Academic Catalog

Economics (ECON)

ECON 100  - Economics of Social Issues  (3 Credits)  

This course surveys contemporary social issues, while focusing on economic aspects and using economic approaches. It is designed to provide a broad exposure to economics for students who are not planning to major in economics or related fields, such as business administration, international affairs, or environmental science.

ECON 201B  - Principles of Macroeconomics  (3 Credits)  

One half of the two-semester introduction to economics and economic theory in the context of a general education course. Survey of economic activity in the economy as a whole, focusing on such issues as economic growth and business cycles,unemployment, and inflation.

ECON 202B  - Principles of Microeconomics  (3 Credits)  

One half of the two-semester introduction to economics and economic theory in the context of a general education course. Economic analysis of households, firms, and the public sector, focusing on issues such as competition, monopoly power and antitrust- poverty and labor markets, and environmental problems.

ECON 300  - Introduction to Economic Analysis  (3 Credits)  

Prerequisites: ECON 201B and ECON 202B, and economics major or minor or applied economics major status. The first course in a three course sequence (including ECON 361A and ECON 462) on the development of research skills in economics, students will be introduced to the tools of economic analysis, including how to develop a good research question, how to do a literature search in economics, how to find and collect economic data, and how to integrate economic theory and empirical analysis, as well as oral and written presentation skills.

ECON 301A  - Mathematical Economics  (3 Credits)  

Prerequisites: ECON 201B and ECON 202B. Use of mathematical methods in economic analysis. Topics will include equilibrium analysis, comparative statics, and optimizations.

ECON 302  - Managerial Economics  (3 Credits)  

Prerequisite: ECON 201B and ECON 202B. Application of economic analysis in formulating managerial decisions drawing upon the theoretical foundations of the concepts of demand, cost, production, profits, and competition, with special emphasis on case studies.

ECON 303  - Microeconomics  (3 Credits)  

Prerequisites: ECON 201B and ECON 202B. Systematic study of the role of the price system in organizing economic activity and an evaluation of its effectiveness.

ECON 304  - Macroeconomics  (3 Credits)  

Prerequisites: ECON 201B and ECON 202B. Analysis of the determinants of macroeconomic activity including national income, employment, and the price level. Investigation of the capabilities and limits of government stabilization and growth policies.

ECON 311B  - Industrial Economics  (3 Credits)  

Prerequisites: ECON 201B and ECON 202B. Case study analysis of different types of structural organization, behavior, and performance of industry.

ECON 312  - Government and Business  (3 Credits)  

Prerequisites: ECON 201B and ECON 202B. The rationale for and impact of government participation in the marketplace. Topics include antitrust laws and policies and regulation.

ECON 321  - Money And Banking  (3 Credits)  

Prerequisites: ECON 201B and ECON 202B. Analysis of financial instruments, markets and intermediaries and monetary policy.

ECON 322A  - Investment Analysis  (3 Credits)  

Prerequisites: ECON 201B and ECON 202B. Introduction to portfolio theory and the evaluation of investment alternatives. Topics include the stock market and the valuation of securities.

ECON 331A  - Environmental and Resource Economics  (3 Credits)  

Prerequisites: ECON 201B and ECON 202B. The application of economic methods to analysis of environmental and natural resource issues. Public policy issues will also be considered.

ECON 333  - Introduction to Game Theory  (3 Credits)  

Prerequisites: ECON 201B and ECON 202B. Introduction to the theory of games as applied to the study of economics, business and international affairs. Topics include games of complete and incomplete information and non-cooperative games and cooperative games.

ECON 341A  - Public Finance  (3 Credits)  

Prerequisites: ECON 201B and ECON 202B. An economic analysis of political decision-making, and the impact of government spending and taxation on the allocation of resources and distribution of income.

ECON 342  - Law and Economics  (3 Credits)  

Prerequisites: ECON 201B and ECON 202B. Economic analysis of legal rules and institutions.

ECON 351C  - Poverty, Affluence, and Equality  (3 Credits)  

Prerequisites: ECON 201B and ECON 202B. Economic analysis of the distributions of income and wealth, poverty, and discrimination.

