EC5230 Industrial Economics

Academic year

2025 to 2026 Semester 2

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

15

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 11

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Availability restrictions

Available to MSc students only

Planned timetable

To be arranged

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module Staff

To be arranged

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

This module will provide a thorough advanced treatment of the core models and concepts used in modern analysis of industrial organisation. It is a specialised branch of microeconomics, which focuses on the structure and mechanisms governing markets and on the way firms compete against each other in the pursuit of profit maximisation. It will examine questions such as: what determines a market's structure? How does market organisation influence firms' behaviour and market performance? How can a firm's strategy affect a market's structure (e.g. by deterring other firms to enter)? Topics to be covered include perfect competition, monopoly, pricing strategies, static oligopoly models, collusion, product differentiation, innovation, advertising, and networks.

Assessment pattern

25% Coursework, 75% exam

Re-assessment

Exam 100%

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

16 hours of lectures over 10 weeks, 1-hour tutorial (x 5 weeks)

Scheduled learning hours

21

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

129

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.

Intended learning outcomes

  • Understand how IO can deepen the understanding of behaviour of firms/agent especially in imperfectly competitive market.
  • Developing the skill of selecting the right model(s) to analyse various issues in industrial economics
  • Develop the skill of analysing economic behaviour through game theory
  • Develop curiosity leading to identifying interesting and relevant papers/examples to extend knowledge of the subject.