Economics

Courses

• ECON-1ZZ Social Science Core (3)

  Attributes: YLIB
  

• ECON-105C P3 Prin of Microeconomics (3)

  This is the first course of two that comprise an introduction to economics. Together, they provide the student with a solid grounding in economic principles and familiarize him or her with the institutions and policies that influence economic activity. For those who elect to major in economics, they also provide the base upon which subsequent courses will build. This course studies the economy from the perspective of individual consumers and producers who interact in a market setting. It shows how their choices influence the production and distribution of goods and services and considers the criteria that can be used to assess these outcomes. The course also studies how government intervention can affect the behavior of consumers, producers, and workers and alter market outcomes.
  Formerly: P3 Intro Microeconomics

  Typically offered:
  Fall, Spring & Summer

  Attributes: AMSS P3 YLIB
  

• ECON-106C P3 Prin of Macroeconomics (3)

  This course complements ECON 105C and studies the economy from an aggregated rather than an individual perspective. Students learn how the overall levels of income and production and the rates of inflation and unemployment are determined; they consider how economic activity is affected by the federal government’s taxing and spending policies and by the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy practices. These topics are covered in order to develop the students’ understanding of U.S. economic performance in light of an increasingly integrated world economy.
  Formerly: P3 Intro Macroeconomics

  Typically offered:
  Fall, Spring & Summer

  Attributes: AMSS P3 YLIB
  Pre-requisites: -
  

• ECON-110P CC Gender & Race Workplace (3)

  The overall economic well-being of Americans is primarily determined by how much they are paid. In this course, the student comes to understand the subtle and significant reasons why some groups are paid more than others. Only by understanding the causes of differences can one seriously consider policy options (as diverse as Head Start, anti-discrimination and affirmative action legislation, the earned income tax credit, and social security) that seek to change income outcomes.

  Attributes: AMSS CC HHHD WGST YLIB
  

• ECON-201C Intermed Microeconomics (3)

  This course is a rigorous analysis of economic theory as it relates to the individual firm and the individual consumer. It considers the more technical aspects of price and distribution theory, including indifference curves, production functions, nature and behavior of costs, price determination under various market concepts, and theories of distribution and factor pricing.
  Formerly: Microeconomic Theory

  Typically offered:
  Fall

  Attributes: YLIB
  Pre-requisites: ECON-105C D-
  

• ECON-202 IntermediateMacroeconomics (3)

  This course develops the theoretical frameworks of the Classical and Keynesian schools of thought and contrasts their views of GDP, employment, inflation, and interest rate determination. The behavior of important macroeconomic aggregates such as consumption, investment, government spending, and the balance of trade will be modeled in each school and then synthesized to provide a broader understanding of the causes of recession, inflation and, in general, observed fluctuations in the U.S. economy. Historical macroeconomic data will serve to both support and challenge traditional macroeconomic ideology.
  Formerly: Macroeconomic Theory

  Typically offered:
  Spring

  Attributes: YLIB
  Pre-requisites: ECON-106C D-
  

• ECON-207C Current Economic Issues (3)

  This course investigates a number of economic issues of current importance to the United States. Topics covered vary inline with their importance that semester but are likely to include healthcare, social security, the trade deficit, de-industrialization, and government policies and programs. Students have the opportunity to apply economic theory to actual events in the news. .

  Attributes: ISFS YLIB
  Pre-requisites: -
  

• ECON-221 SQ Statistics I (3)

  This course provides an introduction to descriptive and inferential
  statistics. Primary descriptive topics include the treatment of frequency distributions, measures of central tendency, and the measures of variability. Inferential topics such as probability theory, the binomial distribution, the normal distribution, the t-distribution, sampling distributions, estimation, and hypothesis testing are also investigated in the context of real-world applications.

