10DInternational Human Economic Science Special Course

 

yCourse Outlinez

  This special course based on the philosophy of foundation of the Graduate School of Decision Science and Technology aims at actively promoting forms of mutual cooperation between the various disciplines of economic science. We will provide advanced multidisciplinary graduate education in the fields of economics, game theory, ethics (philosophy of law), brain science, computer science (programming and simulation), cognitive psychology and cognitive linguistics. All the classes are to be conducted in English, which is the first trial in our institute.

yRequirementsz

  Eight credits are necessary to be taken from the course subjects for the completion of the course and regarding the subjects below, credits earned before the commencement of the course can be acknowledged. To be specific, the credits earned before the inauguration of the course from“Public Policy and Project Valuation”,“Introductory Cognitive Psychology”(since 2007),“Embodied Economics and Cognition”(since 2007),“Embodied Economics and Language”(2007~2009) or“Embodied Economics and Brain”(2008~9) may be included in the requirements. Credits earned from the following subjects whose titles are changed in 2010 may be also included in the requirements:“Theory of Macroeconomic Dynamics” (2009),“Human Economic Science by Matlab (SPM)” (2009),“Human Economic Science by Grid MPI” (2009)

yRecitalsz

  As described below, there will be an important modification about the subjects of the course. However, the credits that graduate students got from the subjects under the previous regulation will remain valid to obtain the certificate.

 

New Subjects

Advanced Macroeconomics II

TBA

Autumn 2-0-0

Name changes

Previous names

New names

Theory of Macroeconomic Dynamics

Advanced Macroeconomics I

Embodied Economics and Brain

Introduction to Brain Science and fMRI

Embodied Economics and Language

Introduction to Cognitive Linguistics

Human Economic Science by Matlab (SPM)

Computational Brain Science and Complex Networks with Matlab (SPM)

Human Economic Science with Grid MPI

Parallel Programming Basics with MPI

  There is a possibility that new subjects related to innovative communication skills would be added to the following list.
  The students wishing to sign up for the course are requested to register in advance by sending email at Hiroyuki AKAMA<akama@dp.hum.titech.ac.jp>, associate professor of the Department of Human System Science.
  For more information, please visit http://www.ihes.hum.titech.ac.jp/

yLecture Coursesz

  This list is tentative so subject to further important modifications. Additional subjects will be scheduled for the course. There will be some overseas professors included in the list of the adjunct professors to be announced later.

 

List of the Subjects Opened for the Special Course

Title

Credits

Lecturers

Semester

Recitals

Advanced Topics in Ethics and Economics

1|0|0

Makoto USAMI

Autumn

SOC,
Intensive

Public Policy and Project Valuation

2|0|0

Noboru HIDANO

Spring

SOC

Recent Developments in Game Theory

0|1|0

Shigeo MUTO

Autumn

SOC,
Intensive

Advanced Macroeconomics I

2|0|0

Akihiko KANEKO

Spring

SOC

Advanced Macroeconomics ‡U

2|0|0

TBA

Autumn

SOC

Econometric Analysis

2|0|0

Ryuichi TANAKA

Spring

MEI

Introductory Cognitive Psychology

2|0|0

Kimihiko YAMAGISHI

Spring

HUM

Introduction to Brain Science and fMRI

1|0|0

Adjunct Professors
(TBA, University of Trento)
and Hiroyuki AKAMA

Autumn

HUM,
Intensive

Embodied Economics and Cognition

1|0|0

Alan SCHWARTZ
and Kimihiko YAMAGISHI

Autumn

HUM,
Intensive

Introduction to Cognitive Linguistics
(Not offered in 2010 but every other year: odd year)

1|0|0

Adjunct Professors (TBA)
and Hiroyuki AKAMA

Autumn

HUM,
Intensive

Surveys and Experiments in Environmental Economics

1|0|0

Adjunct Professors (TBA)
and Noboru HIDANO

Autumn

SOC,
Intensive

Introduction to Bayesian Statistics

1|0|0

Shinichi MAEKAWA

Spring

HUM,
Intensive

Computational Brain Science and Complex Networks with Matlab
(SPM) (canceled in 2010, starts in 2011)

