-being; social welfare function and Pareto efficiency; social indifference curve and criteria for economic efficiency; Economic tools for environmental policies; Pigouvian Policy; Coase Theorem; the double dividend and Porter Hypotheses; Environmental impacts assessment Global environmental problem; global climate change; climate change policies. International agreements; Risk; uncertainty and discounting; Sustainable development and environmental policy.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: None | Compulsory/Optional: Only Compulsory for Stream 10

Description:
Students will have an opportunity to understand social conflicts-origin and development of conflict; with special focus on economic causes. The course will look at dynamics of conflicts; determinants of inter and intra state conflicts such as in equality and poverty; ethnic diversity; macroeconomic shocks and resource sharing in South Asia. Furthermore; economic impacts of terrorism; mechanisms and issues related to post conflict development and reconciliation process in Sri Lanka will be discussed.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ESS1004, ECN2004 and ECN2014 | Compulsory/Optional: Optional for Economics Honours

Description:
Topics include a review of theoretical probability distribution; generating functions and characteristic function; Probability Distribution - Gamma; Beta; hypo-geometric; Negative Binomial; Log normal; Chi-Square; Student's t and F distributions; The relationship between Normal; t; F; Chi- Square distribution; Multivariate Random Variables; in vector form and its Probability Distribution; Marginal and Conditional Distributions; Linear combinations; Marginal and Conditional Probability Distributions; Vector notations; Quadratic form of a standard normal vector; diagonalization; Theory for multivariate distributions: Conditional and unconditional Expected value; Conditional and unconditional Variance Matrix; Covariance Matrix; correlation; Multivariate theoretical distributions: Bivariate Normal; Multivariate Normal; Multinomial; Moments for multivariate distributions; Estimation: Maximum likelihood function; Confidence region; Properties of good estimators- Multivariate case; Cramer-Rao Lower Bound and Information Matrix; Review of Tests of Hypotheses; Power of a statistical test and its function; uniformly most powerful test (UMP); The Neyman-Pearson Theorem; Likelihood Ratio Test; Wald test; Linear Hypothesis.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: None | Compulsory/Optional: Optional for Honours Degrees

Description:
Topics include: Introduction; Type of Projects; Project Cycle; Project Identification; Feasibility Studies; Project Preparation: Project Profile; Logic al Framework Approach; Logical Framework Matrix; Project Appraisal: Cost-Benefit Analysis; Financial Analysis Vs. Socioeconomic Analysis; Project Criteria: Net Present Value; Internal Rate of Return and Benefit-Cost Ratio; Environmental Impact Assessment and Social Impact Assessment; Shadow Prices; Sensitivity Analysis and Risk Management; Cost Effective Analysis; Impact Evaluation: Techniques and methods

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN2001, ECN2002, ECN3001 and ECN3034 | Compulsory/Optional: Core for Stream 1 and Optional for other Streams

Description:
Labour supply: Individual and household labour supply models; labour supply and public policy; labour supply over the life cycle-dynamic life cycle models; fertility and child-bearing; retirement and pensions; Labour demand and the labour market: competitive markets; imperfect competition; minimum wage legislation; Wage determination: compensating wage differentials; human capital; the wage structure and inequality; labour mobility; labour market discrimination; mandatory retirement; Economics of trade unions: theory of union behaviour; theory of bargaining; measuring union wage effects; economic impact of unions; Unemployment: types of unemployment; explanations of unemployment: job search; implicit contract theory; efficiency wages; insider-outside theory; vacancy analysis; unemployment insurance

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN3062 | Compulsory/Optional: Core for Stream 2 and Optional for Other Streams

Description:
Introduction to Investment; Investment Environment; Time Value of Money: Present Value; Future Value; Multiple Cash flows; Bonds and Bond Valuation; Stocks and Stock Valuation; Investment Criteria; Cash flow Estimation; Sources of Capital; Costs of Capital; Risk and Return; Portfolio Theory.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN3029 | Compulsory/Optional: Only Compulsory for Stream 4

