The course will cover recent research in macroeconomics. There will be a particular focus on search-theoretic models and/or heterogeneous agent models and their applications. We will cover a number of different applications, such as growth, unemployment, inflation, markups, and business cycles. The course will involve studying research papers and aims to bring students to the research frontier in the field.

 

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Apply their understanding of advanced theoretical models used in recent research in macroeconomics to various economic applications, such as unemployment or growth.
2. Effectively communicate their understanding of both the findings of recent research in macroeconomics and the advanced theoretical models used in this research. 
3. Critically reflect on recent research in macroeconomics by evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of advanced theoretical models and identifying their limitations.
4. Identify open research questions at the frontier of macroeconomic theory and propose potential avenues for further research.
5. Develop proficiency in using advanced modelling tools from recent research in macroeconomics, for example heterogeneous agent modelling tools and search-theoretic modelling tools, to examine various economic phenomena.
   

Research-Led Teaching

The research topics studied in this course relate directly to the frontier research your instructor and her colleagues are engaged in. Some of the papers studied in this course are part of ongoing research conducted by the instructor. The emphasis in this course on critical and independent thinking is designed to encourage students to become future leaders who are capable of tackling new and challenging issues.

Required Resources

None

Staff Feedback

• Your work will generally be returned to you with feedback within three weeks of each assignment deadline.
• Please make an appointment to see the lecturer if you would like any additional feedback.
• Feedback on the first assessment task will be provided before the end of Week 6.

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Microfoundations of macro	Attend and participate in live lecture/workshop
2	Efficiency in search models	Attend and participate in live lecture/workshop Assessment task 1 due on Wednesday 4 March 2026
3	Unemployment and output	Attend and participate in live lecture/workshop
4	Unemployment and output	Attend and participate in live lecture/workshop
5	Business cycles and factor shares	Attend and participate in live lecture/workshop
6	Markups and price dispersion	Attend and participate in live lecture/workshop
7	Topics in macro	Attend and participate in live lecture/workshop
8	In-class test	In-class test on Weeks 1-6 (Assessment task 2) Assessment task 2 in-class on Wednesday 29 April 2026
9	Topics in macro	Attend and participate in live lecture/workshop Student presentations (Assessment task 3)
10	Topics in macro	Attend and participate in live lecture/workshop Student presentations (Assessment task 3)
11	Topics in macro	Student presentations (Assessment task 3)
12	Topics in macro	Attend and participate in live lecture/workshop Assessment task 4 due on Wednesday 27 May 2026
13	Final assessment	Assessment task 5 due on Thursday 4 June 2026

Tutorial Registration

There are no tutorials for this course.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Proposal for presentation	5 %	04/03/2026	14/03/2026	1,2,3
In-class test	30 %	29/04/2026	13/05/2026	1,2,5
Presentation	30 %	*	*	2,3,4
Project	25 %	27/05/2026	10/06/2026	1,2,3,4,5
Participation	10 %	04/06/2026	02/07/2026	2,3,4

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Extenuating Circumstances Application
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Canvas’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

Lectures will be run as live interactive workshops with significant class participation and discussion. For this reason, lectures may not be recorded.

While attendance each week is not compulsory, it is expected in line with “Code of Practice for Teaching and Learning”, clause 2 paragraph (b).

 

Examination(s)

Assessment Task 1

Proposal for presentation

• Proposal of a potential paper for presentation as Assessment Task 3.
• Maximum one-page summary of reasons for suggesting paper for presentation. Further details to be provided.
• Worth 5% of final mark for this course.
• Late submissions will receive a mark of zero.
• Submission is through Canvas using Turnitin.
• Assignment will be available to students on Monday 23 February 2026.
• Due on Wednesday 4 March 2026.

Assessment Task 2

In-class test

• In-class test on lecture material from Weeks 1-6.
• Questions will be long-answer questions and may be either derivations or essay-style.
• No written materials are allowed other than lecture slides (without annotation)
• Tests must be hand-written. No laptops, mobile phones, or electronic devices are allowed.
• Worth 30% of final mark for this course.
• Test will be in-class on Wednesday 29 April 2026.

Assessment Task 3

Presentation

• Twenty minute in-class presentation of student's chosen paper. Further details to be provided.
• Chosen paper may or may not be the paper proposed in Assessment Task 1.
• Students must confirm with lecturer which paper they will present two weeks before presentation date.
• Worth 30% of final mark for this course (20% written slides and 10% presentation itself).
• Late submissions will receive a mark of zero.
• Due on date of presentation (to be scheduled throughout the semester).

• Presentations are held in person only, unless the student can provide admissible evidence that they cannot attend their presentation in person and that it cannot be rescheduled to an alternative date on which they can attend in person. In such cases, an alternative zoom presentation may be scheduled.
• Presentations will be video recorded, which will enable later validation and verification of assessment if required (in accordance with point 7 in the ANU Student Assessment (Coursework) policy).

Assessment Task 4

Project

• Students develop an extension or application of their chosen paper. Further details to be provided.
• Topic must be discussed with lecturer and approved before the end of Week 6.
• Maximum of 2000 words (including writing and/or proofs and derivations).
• Any words over the limit will not be read or marked.
• Worth 25% of final mark for this course.
• Late submissions will receive a mark of zero.
• Submission is through Canvas using Turnitin.
• Assignment will be available to students on Monday 16 March 2026.
• Due on Wednesday 27 May 2026.

Assessment Task 5

Participation

• Students will receive a mark for their participation in class discussions over the semester and their reflections on what they learnt.
• Students will submit a list of classes attended and a short reflection on what they learnt during each class.
• Students will receive one mark for every class in which they actively participate (for example, by asking an appropriate question or making a helpful or insightful comment) up to a maximum of 10 marks, and must provide a brief reflection about what they learnt during the lectures they attended, .
• Maximum of 1000 words.
• Any words over the limit will not be read or marked.
• Worth 10% of final mark for this course.
• Submission is through Canvas using Turnitin.
• Due on Thursday 4 June 2026.

• Alternative online assessment may be provided for students who can provide admissible evidence that they cannot attend any lectures in person.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.

The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.

The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. You do not need to submit via Turnitin.

Regular Assignments (RA) must to be submitted via Canvas as Jupyter Notebooks with replicable content (unless stated otherwise on RA problem sheet).

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Late submission of assessments will not be graded. If an assessment task is not submitted by the due date, a mark of 0 will be automatically awarded.

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material. Any use of artificial intelligence must be properly referenced. Failure to properly cite use of Generative AI will be considered a breach of academic integrity.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Accessibility for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents all ANU students