Credit Hour(s): 3.0
The Global Economy. Not available for credit in the major; may be used as a nonmajor elective depending on degree.The world's economies have become much more integrated over time. This course is designed to introduce students to basic facts about the operation of the world economy, with particular focus on current issues confronting economies of various countries. The course will discuss the role of international organizations such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, and will focus on major problems facing policy makers, such as global income inequality, financial crises, environmental challenges, the transition to a market economy, and the design of the European Monetary Union.
Credit Hour(s): 3.0
Principles of Macroeconomics. Prerequisite: Math 1101 or Math 1111. This course analyzes the overall performance of economic systems including output and employment levels, inflation, economic growth, international finance, and the effects of monetary and fiscal policies.
Credit Hour(s): 3.0
Principles of Microeconomics. Prerequisite: Math 1101 or Math 1111. This course is a systematic study of the functions of markets and prices in the production and distribution of goods and includes economic analysis of international trade, public finance, labor markets, monopoly, and poverty.
Credit Hour(s): 1.0 TO 6.0
Special Topics in Economics I. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Studies in Economics; topics vary according to instructor. May be repeated if the topic differs.
Credit Hour(s): 3.0
The Economics of Art, Entertainment, and Culture. Not available for credit in the major: may be used as a nonmajor elective depending on program. Each year Americans spend at least 120 billion hours and over $150 billion on legal forms of entertainment. In spite of this, the economic idiosyncrasies of the sector are often not well understood. This class examines the economics of the major entertainment enterprises: the performing arts and other fine arts, movies and television programming, commercial music, broadcasting, cable television, casino gambling, and more. In addition to the basic facts and microeconomic characteristics of these industries, the class discusses how the sector is impacted by the macroeconomy and public policy.
Credit Hour(s): 3.0
Macroeconomics-CTW. Prerequisite: Econ 2105. This course applies the tools of aggregate economic analysis to the problems of the performance of the economy. The course links the theories and data to understand the causes of macroeconomic fluctuations in production, employment, inflation, and international economic relations; particular emphasis is placed on macroeconomic policy issues. This course has been designated as a CTW (Critical Thinking Through Writing) course.
Credit Hour(s): 3.0
Microeconomics. Prerequisite: Econ 2106. This course develops models of the behavior of individual economic units, including consumers, workers, investors, and business firms, and explains how and why these units make economic decisions. Economic behavior in various types of market environments is analyzed. The implications of this behavior for the allocation of resources and for public policy are discussed.
Credit Hour(s): 3.0
History of Economic Thought. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. An historical presentation of the economic doctrines of the physiocratic, classical, neoclassical, historical, Keynesian, and other schools of thought.
Credit Hour(s): 3.0
Health Economics. Prerequisite: Econ 2106 or equivalent. This course analyzes resource allocation issues in the health care sector of the U.S. and other economies. The demand, production, cost, and financing of health care services are examined using a variety of conceptual and empirical models. The economic evaluation of alternative health care programs is also discussed.
Credit Hour(s): 3.0
Environmental Economics and Policy. Prerequisite: Econ 2106 or permission of instructor. This course is designed to introduce the student to a broad range of contemporary environmental problems and the design of appropriate policy responses. Environmental concerns such as declining urban air quality, water pollution, tropical rain forest destruction, and global warming are covered (topics vary according to the instructor). The role of economic development and the political and social forces determining environmental quality are explored. The effectiveness of past and present environmental policies and regulations are evaluated and contrasted with newer, more flexible approaches to improving environmental policy. This course is designed for students majoring in all disciplines who have interests in public policy as it relates to managing the environment.
Credit Hour(s): 3.0
Experimental Economics. Prerequisite: Econ 2106 or equivalent. This introduction to experimental economics builds upon the scientific method and the testing of economic theories via laboratory experiments. Students will gain an understanding of the extent to which basic economic theories predict actual human behavior. The relevance and impact of similar experiments and related analyses on important debates surrounding public policy issues will be examined, which include privatization, market regulation, and environmental regulation.
Credit Hour(s): 3.0
Economics of Cities. Prerequisite: Econ 2106. This course provides an introduction to the ways that economics can be used to understand cities. The primary emphasis in the first half of the course is on the spatial organization of economic activity. Why are cities located where they are, what economic functions do they perform, and, within cities, how can we understand what goes on where, and who lives where? The tools that we develop as we deal with these questions will be essential in the second half of the course, in which we will take an economic approach to a number of policy issues that are loosely termed "urban problems" in the popular press.
Credit Hour(s): 3.0
Economics of Poverty and Public Policy. This course applies basic economic concepts to the study of poverty in the United States. There are three main topics: (1) measuring the extent of poverty in the United States, (2) explaining the causes of poverty, and (3) evaluating actual and potential private sector or government responses to the problem. Within this framework, topics that will be discussed include poverty and inequality, economics of the family, racial/gender discrimination and segregation, neighborhood effects, history of welfare, the incentive structure of the current and proposed welfare plans, and welfare reform.
Credit Hour(s): 1.0 TO 6.0
Directed Readings in Economics. Prerequisites: Econ 2105 and Econ 2106, and consent of instructor.
Credit Hour(s): 3.0
Public Sector Economics. Prerequisite:Econ 2106. This course explores issues related to expenditure and tax policies of governments, as well as views regarding the purpose of government and criteria for evaluating government actions. Various government expenditure programs, such as education and social security, and revenue sources, such as income taxes and property taxes, are then described and analyzed in light of the criteria. The course also includes a discussion of how group or collective choices are made within society, how environmental policies affect the level of pollution, and the importance of public debt.