Description:
Topics include: Introduction to regional development and planning; Identifying the concept of "region"/definition of a region based on socio economic; political and cultural dimensions; Economic base analysis of a regional economy/tools and modeling techniques; Sources of regional economic growth and related issues; The relevance of regional planning particularly for developing countries; Regional development experiences in Sri Lanka; Trends; policies and related issues of urbanization and its implications; Provision of physical and social infrastructure for regional development; Spatial economics and location theory; Growth pole theory and its implications for regional development; Shift share analysis and the uses of it for regional development planning; Innovations in regional development: planning methods; changing agenda and emerging areas

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN2003, ECN2004 and ECN2014 | Compulsory/Optional: Core for Stream 5 and Optional for Other Streams

Description:
Topics include: Introduction and Review: Scale of measurements; introduction of distribution free statistics; The choice of statistical test; uses of N-P methods; Types of N-P tests; One Sample Tests: The Sign test; The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test; Two Samples Test: The Wilcoxon Signed - Rank Test (W test); Two Samples Test: The Mann-Whitney U test; Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test ; K Samples ; The Kuruskal - Wallis test (H test); K Samples: The Friedman test Two way ANOVA:The Chi-square; goodness of fit test (K3) ; The Kolmogorov -Smirnov test (K-S test); The Chi-square test: Tests of independence : contingency table ; The Runs test for randomness (sequenced data) Measures of Correlation: The Contingency coefficient; The Spearman Rank correlation; The Kendal Rank correlation test; Density estimation: Kernel density estimation: Smoothing methods and Robust Model fitting ; Normality test: K-S test: Application of Statistical Software: Minitab; SPSS; STATA

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN3029 | Compulsory/Optional: Only Compulsory for Stream 6

Description:
This course covers an overview of the theory and empirics of public finance; The concept of functioning of modern public finance; Public needs and Public expenditure: types mechanisms and theoretical basis for economic effect; Public revenues: relationships and structure of direct and indirect taxes in the tax system; other public revenues; tax theory and policy: tax system; tax incidence; taxation and economic efficiency; optimal and equitable taxation. Personal taxation and behavior. Effect of tax on income distribution; Effects of tax on portfolio composition; Corporation taxation. Economic implications of government expansion and its consequences. Budget and budgetary system; fiscal policy issues in Sri Lanka: deficit financing and debt management.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN3006 | Compulsory/Optional: Core for Stream 7 and Optional for Other Streams

Description:
Post Heckscher-Ohlin Theories and Critical Evaluation of H-O Theories; new theories of international trade; Instruments of Trade Policy; Theory of Economic Integration; bilateral and regional trade; International trade and economic growth; Trade Policy in Developing Countries: Import Substitution Industrialization and Export Oriented Industrialization; Trade Liberalization.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN2001 and ECN3001 | Compulsory/Optional: Only Compulsory for Stream 9

Description:
Introduction to agricultural economics; Agricultural production functions: production efficiency and inefficiency; Theory of rent and concept of surplus; Technological changes in agriculture; Introduction to agricultural marketing: Inputs and output marketing; Demand; supply; revenue; costs (implicit and explicit) cost and profits; Agricultural commodity price determination and market adjustment; Agricultural inputs price determination and market adjustment; Agriculture and risk management; International agricultural trade; Government intervention in agricultural sector; Sustainable agricultural development: concepts; method and application; Introduction to food security and food crisis.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: None | Compulsory/Optional: Only Compulsory for Stream 10

Description:
Orthodox and Heterodox Economics: An Introduction; Methodology of Social Sciences 1: Against Positivism (Friedman-Samuelson Debate); Methodology of Social Sciences 2: Epistemological issues - Economic Agencies and power relations; Introduction to Critical Realism; Crisis of Capitalism and Crisis of Economics: Things mainstreams economics do not talk; New International Financial Architecture (NIFA); Political Economy of Capitalism and its unending crisis; Theory of Economic Crisis; Political Economy of Globalization; Political Economy of Hegemony; Marx; Alienation and Political Economy of Consumerism; Human Body as a Commodity: Political Economy of Global Organ Market; Nationalism; Economic nationalism and the Dimensions of Racial politics; A Debate on Post-war Political Economy of Sri Lanka.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN3033 | Compulsory/Optional: Only Compulsory for Stream 1

