Distance learning phase
Time fly, now the distance learning phase has started. MALED has 3 modules to complete in 3 months which are:
- Mathematics and Microeconomics, 5 weeks
- Macroeconomics and STATA, 3 weeks
- Statistic and Excel, 4 weeks
At the end of each module there will be an examination which you have to take it seriously. You will get a warning that if you failed the exam you may not be able to start the face to face phase!!! (Which I found out later that they just scared you to study) The course will provide a compulsory reading list and textbook in PDF file. Some are clear but some are scanned which is unclear and look a bit dirty. You are encouraged to use the forum (Moodle) to share or ask a question. A tutor which is a PhD student at University of Turin is assigned to help if you are struggled. Before the real exam, there will be a mock exam which give you an idea about what you are going to face. Here, is my opinion and impression:
Module 1, mathematics is easy and basic, which I had done when I was in high school. However, microeconomics is totally new to me. I spend most of my time reading provided Krugman’s text book which is very good and well explained. If you have an economic background then this will be a piece of cake. Overall 5 weeks is a way too much.
Module 2, macroeconomics is a struggle for me. The textbook is scanned and not so clear, the author which will be your lecturer too is a well known Indian economist. My complain are the coverage is too much for 3 weeks, the written language (Indian English) is somewhat hard to understand. Me and my classmate (some are native English speaker) having a hard time understanding the question. STATA is a statistic software that will be used during the course. If you are previously used something else i.e. SPSS, EViews or R then you are out of luck, you have to start using it. It is not so beginner friendly but if you used to do some programming or familiar with command line then you should not have any problem learning it. For STATA exam, you will be given data file and asked to do some work then submit log and do files within 48 hours.
Module 3, statistic is basic and again covered in my high school so I have nothing to complain here. Excel is fairly easy and go as much as some useful function and pivot table (no VBA). There is no mock exam for Excel.
The exam except STATA and Excel are 3-4 multiple choices question. You have a limited time vary from 50-80 mins. You can use google or open pdf textbook during the exam too if you wish so basically all should be fine. However I have heard that some people failed the online exam and have to take extra exam during face to face phase as a penalty. DO NOT give out STATA do file or Excel workbook to anyone even after you have submitted it. I also heard that the committee have detected a copy of Excel workbook and give them both a failure. There was some kind of secret help over WhatsApp group too…