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ECON 144A: Urban Economics I

COURSE DESCRIPTION AND PRE-REQUISITES

Urban economics is the use of economic tools of analysis to comprehend and model urban settlements. We will begin with an economics-driven perspective of the formation and size of cities; urban land-use patterns arising from location-choice decisions made by households and firms; government regulation arising from and resulting in some urban land-use patterns; and an exploration of one of the biggest urban land use issues of traffic congestion. The goal of this course is to help you to wear an economist’s hat while critically thinking about real-world urban issues. We will do so via the application of analytical skills and modeling tools of economics to explore interesting questions arising in urban settings.

The course requires a good knowledge of intermediate microeconomics (Economics 100A is a pre-requisite) and introductory calculus (Math 2A, 2B, and 4). I will attempt to minimize or simplify the use of calculus throughout the course. However, some basic knowledge of derivatives will be advantageous for a clear grasp of concepts during the course.

COURSE TEXTBOOK

Jan K. Brueckner: “Lectures on Urban Economics", MIT Press

The textbook is mandatory reading. You can buy/rent a new/used copy. You can choose a physical/digital copy as per your convenience. MIT Press has an e-textbook which includes bookmarking, highlighting, and note-taking. I might occasionally post relevant additional reading material on the class website.

SUPPLEMENTARY READING

● Edward Glaeser: ”Triumph of the City”, Penguin Press is a good anecdotal and historic companion book for an insight into urban economics.

● Arnott and McMillen: ”A Companion to Urban Economics”, Blackwell Publishing is a more advanced reading on several topics we will cover in class.  

COURSE DESIGN

● Study Material: I will post chapter(s)/topics to study for each week. The textbook is followed very closely - the main contribution of the class will be to help you simplify the packed textbook language as well as add some interesting anecdotes/stories relating the textbook matter to real world phenomenon. Towards that I will publish weekly short topic-wise video recordings, occasional articles, etc. All of these will be accessible on the class website’s Modules tab.

● Student Support Hour: I will be available for Zoom meetings every Thursday 5-6pm to meet with you. This slot is my dedicated time for you to seek out any help you may need from me for your success on this course - concepts, assignments, scores, academic/personal challenges, etc. I am always excited to discuss related topics, real world insights and economic issues with my students - stuff that can’t be made into videos but nevertheless interesting and valuable (maybe even more so). This value though goes beyond scores/grades and can be derived only via interactions and participation. Attendance in these sessions is not mandatory but strongly encouraged.

● Discussion Sections: Beginning Week 2, you can participate in any/all of the discussion sections with the course TA. The Zoom links to these will be made available on the class website’s homepage. During this time, your TA will go over assignments, review important concepts, help with exam preparation and address questions about the course. Again, attendance in discussion sections is not mandatory but strongly encouraged.

● Class Announcements: I will extensively use the class website’s Announcements to share updates regarding the course. This way it does not flood your email inbox and you can refer to all course information within the course website at a time convenient to you. It is your responsibly to keep up with activities, deadlines, etc.

● Discussion Boards: On the class website’s Discussions tab we will have weekly chapter-wise/topic-wise/assignment-wise topic boards. You are strongly encouraged to use this platform, which is primarily designed for you to interact, communicate and collaborate with your peers. That said, your TA and I will contribute our insights at regular intervals. As a group, we will all be collectively responsible to keep conversations organized and easily accessible for later reference. On occasion, an academically insightful post might be rewarded with extra credit. Please follow strict academic etiquette while posting here. Your conversations should be polite, meaningful and relevant to the topic being discussed. Be considerate of your own time and the time of your peers and TA.

COURSE GRADES

Your course learnings will be assessed throughout the quarter by means of quick quizzes and longer homework assignments. Further, there will be two examinations to test your cumulative mastery of the course content.

● Quizzes: I will post short quizzes due some Thursdays by 7pm. These will be available as Canvas Quizzes and account for 10% of the course grade. For each student, the five best scored quizzes will be included in the grade calculation.

● Assignments2: Throughout the quarter, you will work on intensive, essay-type and calculations-based graded assignments, due Fridays by 7pm, which will constitute 30% to your course grade. All Assignments will be submitted to a UCI-approved, free-access website GradeScope. You are already signed-up for it via your Canvas course log-in (you do not need any key/access code/payment). I will share detailed information on how to use GradeScope to submit assignments and exams via the course website.