Description:
Overview of Demographic Economics; Population Dynamics; Economics of the Family; Population Health; Economic Analysis of Migration; Non-Labour Discrimination; Role of public policy; Population Dynamics: Demographic Transition; Aging Population: Economics of the elderly; Sri Lanka's Population Change and Population Issues; Economics of the family; Economic Determinants and Consequences of Marriage and Fertility; Divorce; Human Capital and Fertility; Altruism in the Family; Family decision making; Child Labour ; Intergenerational transfers; Population Health: Child Health and Mortality; Economic Determinants of Health Outcomes; Morbidity; the value of a life; Economic Analysis of Migration; non-labour discrimination: gender; race; minorities and non-labour discrimination.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN3062 | Compulsory/Optional: Core for Stream 2 and Optional for Other Streams

Description:
The classical capital asset pricing model (CAPM); CAPM and Corporate Financing; Extensions to CAPM; Arbitrage Pricing Theory (APT); Aggregate stock market fluctuations; Forwards; Futures; Options; Swaps; Tackling the puzzles: Risky debt and credit derivatives; Derivative Assets and Pricing; Valuing income streams under uncertainty; Statistical inference for dynamic asset pricing models; Introduction to Financial engineering; Financial engineering for fixed income securities; The Modigliani Miller Theorem

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN2001 | Compulsory/Optional: Core for Stream 4 and Optional for Other Streams

Description:
Introduction to Urban Economics: Nature of urban areas and urban economics; Why and Where Do Cities Develop; Scale Economics; Agglomerative Economics in Production; Economies of localization; Scale Economics; Agglomerative Economics in Production; Economies of localization; Cities in History: Cities and Economic Development; Introduction to Economic Geography and Regional Growth; System of Cities and the Urban Hierarchy: Determinates of relative size of urban areas; the rank-size rule; Optimal City Size - Pollution and Congestion: Are large cities too large? Reasons for very large cities in developing countries; The relationship between city size and the quality of life; Urban Transportation; Crime; Education and Inequality; Theoretical Analysis of Urban Structure - the Monocentric Model; Multi-Centered Cities - The Suburbanization of Employment or Edge City: Sprawl and Urban Growth; Empirical Investigations of Changes in Urban Structure - Suburbanization; The Economics of Housing; Zoning and Urban Renewal; Models of Local Government

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN3024 and ECN3034 | Compulsory/Optional: Core for Stream 5 and Optional for Other Streams

Description:
Topics include: Introduction to time series econometrics; difference equations and solutions: iteration method; homogenous difference equations; lag operator method; Stationary time series models: stochastic equations; AR; MA; ARMA models; autocorrelation functions; partial autocorrelation functions; sample autocorrelation; seasonality; Non Stationary time series models: ARIMA-Box- Jenkins approach; model with trends (deterministic and stochastic); de-trending; unit root process; random walks; unit root tests; structural change; univariate decomposition; Multi-equation time series model: intervention analysis; transfer functions; introduction to vector autoregressive (VAR) analysis; Structural VAR analysis; Co-integration (single equation; bivariate cointegration; cointegration in more than two variables; cointegration); Error correction model; Granger causality test under VAR and vector error correction model (VECM); Impulse response function (IRF) and Variance decomposition (VDC) under VAR and VECM; Modeling volatility: introduction to Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (ARCH) and Generalized ARCH (GARCH) model; Decomposition of economic time series into permanent and transitory components. Application of Statistical Softwares in Time Series Statistical Analysis.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN3029 | Compulsory/Optional: Only Compulsory for Stream 6

Description:
The course will begin with an introduction to public policy analysis and its relevance to planning and development; objectives and methods of policy analysis; principles of policy analysis; identifying and structuring objectives of public policy; measuring and quantifying objectives; creating alternatives for multiple decisions making. policy analysis process: which includes verifying; defining and detailing the problems for public policy analysis; evaluation criteria for policy analysis and evaluating alternative policies. Public policy issues in Sri Lanka in relation to planning; implementation and monitoring and evaluation in relation to trade; finance and welfare. Public policies in development programming and setting up performance criteria.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN3006 | Compulsory/Optional: Core for Stream 7 and Optional for Other Streams

