Mathematics And Statistics (pre-sessional)
This course is an essential prerequisite for all students taking any of the MSc programmes in Economics, MSc Development Economics, the MSc in Finance and Development, and the MSc Political Economy of Development.
This course revises material usually taught in an undergraduate degree. A knowledge of algebra, calculus, frequency and probability distributions is assumed. It is taught intensively for three weeks in September. Students take an examination at the end of the course.
Topics covered include:
- differentiation and optimisation techniques;
- integration,
- simple differential equations;
- matrix algebra;
- statistical distributions;
- properties of estimators;
- hypothesis testing.
The other courses in the MSc build on this foundation.
Required reading
Background Reading
Mathematics:
- A.C. Chiang and K. Wainwright, Fundamental Methods of Mathematical Economics, 4th Edition. McGraw-Hill, 2005.
- E T Dowling, Introduction to Mathematical Economics, 3rd Edition, Schaum’s Outline Series, McGraw-Hill, 2000.
- Jacques, I., Mathematics for Economics and Business, 6th Edition, Prentice Hall, 2009.
- R L Thomas, Using Mathematics in Economics, 2nd edition, Addison-Wesley Longman, 1999
Statistics:
- D. N. Gujarati and D.C. Porter, Basic Econometrics ‘Appendix A: Review of Some Statistical Concepts’, 5th Edition, McGraw-Hill, 2009.
- D. Gujarati, Essentials of Econometrics, 3rd Edition, McGraw-Hill, 2006.
- M. Barrow, Statistics for Economics, Accountancy and Business Studies, 5th Edition, Prentice Hall, 2009.
