Students will learn about the economic approach of analyzing issues related to the family and the
society, which are nonetheless topics in other disciplines as well. We use basic economic models to
explain the marriage market, fertility choice, decision makings of families in terms of human capital
accumulation, and intergenerational mobility. The economic approach to human behavior, both
theoretical and empirical, can also be applied to examine parental choice of primary school, interaction
of youths across socioeconomic groups, work-family balance, coping strategies of the sandwiched
generation, impact on and responses by families and the government to an aging population, and
impact of changing social attitudes on families.
Specific topics will be incorporated or will even replace some of the above given the experiential nature
of the course; in fact, the topics to be investigated as group projects will be jointly formulated by the
students, the faculty, and the partners based on issues and problems they are facing currently. As the
SMU-X course is experiential in nature, the coverage may vary according to the needs and interests of
the partners at the time the course is offered.
Students will conduct literature review, develop their research questions in consultation with the faculty
and partners, gather data from the public domain or provided by the partners, and analyze the data
using qualitative and quantitative methods. If feasible and appropriate, they may conduct experiments,
design survey questionnaire, conduct focus group discussions, or write an opinion piece for the
newspaper.
Students are expected to submit a group project proposal (Week 6), to present a progress report
(Week 10), and to complete a final report and presentation (Week 12), to be graded by the faculty and
partners. Quantitative and qualitative skills are needed in the group projects. As confidential data may
be used, partners may be involved in the selection (interviews) of students.
This course enables students to learn from and interact with the partners on real-world issues, problems,
and policies related to the family and the society at large, especially for the case of Singapore. Starting
with some economic theories, students will explore quickly other disciplines such as sociology, social
work, psychology, law, and politics, and hence inter-disciplinary in nature. The topics to be covered are
experiential and evolving, according to the current issues or challenges faced by the partners. In essence,
students learn not just theories, but also have an opportunity to contribute to actual research and practices
of the partners.
SOME SPECIFIC COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES (CLO)
CLO1: Analyze issues related to family and the society using economic models
CLO2: Interact with partners and classmates on real-world issues and policies
CLO3: Practical experience in collecting and/or analyzing data, quantitative and/or qualitative, primary
and/or secondary
CLO4: Identify research gaps, formulate hypothesis, design questionnaire and in-depth interviews
CLO5: Communicate ideas and present findings and conclusions effectively
CLO6: Be resilient, creative, and overcome challenges in teamwork and demands from partners