0|2|0

Adjunct Professors
(TBA, University of Trento),
Ken WAKITA and Hiroyuki AKAMA

Spring

HUM

Human Economic Science by Mathematica

0|2|0

Hiroyuki AKAMA

Spring

HUM

Parallel Programming Basics with MPI

0|1|0

Masahiro MOCHIZUKI

Autumn

HUM,
Intensive

Abbreviations: SOC: Subjects provided by Dept. of Social Engineering
MEI: Subjects provided by Dept. of Mechanical and Environmental Informatics
HUM: Subjects provided by Dept. of Human System Science

 

Program

 

Advanced Topics in Ethics and Economics
  Autumn term, 1-0-0, Makoto USAMI (Professor, Dept. of Social Engineering)

  This course offers an ethical analysis of two significant concepts in the areas of economic theory, ethics, and political philosophy: justice and equality. Readings come from the works of contemporary philosophers and economic theorists, including John Rawls, Amartya Sen, Ronald Dworkin, and Derek Parfit. Some background in ethics and political philosophy is helpful; however, technical knowledge in these fields is unnecessary.

Public Policy and Project Valuation
  Spring term, 2-0-0, Noboru HIDANO (Professor, Dept. of Social Engineering)

  I intend to offer you the essence of cost benefit analysis and valuation methods for public policy and projects including revealed preference techniques e.g. hedonic approach for non-market goods, ordinal estimations for market goods and stated preference methods, such as contingent valuation, in environmental and ecological economics. The basic microeconomics knowledge is required such as utility functions, optimization with constraints, i.e. LaGrange multiplier.
  But the students who really want to study the foundations of economics are welcome and can learn the methods to analyze human and economic behavior by the help of mathematical modeling.

Recent Developments in Game Theory
  Autumn term, 0-1-0, Shigeo MUTO (Professor, Dept. of Social Engineering)

  Students of the master and doctorate courses report on their research results on game theory. This is an intensive seminar including participants from our collaborated universities: Keio University, Waseda University, Seoul National University, and National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan. Students improve their presentation skills in English through discussions with other participants.

Advanced Macroeconomics ‡T
@Spring term, 2-0-0, Akihiko KANEKO (Associate Professor, Dept. of Social Engineering)

@We discuss fundamental problem of economic growth, mathematical foundations to analyze it and covers basic modern economic growth models such as Solow, neoclassical growth, and overlapping generations as well as endogenous growth model. This course assumes familiarity with macroeconomics, econometrics and microeconomics at the level of undergraduate textbooks.

Advanced Macroeconomics II
@Autumn term, 2-0-0, canceled in 2011. (Dept. of Social Engineering)

@This lecture aims to master some advanced topics in growth theory. Materials may include (subject to change): endogenous technological change; technology diffusion, trade and interdependence; economic development and economic growth; political economy of growth. Prerequisite: Advanced Macroeconomics I.

Econometric Analysis
@Spring term, 2-0-0, Ryuichi TANAKA (Associate Professor, Dept. of Mechanical and Environmental Informatics)

@Econometric Analysis introduces the first-year master students to multiple regression methods for analyzing cross-section and panel data (microeconometrics). The objective of the course is for the students to learn how to conduct and how to critique empirical studies in economics and related fields. Accordingly, the emphasis of the course is on empirical applications. In order to learn how to analyze data, the students will be assigned homework every week in which they are required to analyze data from the real world using econometrics software (Stata).

Introductory Cognitive Psychology
@Spring term, 2-0-0, Kimihiko YAMAGISHI (Associate Professor, Dept. of Human System Science)

@This lecture covers basics of cognitive psychology, with emphases on memory, learning, development, reasoning, and decision making. Being an introductory course, this course requires little familiarity with experimental psychology prior to registration.

