Module review for EC1101E: Introduction to Economics

Taken AY2014/2015 Semester 1


EC1101E: Introduction to Economics

This is a compulsory module for anyone interested to major in Economics, and it is best to take it in semester 1. The module is quite easy, as long as consistent effort is made to answer the tutorial questions. Those who have taken H2 Econs in JC will definitely have an advantage, though not by much as >80% of the cohort have H2 Econs. Tutorial attendance is compulsory and counts towards the final grade, so DO NOT skip any. Class participation is also counted in the final grade, so do volunteer to answer questions at least 2x during the entire semester. Lectures are 3h long, so be prepared to make sure you fully focus. Webcasts are available, meaning that you CAN skip lectures, though they may change it from year to year.

I chose to attend all lectures, simply because I doubt I would have the will to study if I stayed home. That being said, I still found it difficult to concentrate at times, since 3 hours of econs can be very draining. The lecturers were not bad, and clearly very experienced in their respective fields. The lecture series are split into Micro and Macro, with significantly more new content for Macro, so do take note and make sure you don’t burn out near the end.

There is no group project for this module, which is a godsend since not everyone is on the same page. Personally, I felt that the pace of the tutorials was too slow since the tutors had to cater to everyone, including slackers and those who did not even bother to read up on the topic. I only attended the tutorials since they are compulsory; the answers for the tutorial questions will be uploaded so do not worry if you didn’t catch everything/were zoning out.

Assessment
Tutorial (attendance + class participation): 10%
Exam type: MCQ + open-ended qns
Mid terms (only micro): 30%
Finals (micro + macro): 60%

As stated above, consistent attendance for tutorials is important, and as long as you volunteer to answer at least 2x, you will easily get your 10%. The mid terms are purely micro, and extremely easy with no challenging questions at all. Most people score very well for this, so you should try to aim for full marks/close to full marks. As long as you practice your tutorial questions and revise the lecture notes, the mid terms should be a breeze. The lecturers and tutors have kept insisting that it is very important to read the textbook, and that is true to a certain extent. If you knowledge of H2 Econs is shaky after the long break since the end of JC, it is essential that you read the textbook. I actually did not read the textbook, but I definitely will for future economics modules.

For the finals, do try to revise in advance, since the content is considerably more. Although they said that greater emphasis will be on macro, do not forget about your micro, as it may come out for the open-ended questions. The time for both the mid terms and the finals is very limited, due to the sheer volume of MCQ questions. Hence, it is important to divide your time wisely. I chose to start on the open-ended qns first, before moving on to MCQ. This ensured that I would have sufficient time to finish all the questions.

Workload
The workload for this module is VERY LIGHT. No group work, nothing. Just tutorials and lectures, the latter which u can skip. However, consistent effort is important, so just take out 2h/week to do your tutorial qns + review the lecture notes.

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Module review for TS1101E / GEK1900: Introduction to Theatre and Performance

Taken AY2014/2015 Semester 1


TS1101E / GEK1900: Introduction to Theatre and Performance

This module will provide students with foundational knowledge of the different aspects of, approaches and discursive contexts relating to the study and praxis of theatre and performance. The module will also introduce students to the various forms of classical and contemporary performance practices and their attendant modes of analyses: combining play analysis, theatre history & theory. Using complementary content-centered lectures and practice laboratory, the module creates an environment where students simultaneously engage with module content while investigating its relations to the creation of theatre and performance.

Assessment: This is a one of the most fun and entertaining modules in FASS. Content covered on the history, theories and application of theatre and performance is interesting and easy to understand. However, lecture attendance is crucial for the understanding of the course. Lectures are not webcast. Module assessment includes a play review and acting performances, but grading is relatively lenient. The main drawback of this module is the time spent rehearsing for graded performances which varies for each group. Thus, personal time management should be a point of consideration when taking this module.

Workload: 1-1-2-4-2

(Intended major: Economics; intended minor: Public Health)


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Module review for SPH2101: Public Health and Epidemiology

Taken AY2014/2015 Semester 1


SPH2101: Public Health and Epidemiology

Epidemiology is the study of the patterns, causes, and effects of health and disease conditions in defined human populations. It is the cornerstone of public health, with potential impact on both personal decisions about our lives, and also public policy decisions. Epidemiology is relevant for the prevention of human diseases to modern systems science with inputs from many disciplines, like biology, physiology, computer science, engineering and social science. This module uses a lecture plus case-study based approach to introduce fundamental concepts of epidemiology, such as disease frequency, association, causation, confounding, bias, screening and surveillance.

Assessment: This module essentially introduces the basic concepts of epidemiology and how to interpret and understand epidemiological studies. This includes simple calculations and statistics (I.e. Percentages). Module content can be rather dry but it is generally straightforward and easy to understand.

