| Course Name | Year | Term | Period | Faculty / Graduate School | All Instructors | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12527:[2025 Spring]IR18‐AE113 Special Lecture (General Education Course) (RB) § 12528:IR-AS113 Special Lecture(General Education Course) (RB) § 17139:RUIR-2518 Special Lecture (GCG)(RB) | 2025 | Spring | Tue5 | College Of International Relations | TOKUMARU HIROSHI | 2 |
Campus
Class Venue
Language
Course Outline and Method
Economic news covers a wide range of information related to the economy, including economic developments, industry trends, company-specific news, and market data. To effectively read and understand economic news, you should familiarize yourself with common economic terms like gross domestic product (GDP), interest rates, and the balance of payments. In addition, you should be equipped with economics skills for interpreting the news.
The goal of this course is to enable you to be your own economist. Economic arguments are often used in debates about government policies, discussion of business strategies, and many of life’s other arenas. By thinking like an economist, you will better understand the world around you, make better economic decisions in your own life, and be a more informed citizen. This course shows you how to comprehend economic news, how to use economic indicators as a vital component of economic news, and how to weave them into a coherent understanding of current economic conditions.
This course will keep a non-technical profile; mathematical skills beyond simple algebra and graphical analysis are not required.
This course employs the instructor's practical knowledge of economic management, based on his work experience at the Bank of Japan, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank. It will use evidence from the Japanese economy
When necessary, the course content/schedule/delivery format will be modified to better serve the educational needs of the class.
【+R-Jugyo】
Information for “+R-Jugyo” will be posted on the “Course News” on manaba+R by April 1. Be sure to check the “Course News” on manaba+R.
Student Attainment Objectives
1) explain how the economy works,
2) analyze economic data,
3) apply economics skills to real-world problems.
Recommended Preparatory Course
Course Schedule
| Lecture/Instructor（When there are multiple instructors) | Theme |
|---|---|
| Keyword, References and Supplementary Information | |
| 1 | Overview of the Course and "+R Lecture" |
|
|
| 2, 3 | Supply and Demand: The Twin Driving Forces of the Market Economy |
demand curve, equilibrium, market, model, price, supply curve |
|
| 4, 5 | Measurement of the Macroeconomy: What Is GDP? |
consumer price index (CPI), deflation, gross domestic product (GDP), inflation, investment, saving, unemployment rate |
|
| 6, 7 | Macroeconomic Policy |
budget deficit, central bank, fiscal policy, monetary policy, money stock, public debt |
|
| 8 | The Bond and Money Markets |
debt, equities, interest rates, return, risk |
|
| 9, 10 | Balance of Payments and Exchange Rates |
current account, financial account, foreign exchange market, forward exchange rate, spot exchange rate |
|
| 11 | Aggregate Demand (AD) and Aggregate Supply (AS) |
AD-AS model, aggregate demand curve, aggregate supply curve, negative supply shock, policy dilemma |
|
| 12 | International Trade: Does It Jeopardize Our Jobs? |
absolute advantage, comparative advantage, free trade, tariffs, trade imbalances, protectionism |
|
| 13 | Japan: The Case of a Shrinking Country |
ageing, fertility rate, labor participation rate, productivity |
|
| 14 | Wrap-up and Further Topics |
|
Class Format
Recommendations for Private Study
Grade Evaluation Method
| Kind | Percentage | Grading Criteria etc. |
|---|---|---|
| Final Examination (Written) | ||
| Report Examination (A report to be submitted by the unified deadline) |
||
| Exams and/or Reports other than those stated above, and Continuous Assessment (Evaluation of Everyday Performance in Class) |
100 | Term paper - 70%
|
Grade Evaluation Method （Note）
The paper will count for 70% (70 points) of the whole grade. What students turn in should represent his/her own work that provides evidence of his/her understanding what they learn in the course. Detailed Instructions for the paper will be provided in class.
Students can earn up to 15 points (15% of the whole grade) by successfully completing short answer questions. These questions will be designed to help students understand key topics. Each question will take no more than 15 minutes.
Class participation will count for 15% (15 points) of the whole grade. Attendance will be taken and it will be incorporated in the grade.
Advice to Students on Study and Research Methods
Regular attendance is strongly recommended because, in this course, each new session will be based on the contents of the earlier sessions. Students will be unable to understand the current contents if they do not understand the previous contents. In addition, students should be responsible for any notes and announcements that he/she may have missed if he/she fails to attend class.
In order to run the class smoothly, disturbing behavior will not be tolerated. You are requested to conduct yourselves with courtesy and respect.
Students must be honest in all of their academic work. Academic misconduct in any form will be unacceptable.
Class handouts are for internal use only.
Textbooks
Textbooks （Frequency of Use, Note）
Reference Books
Reference Books （Frequency of Use, Note）
Web Pages for Reference
How to Communicate with the Instructor In and Out of Class(Including Instructor Contact Information)
Other Comments
The instructor's email address is "hirotoku@fc.ritsumei.ac.jp".
URL:https://secure.ritsumei.ac.jp/students/pathways-future/course/curriculum.html/