Introductory Macroeconomics (ECON1020)

Course overview

Examines functioning of the economy & its interaction with international economy. Studies GDP, unemployment & inflation, interest rates, investment, government expenditure, taxation policies & balance of payments. Alternative macroeconomic theories & models examined.

Overview

The macroeconomy affects business conditions and wider social conditions. The behaviour of an economy as a whole is often broadly predictable, but sometimes it can suddenly change. This course is about explaining the patterns of behaviour that we observe. It considers long-term economic growth in living standards in developed and in developing economies. It also explains why a national (or global) economy experiences short-term cycles in activities (e.g., recessions and recoveries) around its long-term growth trend. It explains what central banks and governments can do to try to smooth these fluctuations and to raise the trend. Simple and standard theories or ‘models’ (widely used by decision-makers in the government and the private sector) are explained intuitively. The behaviour of the financial system, including the banking system and asset markets, is considered, especially in the light of the global financial crisis.

Blended-learning

ECON1020 is a blended-learning course with the following learning activities:ﾠ

1. Twice weekly pre-recorded UQ Extend online lessonsﾠduring week 1 to 6 (note: there are only 10 topics)
2. Twice weekly 2-hour online tutorials during week 1 to 6 (note: tutorial starts from week 1.)
3. Twice weekly 2-hour online live lectures during week 1 to 6ﾠ(note: there are only 11 lectures).

What is the difference between the online lessons and lectures? At the end of each week's online lesson (to be run on an online courseﾠplatform called UQ Extend), there will be a survey for you to indicate the part of that week's topic that is difficult and needs more elaboration. The course coordinator/instructor will then organise the content of the lecture for that topic based on your suggestions. In addition,ﾠthe course coordinator/instructorﾠwill also use the lecture to discuss some relevant current macroeconomic events in the content of the course.

The tutorial materials and tutorial solutions will be posted on Blackboard each week.ﾠ

Course requirements

Assumed background

Economics - This is an introductory course without prerequisites. We assume that you have not studied economics before. It is unlikely that much of this course is a mere repetition or compression of high school economics.

Prior or concurrent study of ECON1010 (Introductory Microeconomics) is recommended but not required.

Mathematics - The assumed mathematical background of people enrolling in ECON1020 is modest. You need to know basic arithmetic (+, -, x, /). You will need to perform very simple manipulations of equations (e.g., re-arranging terms).

Note that higher-level courses (e.g. ECON2020, ECON3020) often involve more mathematics. So, if you are planning to take later core microeconomics or macroeconomics courses, we advise you to take ECON1050 or its equivalent early in your degree program, especially if your maths background is weak.

Repeating the course - Although the course contents remain largely the same across semesters, the course coordinator/instructors could be different and therefore have different emphases in their teaching and assessments.

Incompatible

You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:

ECON2021

Restrictions

Not to be studied by BAdvBus(Hons) and BAdvFin&Econ(Hons) students Minimum quota of 25 for summer semester

Course contact

Course staff

Timetable

The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.

Additional timetable information

Lectures commence in Week 1.

Tutorials commence in Week 1.

Please see the Learning Activities section of this Course Profile for the timetabling implications of public holidays.

Important Dates:

• Public Holidays: Thurs 25 December (Christmas Day), Friday 26 December (Boxing Day), Thurs 1 January (New Year's Day), Mon 26 January (Australia Day)
• Mid-Semester Break: 25 December – 5 January. Summer Semester classes recommence on Monday 5 January.

Students should refer to the timetable prior to the commencement of classes to ensure that they have the most up to date information, as from time to time late room changes may occur. 

Aims and outcomes

This course aims to provide you with a grasp of essential macroeconomic concepts and theories, enablingﾠyou to understand contemporary domestic and international macroeconomic issues.ﾠ

Learning outcomes

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment details

Country Report

• Online

Mode

Written

Category

Paper/ Report/ Annotation

Weight

30%

Due date

12/01/2026 4:00 pm

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04, L05

Task description

Submission guidelines

Submit report electronically via Turnitin on Blackboard by the deadline date and time.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 7 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

For the Reports, when an extension has not been previously approved, a penalty of 10 marks (out of 100) will be deducted for every 24-hour block up to 7 calendar days, at which point any submission will not receive any marks. Each 24 hour block is recorded from the time the submission is due. That is:

• 10 marks penalty if submitted within 24 hours after the deadline;
• 20 marks penalty if submitted between 24 to 48 hours after the deadline;
• 30 marks penalty if submitted between 48 to 72 hours after the deadline;
• 40 marks penalty if submitted between 72 to 96 hours after the deadline;
• 50 marks penalty if submitted between 96 to 120 hours after the deadline;
• 60 marks penalty if submitted between 120 to 144 hours after the deadline;
• 70 marks penalty if submitted between 144 to 168 hours after the deadline;
• After 168 hours, a zero mark will be given.

Impact Report

• Online

Mode

Written

Category

Paper/ Report/ Annotation

Weight

30%

Due date

30/01/2026 4:00 pm

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04, L05

Task description

Submission guidelines

Submit report electronically via Turnitin on Blackboard by the deadline date and time.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 7 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

For the Reports, when an extension has not been previously approved, a penalty of 10 marks (out of 100) will be deducted for every 24-hour block up to 7 calendar days, at which point any submission will not receive any marks. Each 24 hour block is recorded from the time the submission is due. That is:

• 10 marks penalty if submitted within 24 hours after the deadline;
• 20 marks penalty if submitted between 24 to 48 hours after the deadline;
• 30 marks penalty if submitted between 48 to 72 hours after the deadline;
• 40 marks penalty if submitted between 72 to 96 hours after the deadline;
• 50 marks penalty if submitted between 96 to 120 hours after the deadline;
• 60 marks penalty if submitted between 120 to 144 hours after the deadline;
• 70 marks penalty if submitted between 144 to 168 hours after the deadline;
• After 168 hours, a zero mark will be given.

Final Exam

• In-person

Mode

Written

Category

Examination

Weight

40%

Due date

End of Semester Exam Period

7/02/2026 - 14/02/2026

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04, L05

Task description

Exam details

Submission guidelines

Deferral or extension

You may be able to defer this exam.

Course grading

Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.

Additional course grading information

A student's final overall end of semester percentage mark will be rounded to determine their final grade. For example, 64.5% rounds to 65%, while 64.4% rounds to 64%.

Supplementary assessment

Supplementary assessment is available for this course.

Additional assessment information

Using AI at UQ

Visit the AI Student Hub for essential information on understanding and using Artificial Intelligence in your studies responsibly. 

Plagiarism

The School of Economics is committed to reducing the incidence of plagiarism. You are encouraged to read the UQ Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy available in the Policies and Procedures section of this course profile.

The Academic Integrity Module (AIM) outlines your obligations and responsibilities as a UQ student. It is compulsory for all new to UQ students to complete the AIM.

Learning resources

You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.

Library resources

Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.

Additional learning resources information

It is important to visitﾠBlackboardﾠregularly for announcements, and other support material.

Learning activities

The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.

Policies and procedures

University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:

• Student Code of Conduct Policy
• Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
• Assessment Procedure
• Examinations Procedure
• Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure
• AI for Assessment Guide

Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.