Workload: 2-1-0-3-4


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Module review for GEK1900: Public Health in Action

Taken AY2014/2015 Semester 1


GEK1900: Public Health in Action

Public health is in the news every day, from schools closing due to hand, foot and mouth disease to the banning of trans-fats in an entire city. But what is public health? Whereas doctors treat individual patients, public health is about the health of a whole population. Despite its importance, public health seems obscure and mysterious. This module uses a population-based perspective to understand the broad forces behind development of disease and ill-health. Employing the evidence-based framework, expert lecturers will share experiences, discuss current issues and debate ethical dilemmas from cancer to pandemics, from AIDS to diabetes, from diet to disasters.

Assessment: This module covers a large range of healthcare topics that really broadens students’ perspectives. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in healthcare. It does not require any prior knowledge of medical terms or concepts. There is no final examination. The module is 100% continuous assessment. The module format consists of 3 hour sessions every week with a lecture in the first hour, group work in the second (immediately after which a written report has to be submitted on ivle) and a group discussion and debrief by the lecturer. Each week’s session is based on a different topic and is taught by different lecturers.

This module can be used to fulfill GEM requirements as it is classified as both an Art and a Science GEM.

Workload: 0-3-0-3-4


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Module review for EC2104: Quantitative Methods for Economic Analysis

Taken AY2014/2015 Semester 1


EC2104: Quantitative Methods for Economic Analysis

This module seeks to enable students to integrate relevant basic mathematical knowhow with economic analysis. The main objective is to develop in the students the process skills for formulating and solving economic problems mathematically. Topics include equilibrium analysis, understanding and use of matrix algebra and differential and integral calculus in formulating and solving economic problems, comparative-static analysis, and selected optimization problems in economics.

Assessment: The entire module consists of mathematics. The formulas learnt will definitely be linked to economic concepts. However, understanding of these concepts and derivation of formulas is not required for examinations. Half of the material covered in the module will be familiar, such as functions, derivation, integration and matrices. Therefore, a strong foundation in these concepts will be useful for further understanding of added theories based on these basic concepts. Generally, this module is very manageable especially with frequent practice of problem sets from the textbook or past year papers. The workload of the module itself is also relatively light. 4 hours to complete a problem set per week is a generous estimate.

Workload: 2-1-0-4-3


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Module review for EC1101E: Introduction to Economic Analysis

Taken AY2014/2015 Semester 1


EC1101E: Introduction to Economic Analysis

This course introduces students to some of the basic concepts, methods, and models in economics to equip the students to think economically. These tools will enable students to understand current economic issues and appreciate economics in their everyday lives.

Assessment: The content of this module is quite straightforward. Those who have taken Economics at the JC level will find most of the material for Microeconomics repeated in this course. However, Macroeconomics introduces a much broader range of content, including basic banking and finance concepts. Readings are not entirely necessary but highly recommended, especially for Macroeconomics as some concepts are alluded to but not entirely explained in the lecture notes. Generally, the workload estimates given are accurate except for the no. of hours of preparatory work required, which is definitely less than 4 hours.

Workload: 3-1-0-2-4

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Module review for SC1101E: Making Sense of Society

Taken AY2014/2015 Semester 1


SC1101E: Making Sense of Society

This module consists of many topics— being sociology, it naturally covers all aspects of society and is very broad and general, which is why some people consider it GP, sociologically explained. There were two lecturers; one of them made better slides and explained issues in greater depth, while the other was more relaxed, focused less on the details and gave more room for you to explore and form your own interpretations. Both of them were clear, so no complains there.

The module might start off dry and boring, given that the first 2 lectures were devoted to introducing various sociologists and understanding the art of conducting sociological experiments and collecting reliable data. The content became more interesting thereafter, with topics such as gender, family, culture, deviance, to name a few.

The amount of content might seem heavy at first, but it’s not. The major sociological theories/perspectives used to explain each topic were generally the same, and should not be a problem as long as you understand them. Although empirical examples are a must when writing essays, I would say that there’s not much point memorizing them. What’s most important is that you can apply those theories to your personal observations, and perhaps invent your own examples.

The textbook (A Sociological Compass, by Brym and Lie) is rather informative, but contains of mostly American case studies (which I don’t know, might not be so applicable). However, the readings provided aren’t very useful. They seemed to cover the not-so-important (I could be wrong) stuff and I didn’t read most of them. That being said, the readings are still enjoyable, especially if you have a taste for intriguing and sometimes quirky/weird happenings around the world, like body rituals.

Assessment:
10%: tutorial attendance and participation (5% attendance, 5% participation)
15%: short assignment
25%: midterms
50%: finals

The tutorials consist of small group discussions, and questions are given out beforehand, so be sure to read up and attempt them if you want to contribute.
The short assignment required us to apply the ‘sociological imagination’ to a phenomenon we observe in our society. There was a word limit of 500 words, and shouldn’t be too difficult, as long as you can apply the basic theories.

For the midterms, we had to write 1 essay in an hour, and for the finals, 2 essays in 2 hours. There should be sufficient time for you to write a decent essay— just make sure to provide clear and concise explanations, and link your arguments to the theories, and most importantly, the question itself.

Workload:
The workload for this module is moderate. The short assignment shouldn’t take too much time, and all you have to do is study for the midterms and finals.

(Intended major: Political Science)

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