Credit Hour(s): 3.0
Law and Economics Prerequisite: Econ 2106. This course provides an introduction to the economic analysis of legal issues and explores the relationship of legal institutions and laws to economic efficiency and social goals, such as justice. Topics are chosen from among the following: property rights, externalities and environmental control, administrative processes, crime, contracts and liability (e. g. product liability and medical malpractice), public utility and antitrust regulations, individual rights and discrimination.
Credit Hour(s): 3.0
Industrial Organization, Regulation, and Antitrust Economics. Prerequisite: Econ 2106. The theory of government regulatory and antitrust policies and their effects on the competitive performance of the economy and the behavior of individual firms and industries. Specific topics include an economic and some legal analysis of mergers, price discrimination, predatory strategies, tying contracts, resale price maintenance, cost-benefit studies, product and worker safety, the environment, and deregulation issues in telecommunications, transportation, and other industries, with special emphasis on modern landmark cases and the role of economics in affecting public policy.
Credit Hour(s): 3.0
Money and Credit. Prerequisite: Econ 2105. A study of the role of money, credit, interest rates, and the balance of payments in determining the rate of production and employment in a nation's economy; emphasis is placed on monetary policies of the Federal Reserve System and their interaction with other elements of policy and with international economic currents.
Credit Hour(s): 3.0
Economic Development. Prerequisite: Econ 2105 and Econ 2106. This course analyzes the issues underlying vast differences in development among the nations of the world. Economic growth, subject to appropriate restraints on environmental degradation, is seen as a major instrument for improving the development of nations and the welfare of their people. The course employs elements of theories of growth, international trade and finance, industrial organization, money, as well as micro and macroeconomics to analyze causes of and prescribe cures for, underdevelopment.
Credit Hour(s): 3.0
The Economy of South Africa. Prerequisiste: Econ 2105 and Econ 2106. This course examines the South African economy in detail. It aims to investigate reasons for the current state of this emerging economy and to assess prospects for future growth. In essence, this course is a case study in economic development. Classical and contemporary models of development and undevelopment will be examined in regards to their relevancy to the South African case. In addition, development issues such as poverty, inequality, human capital formation and trade policy will also be looked at in a South African context. The material will often be presented in a Sub-Saharan African context. That is, concurrent developments in other parts of the African continent will also be investagated and analyzed to offer points of contrast and comparison.
Credit Hour(s): 3.0
Economic Studies Abroad South Africa. Prerequisite: Econ 2105. This course is designed to be a brief survey of the South African economy with an emphasis on current topical issues. The course presents students with a case study in economic development. The course starts off the first week with an overview of South African history and contemporary economic issues. During the next two weeks students will travel to the Pretoria/Johannesburg area in Gauteng Province, the industrial center of the country, and the Capte Town area of the Western Cape. Through a series of lectures and site visits students will be able to asess South Africa's potential for economic growth and prosperity. Additional site visits are designed to provide students with an exposure to South African peoples and their culture.
Credit Hour(s): 3.0
American Economic History. (Same as Hist 4210.) An intensive study of the development of the American economy with an emphasis upon the changing structure, institutional pattern, and performance of the system.
Credit Hour(s): 3.0
Introduction to Game Theory. This course introduces the basics of game theory to undergraduate students in various disciplines. It focuses on fundamentals of game theory including basic concepts and techniques, various ways of describing and solving games, and various applications in economics, political science, and business. It will help students sharpen their understanding of strategic behavior in different situations involving many individuals.
Credit Hour(s): 3.0
International Trade. Prerequisite: Econ 2106. An examination of theories of trade and empirical verification, trade and welfare, tariff and nontariff barriers to trade, common markets, and the relationship between growth and trade.
Credit Hour(s): 3.0
International Finance. Prerequisite: Econ 2105. A study of the foreign exchange market, the balance of payments, exchange-rate systems with particular emphasis on the current international monetary system, the international macroeconomic model, and policies for internal and external balance.
Credit Hour(s): 3.0
Mathematical Economics. Prerequisites: Econ 2105 and Econ 2106, and Math 2211 or Math 1220. This course provides an introduction to mathematical techniques that are frequently used in economic analysis. Topics covered include differential and integral calculus and matrix algebra. Emphasis is placed on the applications of mathematics to topics in economic theory.
Credit Hour(s): 3.0
Econometrics and Applications. Prerequisites: Econ 2105 and Econ 2106, and Math 1070. An introduction to the regression model, its assumptions, limitations, and application to problems in business and economics.
Credit Hour(s): 3.0
Economics of Work and Pay. Prerequisite: 2106. This course applies economic theory to the analysis of labor markets. Topics examined include wage determination, employment and labor force growth, education and training, occupational attainment, unemployment, and the impact of discrimination, unions, and government policy on the functioning of labor markets.
Credit Hour(s): 1.0 TO 6.0
Special Topics in Economics II. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Advanced studies in Economics; topics vary according to instructor. May be repeated if the topic differs.
Credit Hour(s): 3.0
Senior Capstone in Economics-CTW. Prerequisites: ECON 3900, ECON 3910 and two 4000 level ECON courses with grades of C or better or permission of the instructor. This course serves as an integrative capstone course for the economics major and should normally be taken during the student's last two semesters of study. Basic tools and methods of economics are used to understand and analyze a variety of contemporary economic problems and policy issues. The course will be organized by research modules that cover at least four of the following six broad economics topics: business policy analysis; economic history and thought; social policy and human resources; international economics and globalization; government fiscal, environmental and urban policies; and behavioral economics. This course has been designated as CTW (Critical Thinking Through Writing) course.