Course Name Year Term Period Faculty / Graduate School All Instructors Credits
50584:[2025 Spring]Microeconomics for Policy Studies (P) 2025 Spring Wed1 College Of Policy Science UEHARA TAKURO 2

Campus

OIC

Class Venue

AS453

Language

English

Course Outline and Method

This course aims to familiarize students with the field of microeconomics. We will focus on the most basic definitions and techniques of microeconomic theory. Using intuitive explanations and simple graphical and mathematical analyses, students gain an understanding of essential topics such as opportunity cost, price determination, price elasticity, market equilibrium, and consumers’ and producers’ behaviors.

The course follows an open-access textbook by Shapiro et al. (2022). It provides students with supplementary material to help their learning.

Student Attainment Objectives

(1) To be able to familiarize themselves with the field of microeconomics.
(2) To be able to explain how consumers and firms behave in various market settings.
(3) To be ready to take advanced courses such as applying microeconomics to policy issues.

Recommended Preparatory Course

Course Schedule

Lecture/Instructor(When there are multiple instructors) Theme
Keyword, References and Supplementary Information
1

 Introduction & Chapter 1

【+R-Jugyo】Information for “+R-Jugyo” will be posted on manaba+R.

2

Choice in a World of Scarcity

Ch.2. Shapiro et al. (2022)

3

Demand and Supply

Ch.3. Shapiro et al. (2022)

4

Labor and Financial Markets

Ch.4. Shapiro et al. (2022)

5

Elasticity

Ch.5. Shapiro et al. (2022)

6

Consumer Choices

Ch.6. Shapiro et al. (2022)

7

Review Session 1

Review from Ch.1 to Ch. 6.

8

Production, Costs, and Industry Structure

Ch.7. Shapiro et al. (2022)

9

Perfect Competition

Ch.8. Shapiro et al. (2022)

10

Monopoly

Ch.9. Shapiro et al. (2022)

11

Monopolistic Competition and Oligopoly

Ch.10. Shapiro et al. (2022)

12

Monopoly and Antitrust Policy

Ch.11. Shapiro et al. (2022)

13

Environmental Protection and Negative Externalities

Ch.12. Shapiro et al. (2022)

14

Review Session 2

Review from Ch. 7 to 12.

Class Format

14 classes on Face to Face basis.

Recommendations for Private Study

Students need to do a review after each session as microeconomics is cumulative.

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

Two in-class exams, multiple short quizzes, and contribution to class discussion

Grade Evaluation Method (Note)

Advice to Students on Study and Research Methods

Textbooks

Title Author Publisher ISBN Code Comment
Principles of Microeconomics Shapiro et al. OpenStax 978-1-711471-49-5 3e

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)

Talk with Students

Other Comments

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