Macroeconomics
Econ 204A

Fall 2009 - Henning Bohn
UC Santa Barbara

Welcome to Econ 204A! Posted here are course information, reading list, and various supplemental materials.

Changes will be posted throughout the quarter. Please check before class.

Annoucements:

• Scheduling notes for the rest of the quarter (posted 11/10):
• Shift office hours: cancel Mo. Nov.16 & Fr. Nov.20 (best email to see me at other times, or as always, knock at the door); instead
• Add office hours: Wed Nov.18, 2.3pm & Th. Nov.18, 9:30-10:30.
• No class Wed. Nov.25.
• Shift office hours: cancel Fr. Dec4 (out for conference Dec.2 after class until Dec.8); instead
• Add pre-exam office hour Wed. Dec.9, 10:30-11:30.
• Final exam: Th. Dec.10, 8:30-11am (Registrar's schedule says 8am, but let's be more civilized)

• Schedule change: Tomorrow's section will be lecture -- let's move on, as there is no problem set and we have discussed the test already. This will leave more time at the end for review and questions. (posted 11/5)
 • The midterm is now graded. If you are curious, please see me in my office, any time. (posted 11/4)
• 10/28: I have fixed the typos in Slides3b, corrected version posted below.
• 10/26: Hints on Problem set (4): Focus on Romer's problem 2.4 and on #2a and 3, to practice optimization over time. Romer problems 2.1-2.2 address production/consumption issues (similar to what we discussed in week1) and are worth knowing, but more tangential.
• 10/12: New office hours: Mondays 2-3 and Fridays 9:30-10:30, as agreed in class. Exceptions: Mo.10/19 canceled. Fr. 10/23: 10-11am (and I may arrive late from a meeting).
• 10/12: FYI -- macro reading group meets Mo. 11-12:30 in NH 2111 (our room). This is largely for 2nd+ year students though perhaps of interest if you have time; see http://sites.google.com/site/macroreading/.
• 10/7: In Problem set 2, you may omit Romer problem 1.3c.

Problem Sets:

Problem sets are normally due on Wednesdays at the start of class. The section and problem numbers refer to the Problem Set Collection. Assignments & due dates are subject to change: Please listen to class announcements and check this page.

Problem Sets from the Problem Set Collection:
    (1)    Part 1, #1-2. Due 10/07.
    (2)    Part 2, #1(Romer problems; change: omit 1.3c). Due 10/14.
    (3)    Part 2, #2-5.  Due 10/21.
    (4)    Part 3, #1, #2a, #3.  Due 10/28.
    (5)    Part 3, #2b-c, #4. Deliver by Th. 11/12noon to TA (Make arrangements with Till).
    (6)    Part 3, #5, #8. Due 11/18.
    (7)    Part 4, #2a-c, #3, #7a-b. Deliver by Wed. 11/25noon to TA (Make arrangements with Till).
    (8)    Part 4, #1, #5, #6. Due 12/02.

Midterm: in class, Monday, November 2.
Final: as scheduled by the registrar.
The class grade is based on midterm, final, and problem sets.

Contact: I try to be available to graduate students at all times. (Just knock; if I am doing something urgent, I'd let you know.)
Official office hours are Mondays 2-3 and Fridays 9:30-10:30.

E-mail: bohn@econ.ucsb.edu. Always use "Econ 204A" in the subject line.

This page and the resources listed are for the exclusive use of UCSB students enrolled in Econ 204A. If you run into technical glitches or errors on this page, please send me a message. Some links (notably to Jstor) can only be accessed from a UCSB server.

Course Outline:

Some overheads/lecture notes will be provided later, to be updated.
Required readings are exam-relevant even if not covered in class. The class covers more than the required reading, often extracted from a variety of other sources that are listed as recommended, optional, or for-reference (in order of relevance). Items not required are only tested to the extent they are covered in class.
Location: (+) = Graduate office folder; RBR = reserve book room


Part 2. Exogenous Growth: The Solow Model

Classes #3-4: Main concepts.
Class #5: Applications.
Class #6: New Growth.
Part 3. Optimal Growth in Continuous Time

Class #7: Main concepts. Classes #8-9: Optimal Control. Class #10: MIDTERM, in class.
Midterm will likely cover Parts 1-3b.
Exams cover the topics discussed in class and in the required readings. That is, required readings are exam-relevant even if not covered in class. Other, non-required readings are not tested except as covered in class.

Class #11: Dynamics of Optimal Growth Classes #12-13: Dynamics of Optimal Growth and Applications to Fiscal Policy. Class #14: Introduction to Money. The Sidrauski model.  Part 4. Overlapping Generations

Class #15: Main concepts.

Class #16: Applications to Fiscal Policy.
Class #17: Dynamic efficiency and Fiat Money

Class #18: Exam Review.
 


Please send any comments to bohn@econ.ucsb.edu