  Typically offered:
  Fall, Spring & Summer

  Attributes: HHSM SQ YLIB
  

• ECON-222 Nonparametric Statistics (3)

  This course covers nonparametric statistical methods, with emphasis on applications, data analysis, and statistical computing. Topics include binomial and sign tests, rank tests for 1-sample and 2-sample designs, contingency table analysis, Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests, nonparametric correlation coefficients, nonparametric regression methods, and computationally-intensive approaches to nonparametric analysis. Cross-listed with STAT 222.

  Attributes: YLIB
  Pre-requisites: ECON-221 C- OR STAT-160 C-
  

• ECON-224 Economics of Health Care (3)

  This course is an introduction to the American health care system with emphasis placed on using economics to analyze various problems. Topics covered include the demand for medical services; medical insurance (Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance); the markets for hospital, physician, and nursing services; current developments; and the future of this sector of the economy. The course includes a consideration of proposals for health care reform and comparisons with the health care systems of other countries.

  Typically offered:
  Spring – Odd Years

  Attributes: HHCF YLIB
  Pre-requisites: -
  

• ECON-250 Law & Economics (3)

  This course is an introduction to the economic analysis of law. The course studies the ways in which economics has had or could have an influence on the development of law. Through discussion, the course explores the impact of economics on legal concepts and how economics can be further used as an aid to resolving legal issues. Four substantive areas of common law, namely property, contracts, torts, and criminal law, are analyzed using tools learned in microeconomic theory.

  Typically offered:
  Spring

  Attributes: YLIB
  Pre-requisites: -
  Restrictions: Excluding: -Class: Freshman
  

• ECON-254 Economics of Crime (3)

  This course provides an introduction to the study of crime and crime-reduction policies using standard economic techniques. Criminal behavior is examined as the result of rational, utility-maximizing decisions made by individuals in society. Study includes the incentives for individuals to commit crimes and how those incentives can be changed by law and public policy. Unintended consequences and secondary effects of crime-reduction policies are also considered. Topics include the costs of crime on society, the war on drugs, gun control, non-violent and violent crime, gang-related crimes, punishment, incarceration, and deterrence.

  Attributes: YLIB
  Restrictions: Excluding: -Class: Freshman
  

• ECON-301C Money and Banking (3)

  This course considers the theoretical and empirical aspects of money and credit in the American economy, along with an analysis of domestic depository institutions. Attention is also given to the various aspects of the Federal Reserve System that have an impact on the banking environment and to the measurement and interpretation of key macroeconomic variables, such as inflation, interest rates, unemployment, and GDP. International aspects of our banking system are also discussed.

  Typically offered:
  Spring

  Attributes: YLIB
  Pre-requisites: ECON-106C D-
  

• ECON-302 Public Sector Economics (3)

  This course examines the role of government in a mixed economy. Concepts of efficiency and equity that can be used to assess economic performance are developed. The course then examines situations where government intervention in a market economy can potentially result in more efficient and/or equitable outcomes. Topics include pollution control, public goods, government decision-making, cost-benefit analysis, taxation, and welfare programs.

  Typically offered:
  Fall – Odd Years

  Attributes: YLIB
  Pre-requisites: ECON-105C D-
  

• ECON-310 Labor Econ&Labor Relations (3)

  This course examines the behavior of labor market participants and the results of their interactions in a market setting. The initial focus is on the labor supply and schooling decisions of individuals and households along with the hiring and pay policies of firms. Next, labor turnover, discrimination, and unemployment are discussed. The final topic is labor-management relations. The course is first approached from an institutional perspective with the market outcomes in union and non-union settings then being compared and contrasted.

  Attributes: YLIB
  Pre-requisites: ECON-105C D-
  

• ECON-314 Intro to Econometrics (3)

  This course is an introduction to the statistical and empirical methods used in economics to measure the relationships postulated by economic theory. The main emphasis is on the econometric technique of ordinary least squares and its applications. Extensive use is made of the computer to conduct the empirical analysis.