Introduction to Brain Science and fMRI
@Autumn term, 1-0-0, Adjunct Professors (TBA, University of Trento) and Hiroyuki AKAMA (Associate Professor, Dept. of Human System Science)

@As a new functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) environment will be established in Tokyo Tech, this subject provides skills of a basic neuro-imaging technology using the fMRI scanner. Students will get the basic knowledge about the cognitive brain science which have been brought from the fMRI techniques as well as control techniques against electro-magnetic artifacts produced in the brain laboratory.

Embodied Economics and Cognition
@Autumn term, 1-0-0, Alan SCHWARTZ and Kimihiko YAMAGISHI (Associate Professor, Dept. of Human System Science)

@The concept of rational“economic man--homo-economics”, which is presupposition of economics has collapsed and research about the approach to economic activities under limitation of human cognitive ability has been focused. We study various common grounds of economics including behavioral economics, cognitive economics, neuroeconomics and cognitive psychology, and psychology of decision making related to preference and judgment.

Introduction to Cognitive Linguistics (held in every odd year, but cancelled in 2011)
@Autumn term, 1-0-0, Adjunct Professors (TBA) and Hiroyuki AKAMA (Associate Professor, Dept. of Human System Science)

@In cognitive linguistics, which has a close relation to cognitive science, it is popular to consider human language behaviors as being embodied at the levels of human nerve system and this trends can be also found in behavioral economics, cognitive economics and neuroeconomics. We discuss the theory of embodiment which put value on meaning process in mind and body, and in perception and action.

Surveys and Experiments in Environmental Economics
@Autumn term, 1-0-0, Adjunct Professors (TBA) and Noboru HIDANO (Professor, Dept. of Social Engineering)

@We discuss theoretical issues such as incentive compatibility and reciprocity in research and experience, which come into question in environmental economics and practical issues in research plans. Trainings / Practices are also prepared.

Introduction to Bayesian Statistics
@Spring term, 1-0-0, Shinichi MAEKAWA (Professor, Dept. of Human System Science)

@Starting from mathematical preparation such as probability distribution, linear algebras, we will study the theory of Bayes and its extension, natural conjugate distribution, hierarchical Bayes, numerical resolution such as MCMC, other logit profit models and Bayesian network.

Computational Brain Science and Complex Networks with Matlab (SPM) (starts in 2011)
@Spring term, 0-2-0, Ken WAKITA (Associate Professor, Dept. of Mathematical and Computing Sciences) and Hiroyuki AKAMA (Associate Professor, Dept. of Human System Science)

@We provide trainings for“Matlab”and“SPM”by using Educational Computer System to increase necessary knowledge for the analysis of brain image obtained by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The SPM (statistical parametric mapping) is a software package to analyze human brain activities and it is employed in many fMRI studies. In this lecture, students will learn the theoretical background of the SPM and practical usage as well as how to use the Matlab that is required to run the SPM.

Human Economic Science by Mathematica
@Spring term, 0-2-0, Hiroyuki AKAMA (Associate Professor, Dept. of Human System Science)

@Mathematica is a highly ingenious, extremely precise and among others user-friendly programming language. From the standpoint of the human economic science, it is the most suitable for 1) complicated symbolic computation including vast amounts of terms, 2) analytical or numerical solutions of equations, differential equations or minimization calculation, 3) accurate and aesthetic visualization of graphs or figures. In this class, we provide practices using“Tsubame”to learn how to manipulate“Mathematica”, which is necessary for the calculation of economics or cognitive psychology such as solution to equations, linear algebra (list, vector and matrix manipulation), statistics (Descriptive statistics, Regression, Anova), graphs and complex network, and simulation of complex systems.

Parallel Programming Basics with MPI
@Autumn term, 0-1-0, Masahiro Mochizuki (Associate Professor, Global Scientific Information and Computing Center)

@This course aims to introduce basics of parallel programming with MPI (Message Passing Interface) on a Supercomputing Grid Cluster named TSUBAME, as well as focusing on the design of parallel algorithms for solving problems in the area of human economic science.