Description:
Balance of payments: Theories and concepts; The foreign exchange market: Exchange rate and asset market; money market and commodity market equilibrium; Monetary and fiscal policy in an open economy: A quantitative approach; International monetary system and optimum currency areas; European economic and monetary union; Global financial issues: focusing on financial crises in developing countries; International capital market; Developing countries in the global capital market; Economic integration and monetary unification; International investment and banking

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: ECN3001 and Enrollment for ECN3047 and ECN4047 | Compulsory/Optional: Core for Stream 8

Description:
Introduction to environment valuation; Measuring demand for environmental goods; and Consumer and producer surpluses as measures of welfare change; Concept on compensating and equivalent variation; Economic valuation approaches. Principles of market based valuation; productivity change; hedonic pricing method; travel cost method; cost of illness approach; CBA. Basic approaches for non-market valuation: Contingent valuation; Choice experiment; Benefit transfer; Case studies and applicability of economic valuation methods in economic analysis

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 3 | Prerequisites: None | Compulsory/Optional: Only Compulsory for Stream 9

Description:
Introduction to agricultural development and policy; Role of agriculture in economic development; Structure and characteristic of agriculture in LDC's; The role of public and private sectors in agricultural development; Principles for agricultural policy: policies; institutions and legislation; Agricultural policy analysis: framework; market equilibrium and social welfare; Value chains and agricultural competitiveness; Trade policy instruments: Agricultural trade and their impacts; Nominal and effective protectionism; Domestic policies and policy instruments: price policy; marketing policy; input policy; credit policy; mechanization policy; land reform policy; irrigation policy; Impact evaluation in Price distortions of policy interventions and agricultural policies. Political economy of agricultural policy.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 2 | Prerequisites: None | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory

Description:
Meaning; Nature and Importence of Project: Meaning; concepts; types of project. A comprehensive review of the various methods; tools and techniques of project management and its usefulness: Part II: Project Management Theories; Principles and their Practical Applications: Project Budgeting and Performance Assessments: Meaning and features of project Budgeting; Project Budgeting process; Criteria for Capital Budgeting; Resource allocation Framework; Issues in project budgeting: Part IV: Role and Task of Project Managers: Characteristics; Role and Responsibility and leadership skills of Project Manager; Role in Project Performance analysis: Analysis of project risk; Economic and social analysis; Technical and financial and analysis; Time estimation and time management analysis; Networking of project management. Part v: Performance Evaluation and Report Reporting: Structure of the performance report; Criteria for performance evaluation; Performance indicators and post evaluation techniques; Constricting Performance index; Writing project performance report; Presentation of the performance/post-evaluation report.

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 2 | Prerequisites: Registered Stream course or instruction of the Coordinator | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory

Description:
This course will provide students with an overview of some important issues related to the field of economics: Gender; Demographic; Labour; Economic development; Regional and Urban development; Public finance and policy; International trade and Finance; Environment; Agriculture; Politics and economic relations; econometrics and other relevant field in economics and development etc. and introduce them to key empirical research by economists that seeks to address different aspects of these issues; with a special focus on contemporary and emerging economic issues in Sri Lanka and the world. The course is designed as a seminar where learning will take place in a small group setting a learner center approach based presentations; discussions; dialogue workshop of key readings

Time Allocation (Hours): Lectures: 30 ; Tutorials: 15 | Assessment: In-course: 40% ; End-semester: 60%

Credit: 8 | Prerequisites: None | Compulsory/Optional: Compulsory

Description:
The undergraduate dissertation project within a chosen specialization is an individual study that must include substantial new data or ideas showing originality. This includes search; studies and summary of scholarly/scientific literature; practical work in the chosen field; compilation and critical analysis of the results; and oral and written presentation. The undergraduate dissertation is mastered under individual supervision. The supervision includes how to perform a scientific study and how to orally and in writing present gathered data or ideas in acceptable scientific manner. The dissertation must have documented scientific experience. The students must submit a complete written dissertation as a partial fulfillment of the degree. The Dissertation Writing Guidelines will be prepared and used.

Time Allocation (Hours): Supervised Independent Research: 800 (Notional Hours) | Assessment: In-course: 35% ; End-semester: 65%