Macroeconomic Modeling

This PhD course aims to introduce basic macroeconomic modeling and provide application skills on Matlab. All class materials will be shared via Google Drive folder. The students need to install the relevant packages before the class. There will be homework throughout the semester. After the midterm, students will be presenting the theoretical paper they choose in the beginning of the semester. These presentations will be in the form of development reports in the last three weeks. The aim is to fully replicate the selected theoretical paper at the end of the semester. Here's an example for a theoretical paper.

Class Hours: Tue.9-12

Class: Cem Yalım Room


Suggested Textbooks: Gali (2015), Acemoglu (2009), Romer (2012), Barro and Sala-i-Martin (2003)

Suggested Papers: Calvo (1983), Clarida et al. (1999), Mankiw and Reis (2002) Christiano et al. (2005), Smets and Wouters (2003), Smets and Wouters (2007),

Suggested website: Github by Johannes Pfeifer

Octave: https://www.gnu.org/software/octave/#install

Dynare: https://www.dynare.org/download/

Matlab: https://www.mathworks.com/products/matlab-online.html


Please check Marmara University IT Department's website for Matlab or visit their office on the 4th floor of Rectorship Building.


You need to install two packages for the class:

1- Matlab or Octave, which is the open source version of Matlab.

2- Dynare, which is the interface for Matlab/Octave so that you do not

need to bother with the details of coding.


For these packages, you need to follow the steps below:

1- Download and install Dynare.

2- Open MATLAB/Octave

3- Configure for Dynare


If you are using MATLAB:

3.1- On the MATLAB Home tab, in the Environment section, click on Set Path

3.2- Click Add Folder... (DO NOT select Add with Subfolders)

3.3- Select the matlab subdirectory of your Dynare installation, e.g.,

C:\dynare\4.6.1\matlab

3.4- Apply the setting by clicking Save button


If you are using OCTAVE:

3.1. Put it in a file called .octaverc in your home directory. This file will usually be called C:\Users\USERNAME\.octaverc.


4- Now you can run a .mod file in a Dynare.


The instructions above are for Windows. For more information on

other operating systems: https://www.dynare.org/resources/quick_start


The planned schedule course is given below. However, there may be plenty of changes throughout the semester


2023-2024 Spring Semester Schedule

LECTURE 1  (Feb 13): INTRODUCTION AND MATHEMATICAL BACKGROUND

LECTURE 2 (Feb 27): SOLOW MODEL

LECTURE 3 (Mar 5): MRW REPLICATION

LECTURE 4 (Mar 12): RBC BASIC

LECTURE 5 (Mar 19): no class

LECTURE 6 (Mar 26): RBC EXTENDED

LECTURE 7 (Apr 16): midterm week

LECTURE 8 (Apr 30): NKDSGE BASIC

LECTURE 9 (May 7): NKDSGE OPEN ECONOMY

LECTURE 10 (May 14): DSGE EXTENSION

LECTURE 11 (May 21): Weekly presentation of a paper on a theoretical model

LECTURE 12 (May 28): Weekly presentation of a paper on a theoretical model