MAT203 - The Global Economy (Study Tour)
Unit details
| Year | 2026 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 3: Study Tour |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 3: Prasad Bhattacharya |
| Prerequisite: | MAE101 or MAE120 |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | MAE203 |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - on-campus unit enrolment: | 1 x 1.5-hour lecture (recordings provided) and 1 x 1 hour lecture (recordings provided) and 1 x 1.5 hours seminar (recordings provided) each week for weeks 1-7 and in week 11. Practical Experience 5 x 3 hours (5 places to visit) over a 3 day period and then a 2 day period |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment: | 1 x 1.5-hour lecture (recordings provided) and 1 x 1 hour lecture (recordings provided) and 1 x 1.5 hours seminar (recordings provided) each week for weeks 2 to 11. |
| In-person attendance requirements: | The Practical Experience (Study Tour) in Week 1 requires compulsory in-person attendance and participation in off-campus learning activities in Canberra (Commonwealth Treasury and DFAT), Sydney (ANZ Bank and an online presentation by the RBA), and Melbourne (TBC). Students will gain practical experience in policymaking and related decision-making scenarios. At all four institutions, students will attend presentations by staff economists focusing on fiscal policy, exchange rate and trade issues, and monetary policy, including how these policies are formulated. Career opportunities at these institutions for students will also be highlighted. |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150 hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. |
Content
This intermediate-level Macroeconomics unit builds on the principles of Macroeconomics taught in MAE101. The unit covers important macroeconomics topics, such as persistent inflation, business cycles, economic recession, the natural rate of unemployment, and the effects of government debt on the overall economy. The unit starts with Robert Solow’s Nobel prize-winning model that explains long run economic growth in countries. You will then be gradually introduced to the macroeconomic framework to understand the shifts in GDP and prices in the short-run and the policies (such as monetary and fiscal policies) to manage these fluctuations in line with major schools of thought, such as the Keynesian way of thinking. Finally, you will learn about applications of this framework to different exchange rate regimes. In this unit, case studies will be used to enhance your understanding of recent macroeconomic developments, such as the debt and financial crises, global recession, mining and resources boom, the Covid-19 pandemic, rising inflation worldwide, and housing market crises. The study tour will provide insights on the working and the impacts of monetary and fiscal policies, and you will learn how central banks and treasuries conduct such policies.
Work-Integrated Learning
Work-integrated learning activities within this unit provide you with an opportunity to develop work-related skills while you study.
Faculty-led Study Tours are by application only and have limited places available.
Applications for this study tour will open in early 2026.
In the meantime, please contact the Faculty WIL team at bl-wil@deakin.edu.au for any enquiries.
Learning outcomes
| ULO | These are the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Alignment to Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Describe and apply key macroeconomic concepts in the global context. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO2 | Use suitable macroeconomic models to critically analyse long-run growth and short-run economic fluctuations. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO3 | Critically analyse the role of monetary and fiscal policies in an economy and provide appropriate recommendations or solutions. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
Assessment
| Assessment Description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: (group of 2) Part A: Seminar presentation (live) | Part A: 15 minutes Part B: 2500 words | Part A: 20% Part B: 30% | Part A: Week 3 Part B: Week 10 |
| Assessment 2 (Individual): | 2000 words | 30% | Week 10 |
| Assessment 3 (Individual): Individual) Written Reflection (Self) | 1000 words | 20% | Information not yet available |
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Hurdle requirement
Hurdle requirement: Achieve at least 40% of the marks available on all assessment tasks to evidence a minimum proficiency in the aligned discipline learning outcomes included in this unit.
Learning resource
The texts and reading list for MAT203 can be found via the University Library.
Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)
To fully engage with Deakin's learning experiences, students must be able to access and use internet-connected devices as outlined in computing requirements at Deakin.
To support student success at Deakin, we have a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) learning environment that acknowledges that students and educators bring with them the digital tools they regularly use to complete academic tasks. These tools stay with you beyond the classroom, helping you to keep learning, explore ideas more deeply, and connect with knowledge in ways that matter to you.
Students requiring a loan device should visit our Loan Laptop webpage or students requiring longer-term assistance should visit our Student Financial Assistance webpage.
Unit Fee Information
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current Students website.