Statistical Theory for Economists (ECON7321)

Course overview

Recommended material for all advanced courses in Econometrics, Mathematical Economics & operations research. Topics include probability theory, sampling distribution, introduction to classical & Bayesian decision theory.

This course provides a rigorous introduction to the statistical methods which are fundamental to further study in econometrics and mathematical economics. It aims to provide students with a formal understanding of key results encountered in elementary courses for more advanced courses. The course differs from the type of course that would be taught in a Science program in that it is specially targeted to deal with statistical theory relevant to the empirical modelling of observationalﾠ(non-experimental) data, which is the type of data which economists and social scientists deal with regularly.ﾠTopics include probability theory, concentration inequalities, moment generating functions, estimation theory (Ordinary Least Squares, Maximum Likelihood, Method of Moments), notions of convergence, asymptotic properties of estimators, laws of large numbers, central limit theorem, hypothesis testing and inference.ﾠ

Course requirements

Prerequisites

You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:

ECON7150 or 7300

Incompatible

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

ECON3320

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 2

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

Important Dates:

·        Public Holidays: Fri 18 April (Good Friday), Mon 5 May (Labour Day).

·        Mid-Semester Break: 21 April - 25 April. Semester 1 classes recommence on Mon 28 April.

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 students with a formal understanding of key results encountered in elementary courses and to prepare students for more advanced courses.

Learning outcomes

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment details

Assignment 1

Mode

Written

Category

Tutorial/ Problem Set

Weight

30%

Due date

11/04/2025 4:00 pm

Learning outcomes

L01

Task description

Submission guidelines

Electronic submissions via Blackboard of a single pdf document with all relevant materials.

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.

Extensions are limited to 7 calendar days to ensure timely feedback to other students.

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.

Assignment 2

Mode

Written

Category

Tutorial/ Problem Set

Weight

30%

Due date

16/05/2025 4:00 pm

Learning outcomes

L02, L03

Task description

Submission guidelines

Electronic submissions via Blackboard of a single pdf document with all relevant materials.

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.

Extensions are limited to 7 calendar days to ensure timely feedback to other students.

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.

Take Home Exam

Mode

Written

Category

Tutorial/ Problem Set

Weight

40%

Due date

13/06/2025 4:00 pm

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03

Task description

Submission guidelines

Electronic submissions via Blackboard of a single pdf document with all relevant materials.

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.

Extensions are limited to 7 calendar days to ensure timely feedback to other students.

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.

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

Plagiarism

The School of Economics is committed to reducing the incidence of plagiarism. Further information on plagiarism and how to avoid an allegation of plagiarism is available in this course profile under Policies and Procedures. Please refer to the Academic Integrity Modules (AIM). It is strongly recommended that you complete the AIM if you have not already done so.

SUBMISSION OF ASSIGNMENTS

Unless otherwise advised by your course coordinator, all written assignments are to be electronically submitted through Blackboard. The instructions for submission are located in the Assessment section of the course Blackboard site. The online submission is in addition to any other submission requirements that appear in this ECP.

All assignments must be submitted by the due date and time stated in the course profile. Students should submitﾠvia Blackboard a single pdf document with all relevant materials; see 5.5 Assessment Detail.ﾠ

REFERENCING AND CITING

Assignments must be substantially your own work. If you wish to report another author’s point of view you should do so in your own words, and properly cite the reference in accordance with the school style. Direct quotations should be used sparingly, form a small part of your work, and must be placed in quotation marks and duly referenced.

• Any material taken from texts and other references, including electronic resources, CD‐ROMS, and the Internet, must be acknowledged using the accepted School style.

• Students are encouraged to discuss issues that arise in this course together. However, the written work you submit must be entirely your own. Similarly, you must not help another student to cheat by lending assignments (present or past).

• For more information on referencing styles, visit the library or seeﾠhttps://guides.library.uq.edu.au/referencing

• If you do not reference the materials used in your assignment correctly, you could be found guilty of academic misconduct. Please see this link for more information:ﾠhttps://ppl.app.uq.edu.au/content/3.60.04-student-integrity-and-misconduct

For more information on assessment, please review the UQ Assessment Policy atﾠhttps://ppl.app.uq.edu.au/content/assessment-policy

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

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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 - Students Policy and Procedure

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