  Typically offered:
  Fall

  Attributes: YLIB
  Pre-requisites: ECON-221 C-
  

• ECON-315C Comparative Econ System (3)

  This course examines the continuing debates between those who believe that capitalism is the most desirable economic system and those who believe that socialism is the most desirable economic system. As part of this examination, we consider the ongoing transformations of socialist economic systems in Russia and Eastern Europe.
  Formerly: Beyond Capitalism

  Attributes: ISFS YLIB
  Pre-requisites: ECON-106C D-
  

• ECON-316 Economics of Development (3)

  This course examines economics from a global/international perspective by analyzing the social, political, and economic state of countries in the developing world. Students will be exposed to prominent issues such as child mortality, clean water initiatives, HIV, education reform, microfinance, and government corruption. The range and efficacy of various, remediating strategies are presented in the context of recent academic research. This course is especially recommended for those students interested in pursuing foreign policy analysis.

  Attributes: ISFS YLIB
  Pre-requisites: ECON-105C D- OR ISPR-100D D-
  

• ECON-317C History of Econ Thought (3)

  This is a survey of the development of economic ideas from ancient times but more particularly from the 17th century to the present. Special attention is given to the interaction of economic thought, philosophy, and the natural sciences in light of the changing socioeconomic and cultural background. Emphasis is placed on the evolution of English classical and neo-classical doctrines and their criticism by the Marxist and Keynesian schools.

  Attributes: YLIB
  Pre-requisites: ECON-105C C- AND ECON-106C C-
  

• ECON-330 Economics of Sport (3)

  This course investigates numerous microeconomic aspects of the sports entertainment industry. Among these are the pricing and allocation of labor, the determination of franchise values, and the role of regulation for this unique industry. In particular, the market for sports is discussed in the context of the well-known professional leagues such as Major League Baseball, the NBA, and the NFL. Lastly, other forms of entertainment, such as the music industry, are analyzed on the basis of structure, pricing, and marketing practices.
  Cross-listed with SPST 330.

  Attributes: SPBE YLIB
  Pre-requisites: ECON-105C D-
  

• ECON-340C International Economics (3)

  This course studies the historical foundation of contemporary evidence in international trade and finance. International trade topics include the Classical and Neoclassical Theories of Trade, comparative advantage, and trade protectionism. International finance topics include the balance of payments, exchange rates, and the role of fiscal and monetary policy. The importance of institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund is also discussed.
  Formerly: International Economic Policy

  Typically offered:
  Fall

  Attributes: ISFS YLIB
  Pre-requisites: ECON-105C C- AND ECON-106C C-
  Restrictions: Excluding: -Class: Freshman
  

• ECON-360 Environmental Economics (3)

  This course will study the economics of the environment and natural resources. Topics include the theory of property rights, externalities, regulation, and the economics of optimal pollution control. Each topic will be analyzed within the setting of regional and aggregate economic growth, with the primary emphasis being to determine the most efficient solution for balancing the multiple goals of growth and the long-term preservation of limited natural resources and environmental quality.

  Typically offered:
  Fall – Even Years

  Attributes: YLIB
  Pre-requisites: ECON-105C C-
  

• ECON-402 Intro to Game Theory (3)

  Game theory is the study of strategic interactions. It provides methods to formalize and analyze the behavior of agents under different incentives. This course presents students with an overview of the basic principles and tools in game theory by analyzing common applications in areas such as auctions, elections, evolutionary biology, insurance policy design, plea bargaining, price competition, and product differentiation. This course is highly recommended for students wishing to purse graduate study in economics, law, or management.
  Completion of MATH 112C or 120C is recommended before registering for ECON 402.

  Formerly offered as Advanced Economics

  Typically offered:
  Spring – Even Years

  Attributes: YLIB
  Pre-requisites: ECON-105C C-
  

• ECON-404 Financial Economics (3)

  This course investigates the various theoretical and empirical aspects of credit instruments, financial markets, and depository institution behavior. Specifically, topics such as money and capital markets, interest-rate determination, regulatory reform, and government policy are considered as they pertain to our monetary economy.