● Mid-Term and Final Exams: There will be two examinations - mid-term and final - each respectively worth 30% of the course grade. Each exam will be available for a window of 24-hours to be taken in a timed slot by the due dates listed below. I will send more detailed information on exams closer to their due dates.

Quizzes                          top 5 scores; due Thursdays 7pm                          10%

Assignments                   4 assignments; due Fridays 7pm                          30%

Midterm Exam                due November 5, 7pm                                         30%

Final Exam                     due December 10, 7pm                                        30%

Extra Credit                    scattered opportunities                   (no more than) 5%

Your final weighted percentage score will be converted into a final letter grade at the end of the quarter after I have seen all scores for quizzes, assignment and exams. The course grade will be curved. I strongly recommend that you focus on enjoying your learning process rather than expending energy on a grade race.

CONTACTING ME

I am always eager to interact and connect with my students! That said, I strongly recommend that you ask yourself the following questions before contacting me directly:

✦ Can I find this information in the syllabus/course website?: Almost all administrative questions can be easily answered by reading this Syllabus or by browsing Announcements on the Canvas course website. Do that.

✦ Can I find this information in the textbook/learning resource?: Many basic concept related questions can be answered by carefully reading the textbook, watching class videos or accessing any of the resources available on the Canvas website. Do that.

✦ Can I use the class discussion boards for this query?: Many of your questions on concepts or homework assignments can be posted on (or are likely already being discussed on) the class discussion boards. Do that.

✦ Can I contact my TA about this issue?: Your TA, who meet with you regularly in smaller groups, are knowledgeable in Economics, well updated with class policies/events and very capable of responding to your concerns. Do that.

✦ Can I attend the Student Support Hour?: I will answer student questions, provide academic help, discuss course related topics every Thursday 6-7pm. Do that.

✦ When do I contact you directly?: If you need one-on-one support or want to discuss a personal situation that affects your course performance, then you can send me a short, specific email with Econ 144A in the subject line at [email protected].

COURSE TOPICS

I follow the textbook very closely - the main contribution of the class will be to help you simply the packed textbook language as well as add some interesting anecdotes/stories relating the textbook matter to real world phenomenon.

● Understanding the Existence of Cities - Chapter 1

● Scale and Agglomeration Economies - Sections 1.2 and 1.3

● Transport Costs, Firm Location and City Formation - Sections 1.4 and 1.5

● Retail Agglomerations - Section 1.6

● Economics of Urban Spatial Structure

● The Monocentric City Model - Chapter 2

● Extensions of the Basic Model - Chapter 3

● Externalities, Market Failures and Government Policies related to Cities

● Analyzing Urban Sprawl - Chapter 4 (Sections 4.1 - 4.4)

● Land-Use Policies - Chapter 4 (Sections 4.3 - 4.7)

● Congestion and Congestion Tolls - Chapter 5

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

In case you require special accommodation, you must submit to me documentation from the Disability Services Center within the first two weeks of the quarter, which will allow us to make arrangements for your specific needs.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

I take academic integrity very seriously and so should you. This sincerity is even more important in the face of the online learning environment. You can review the university’s policies here. In case of cheating, you will be awarded an F on the course.

NAVIGATING VIRTUAL CLASSES

UCI has made available many useful resources viable for online courses, please use them extensively as and when you need help:

● UCI Learn Anywhere

● UCI School of Social Sciences Remote Learning Resources

● OIT Help Desk at [email protected] or (949) 824-2222 for all UCI technical support

CAMPUS RESOURCES

UCI provides many resources and services towards promoting an enriching campus environment. Here are just some links to services, which might prove useful to you throughout the quarter:

● Division of Undergraduate Education http://home.due.uci.edu/

● Learning and Academic Resource Center http://www.larc.uci.edu/

● Center for Excellence in Writing http://www.writingcenter.uci.edu/

● UCI Forward https://uci.edu/coronavirus/students/index.php

● Career Pathways https://career.uci.edu/undergraduate/

● Counseling Center http://www.counseling.uci.edu/

● Basic Needs https://basicneeds.uci.edu/