Course type
IWH-DPE Skill Course, Special Course
Lecturer
Dr Klaus Schmerler (MLU)
Summary
The goal of this course is to give students an overview of the basic mathematical knowledge necessary to succeed in an economics PhD program. We focus on the application and use of concepts, not on proofs or greatest possible generality. Should abstract mathematical results be needed to develop specific ideas, those will be covered only on a need-to-know basis.
Students in the PhD programme are diverse. For some, the materials covered will be repetitions of knowledge previously acquired. For others, the course contents will be more challenging and require additional self-study and solving exercises at home. We aim to mitigate those differences as much and possible and create a level playing field for everyone to do well in other courses.
Schedule
05.10.2026 09:30-17:00 (incl. breaks) IWH, Leipziger Str. 100, 3rd floor, Conference Room
06.10.2026 09:30-17:00 (incl. breaks) IWH, Leipziger Str. 100, 3rd floor, Conference Room
07.10.2026 09:30-17:00 (incl. breaks) IWH, Leipziger Str. 100, 3rd floor, Conference Room
08.10.2026 09:30-17:00 (incl. breaks) IWH, Leipziger Str. 100, 3rd floor, Conference Room
09.10.2026 09:30-17:00 (incl. breaks) IWH, Leipziger Str. 100, 3rd floor, Conference Room
Content
- Univariate Calculus
- Functions
- Sequences and Series
- Differentiation and Integration
- Applications
- Multivariate Calculus
- Differentiation
- Unconstrained Optimization
- Constrained Optimization
- Applications
- Dynamical Systems
- Continuous and discrete growth
- Differential Equations
- Difference Equations
- Applications
- Linear Algebra
- Vector Spaces
- Linear Maps
- Matrices
- Systems of Equations
- Systems of Differential Equations
- Systems of Difference Equations
- Dynamic Optimization
- Calculus of Variations
- Control Theory
- Probability & Statistics
- TBA
Course requirements
Attendance at all lectures is mandatory.
Reading
Sydsaeter, K., Hammond, P., Seierstad, A. & Strom, A. (2008). Further Mathematics for Economic Analysis. Pearson.
Strang, G. (2023). Introduction to Linear Algebra or Linear Algebra and Its Applications
Dynamic Optimization: TBA
Probability and Statistics: TBA
Registration
Please register for the course until September 15, 2026 by sending an e-mail to cgde@iwh-halle.de.