ECON 352  - Labor Economics  (3 Credits)  

Prerequisites: ECON 201B and ECON 202B. Economics of labor force participation, occupational choice, education and training, mobility, compensation systems, productivity and unemployment. Specific topics at discretion of instructor.

ECON 354A  - Urban and Regional Economics  (3 Credits)  

Prerequisites: ECON 201B and ECON 202B. An economic analysis of contemporary urban topics including location theory and economic structure of cities, growth and development of central cities and ghettos, housing, transportation, poverty, crime and fiscal issues.

ECON 361A  - Introductory Econometrics  (3 Credits)  

Prerequisites: ECON 201B, ECON 202B and ECON 300. ECON 361A is the second course of a three-course sequence (including ECON 300 and ECON 462) on the development of research skills in economics. The course provides students with a more sophisticated understanding of the statistical methods used in economics and expects students to produce more sophisticated economic research.

ECON 374  - History of Economic Thought  (3 Credits)  

Prerequisites: ECON 201B and ECON 202B. A survey of economic analysis from antiquity to the 21st century. Focus on the 18th and 19th centuries.

ECON 375  - American Economic History  (3 Credits)  

Prerequisites: ECON 201B and ECON 202B. The study of factors contributing to economic development of the United States, including the historical growth of economic institutions such as agriculture, banking, labor unions, and manufacturing.

ECON 382  - International Trade  (3 Credits)  

Prerequisites: ECON 201B and ECON 202B. An introduction to international trade, the balance of payments, exchange rate determination, and related issues of international economic policy.

ECON 384  - Economic Development  (3 Credits)  

Prerequisites: ECON 201B and ECON 202B. An introduction to theories of economic development. Focus on current problems of developing countries.

ECON 386  - International Finance  (3 Credits)  

Prerequisite: ECON 201B, ECON 202B. Survey of the major topics in contemporary international finance: balance of payments, international capital flows, foreign exchange markets and exchange rate determination, international monetary system, monetary union, global market place, and financial crises.

ECON 405  - Contemporary Economic Issues  (3 Credits)  

Prerequisites: ECON 201B, ECON 202B, ECON 303 and ECON 304. Discussion of contemporary issues in economic theory and policy.

ECON 428  - Economics of Multinational Economics of Multinational Corporations  (3 Credits)  

Prerequisite: ECON 201B and ECON 202B. Introduction to topics on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Multinational Corporation (MNC). Topics include major determinants of FDI and various economic effects of FDI by the MNCs.

ECON 460  - Applied Economic Analysis  (3 Credits)  

Prerequisites: ECON 300 and ECON 302. Development of research skills and their application to markets, industries, and firms. Focus on independent research project. This course serves as a capstone to the study of applied economics at the University.

ECON 462  - Advanced Economic Analysis  (3 Credits)  

Prerequisite: ECON 201B, ECON 202B, ECON 300, and ECON 361A. ECON 462 is the third course in a three-course sequence (along with ECON 300 and ECON 361A) in the development of research skills in economics. This course has the highest expectations with respect to mastery of statistical methods in economic research and the quality of research produced. This course serves as a capstone to the study of economics at the University.

ECON 488  - Seminar in Economics  (3 Credits)  

Prerequisites: ECON 201B and ECON 202B. Special topics of interest to faculty and students.

ECON 490  - Experiential Learning  (3 Credits)  

Prerequisites: ECON 201B and ECON 202B and permission of the instructor. A faculty supervised experience designed to challenge students to go outside of the bounds of the typical classroom.

ECON 491  - Individual Study in Economics  (1-6 Credits)  

Prerequisite: ECON 201B and ECON 202B, and economics major status. Directed individual research on an approved topic in economics. Required for honors in economics.

ECON 492  - Individual Study   (3 Credits)  

Directed individual research on an approved topic in economics. Required for honors in economics.

ECON 499  - Internship  (1-12 Credits)  

Prerequisites ECON 201B and ECON 202B. Supervised off-campus experience, developed in consultation with the department.