  Attributes: YLIB
  Pre-requisites: ECON-301C D-
  

• ECON-416 Seminar In Economics (3)

  This seminar requires students to research current issues and topics in economics. All students are therefore required to participate and will choose a research topic in order to conduct meaningful research on an approved topic of their choice.

  It should be noted that while course topics vary from year to year, the general applied economic approach to the course remains the same. As such, the course may not be repeated.

  Typically offered:
  Spring

  Attributes: YLIB ZCAP ZRES
  Restrictions: Including: -Class: Senior
  

• ECON-475 WashDC Experience-Intern (6 TO 9)

  Washington Experience semester is offered through The Washington Center.
  Permission of the advisor, department chair ,and TWC liaison (Dr. Monica Litzenberger) is required to register.

  Typically offered:
  Fall & Spring

  Attributes: YLIB
  Pre-requisites: ECON-476 Y D-
  Restrictions: Including: -Major: Economics -Class: Junior, Senior
  

• ECON-476 WashDC Experience-Sem (3 TO 6)

  Washington Experience semester is offered through The Washington Center.
  Permission of the advisor, department chair ,and TWC liaison (Dr. Monica Litzenberger) is required to register.

  Typically offered:
  Fall & Spring

  Attributes: YLIB
  Pre-requisites: ECON-477 Y D-
  Restrictions: Including: -Major: Economics -Class: Junior, Senior
  

• ECON-477 WashDC Experience-Forum (1 TO 3)

  Washington Experience semester is offered through The Washington Center.
  Permission of the advisor, department chair ,and TWC liaison (Dr. Monica Litzenberger) is required to register.

  Typically offered:
  Fall & Spring

  Attributes: YLIB
  Restrictions: Including: -Major: Economics -Class: Junior, Senior
  

• ECON-491 Internship (3 TO 6)

  This course enables students to apply and enhance their understanding of economics through an approved work experience in business or government. Graded S/U.
  Requires approval of the internship coordinator and the department chair.

  Typically offered:
  Fall & Spring

  Attributes: YLIB
  Restrictions: Including: -Major: Economics -Class: Junior, Senior
  

• ECON-496 Independent Research (1 TO 3)

  This is an independent research project under the direction and supervision of a member of the department.
  Completion of the Independent Study/Tutorial Authorization form is required.

  Attributes: YLIB
  

• ECON-498H Honors Project (3)

  Required of students who are accepted to the Economics Honors Program. The project must be approved by a faculty supervisor, the department chair, and the Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. Projects are presented and defended at a colloquium. The intent to develop an honors project must be declared prior to the beginning of the senior year.

  Attributes: YLIB
  Restrictions: Including: -Major: Economics -Class: Junior, Senior
  

• ECON-1020 Econ of Social Choices (3)

  This course introduces students to the economic way of thinking by applying economic analysis to a wide variety of societal issues. The focus of the course and analysis is on individual decision making. Issues covered reflect topics of current interest that may include product safety, drugs and alcohol, the environment, healthcare, crime and justice, discrimination, sports, education, along with more traditional areas of interest such as international trade.

  Typically offered:
  Fall

  Attributes: LC YLIB
  Restrictions: Including: -Class: Freshman -Attribute: New Core 20-21
  

• ECON-1199 Numbers Don’t Lie,Do They? (3)

  Data Analysis provides students with the opportunity to explore various topics from an analytical view point. Students work with and interpret data. Using a variety of approaches, students analyze real-world scenarios by interpreting and using data to draw basic conclusions and describe limitations. Students communicate their findings visually and in writing.

  Typically offered:
  Fall & Spring

  Attributes: DA YLIB
  Restrictions: Including: -Class: Freshman, Sophomore -Attribute: New Core 20-21