Microeconomics/Planning Economics is taught as two modular courses to Master of City Planning students. The logistics of the modules are explained below and syllabi and course notes follow.
A feature of the course is a set of web-based tools designed to help a student visualize and experiment with various microeconomic concepts. The screenshot above is from the example in our
tools section. More of these tools are available at
http://plaza.mit.edu/econ. We invite you to experiment with them, and because they are in development, to please send us your feedback – the aspects you like and dislike, the tools you would like to see added, and so forth. Feedback can be sent via the form at the Plaza web page.
Microeconomics (11.203) is a course that runs for the first two-thirds of the semester. It is designed for incoming city planning students with little or no economics background. Incoming students take a voluntary microeconomics test-out at the beginning of the semester. Those that pass the test-out are exempt from taking Microeconomics.
Planning Economics (11.202) is a course that runs for one-third of a semester and covers economics topics of particular interest to city planning students: location theory, the interplay between externalities and zoning, international trade and globalization, and housing finance. Few incoming students have had prior exposure to these topics.
To minimize disruption, Planning Economics is positioned as the last third of a semester long core course on Planning Institutions and Economics. All students are required to take this final segment of the semester, including students who have tested out of microeconomics.
Technical Requirements
Flash™ Player software is required to run the Flash™ media found on this course site.
Flash™ is a trademark or registered trademark of Macromedia, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.