Course Syllabus

Course Description

Cities are among the most important drivers of economic growth, innovation, and social change. At the same time, cities face challenges related to housing, transportation, inequality, sustainability, and governance. This course examines why cities exist, how they grow, and why some cities are more successful than others.

Using the tools of urban economics, we will explore how households, firms, and governments make decisions about location, investment, and development. We will study how these decisions shape housing markets, transportation systems, labor markets, and the physical structure of cities. Throughout the course, we will consider both the benefits and costs of urban growth and discuss the role of public policy in addressing urban challenges.

The Copenhagen metropolitan area will serve as our primary case study. Through class discussions, field studies, and project work, students will examine how economic, social, political, and spatial factors have influenced the development of Copenhagen and compare these experiences with those of cities in the United States and elsewhere.

The course combines economic theory with real-world urban issues. By the end of the semester, students will be able to apply concepts from urban economics to better understand how cities function, evaluate urban policies, and analyze the forces shaping the future development of metropolitan areas.

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

• Explain why cities emerge and grow.
• Analyze urban land, housing and labor markets.
• Evaluate the role of governance and public finance.
• Explain the interaction between economic, social and spatial forces.
• Assess policy responses to urban challenges.

Students will be able to:

• Apply urban economic models to real-world cases.
• Analyze urban policy using economic reasoning.
• Evaluate competing policy options.
• Use data and evidence to support arguments.
• Communicate policy recommendations effectively.

Faculty

Ralph Cadan holds a Master's degree in Economics and Political Science and has more than 30 years of experience in strategy, business development, and economic transformation across international companies. His professional background includes senior leadership positions in sectors such as financial services, technology, media, and payments. Since joining DIS in 2023, he has taught courses in Global Economics, European Business, and Urban Economics.

Readings

• Arthur O´Sullivan (9^th Edition) “Urban Economics”  
  ISBN: ‎ 978-0078021787

Supplemental

• Triumph of the City by Harvard economist Edward Glaeser
• The New Geography of Jobs by Berkeley economist Enrico Moretti

Additional articles are made available on DIS Canvas

Field Studies

The dates for the field studies are the following:

Wednesday August 27th from 1:00pm-5:00pm

Wednesday October 22nd from 8:30am-12:00pm

Course approach

You will be learning individually and in teams. Your companions in the course are your fellow students and the Copenhagen area will be your point of reference. The teacher are here to help and guide you along the way. The classes are a place where we seek to let the outside of the classroom resonate with textbook knowledge and your home environments. That does not happen by itself. It requires preparation, collaboration, consultation and investigation. It also requires both individual and teamwork.

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Grading

Your grade will be determined as weighted averages of the following four components:

Assignment	Percent
Engagement	30%
Synopsis final project	10%
Essay assignment	25%
Final Project: City Economic & Social Development Project Outline	35%

 

Course Policies

Academic Honesty – Plagiarism and Violating the Rules of an Assignment - DIS expects that students abide by the highest standards of intellectual honesty in all academic work. DIS assumes that all students do their own work and credit all work or thought taken from others. Academic dishonesty will result in a final course grade of “F” and can result in dismissal. The students’ home universities will be notified. DIS reserves the right to request that written student assignments be turned in electronic form for submission to plagiarism detection software. See the Academic Handbook for more information, or ask your teacher if you have questions.

Attendance – You are expected to attend all DIS classes when scheduled.  If you miss multiple classes the Director of Teaching and Learning, and the Director of Student Affairs will be notified and they will follow-up with you to make sure that all is well.  Absences will jeopardize your grade and your standing at DIS. Allowances will be made in cases of illness, but in the case of multiple absences you will need to provide a doctor’s note.

Disability and resource statement – Any student who has a need for accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact Academic Support (acadsupp@dis.dk) to coordinate this.  In order to receive accommodations, students should inform the teacher of approved DIS accommodations within the first two weeks of classes. 

Use of Electronic Devices in the Classroom - Electronic devices such as laptop computers, mobile phones, tablet devices etc are NOT allowed in class. Please be sure that all cell phones are put away and are set to “off” prior to the beginning of the class or a meeting. However in some specific cases the instructor will request you to use your laptop, tablet or phone for quick/ad-hoc research on Internet. Any misuse of our trust will be reflected in your engagement grade.

Use of Artificial Intelligence in the course - (Adapted from Ethan Mollick). There is an increasing probability you have been using large Language Model AI (ChatGPT or other) or that you are using AI (ChatGPT or other) in class or outside. Some assignments and exercises might be enhanced by the use of AI, but don’t require you to use AI. Learning to use AI is an emerging skill, please check this website for some short videos.

AI is a tool, but one that you need to acknowledge using. When you intend to use AI in order to fulfill the requirements of this course please include a paragraph at the end of any assignment that uses AI explaining what you used the AI for and what prompts you used to get the results. Failure to do so is in violation of academic honesty policies.

Furthermore, be aware of the limits of ChatGPT or other AI tools:

If you provide minimum effort prompts, you will get low quality results. You will need to refine your prompts in order to get good outcomes. This will take work!

Don't trust anything it says. If it gives you a number or fact, assume it is wrong unless you either know the answer or can check in with another source. You will be responsible for any errors or omissions provided by the tool. It works best for topics you understand.

Be thoughtful about when this tool is useful. Don't use it if it isn't appropriate for the case or circumstance.

Please make sure that you clarify whether you can use AI with your other teachers and courses. 

Academic Regulations

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on:

• Course Enrollment and Grading
• Academic Expectations and Honor Code

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