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351-0515-00L 3 Credits MSC D-ITET , D-MAVT , D-MTEC

Intermediate Microeconomics

Lecturers & Examiners: Dr. Thomas F. Rutherford
VVZ CR n/a

Last Updated: 2026-02-05 15:25:04

Abstract

This course provides an introduction to microeconomics based on mathematics with a problem-solving perspective. The course is open to students who have completed an undergraduate course in economics principles and an undergraduate course in multivariate calculus. The course emphasizes the conceptual foundations of microeconomics and concrete examples of their application.

Objective

Microeconomics is a element of nearly every subfield in economic analysis today. Model building in economics relies on a number of fundamental frameworks, many of which are introduced for the first time in intermediate microeconomics, a course which is customarily offered for third-year undergraduate majors in economics. The purpose of this course is to provide MA students at D-MTEC with an introduction to graduate-level microeconomics, particularly for students considering further graduate work in economics, business administration or management science. The course provides the fundamental concepts and tools for graduate courses in economics offered at ETH and UZH.

Content

The lectures will cover consumer choice, producer theory, markets and market failure. The course will include a concrete examples of the use of the theory of choice in applied economics. It will include an introduction to game theory and agency theory. Homework sets, due roughly each week, play an important role in the learning process.

Resources

Lecture Notes

The course will be based on two textbooks by Hal Varian, both published by Norton:- Intermediate Microeconomics: A Modern Approach- Microeconomic Analysis (ISBN 0-393-95735-7)

Literature

Two books of exercises are available to complement these texts: (i) Exercises and Applications for Microeconomic Analysis by Gary Yohe and (ii) Workouts in Intermediate Microeconomics by Ted Bergstrom. Exercises in the course will follow the same format as these books.

General Information

Language
English
Levels
MSC
Frequency
Yearly recurring

Examination

Type
end-of-semester examination

Course Components

Type Title Time & Place Hours
lecture Intermediate Microeconomics
  • Mon 13:15-15:00 (HG G 3)
2 h weekly

Offered In