ECON 110 - Topics: International Economics
4 semester hours
Gwinn, Lawrence
Prerequisites: Minimum Math Placement Level 22.
Introduces students to the fundamental economics of international trade and international monetary relations. Students develop a thorough understanding of demand and supply as the main tool of analysis to examine topics such as the effect of international trade on world and national welfare, how trade influences a country's distribution of income, tariffs and other trade restrictions, the operation of floating and fixed exchange rate systems, and the relationship of international exchange to domestic macroeconomic economic goals. Alternate Years.
ECON 190S - Principles of Economics
4 semester hours
Frost, Marcia; Tiffany, Frederick; Asiamah, Selloane
Prerequisites: Students must have attained the math placement level 22 to enroll.
An introduction to basic principles of economics. Topics covered include supply and demand, marginal analysis, competition, profit maximization, aggregate demand, and supply, the level of employment, inflation, fiscal policy, monetary policy, and international trade. Lecture/discussion format.
ECON 260 - East Asian Economies
4 semester hours
Frost, Marcia
Prerequisites: ECON 190.
Study of the specific economic and institutional issues of four East Asian economies: China, Mongolia, North, and South Korea. Topics include economic ideologies and policies, allocation of resources, wealth and income; socio-economic development; standards of living; labor and product markets; domestic and international trade; and commercial, fiscal, and monetary policies. Writing Intensive. CLAC option. Alternate years.
ECON 280 - Managerial Economics
4 Semester hours
Tiffany, Frederick
Prerequisites: MATH 120Q or Math Placement level 25 and ECON 190S
In this course, students will extend their understanding of microeconomic theory and its use in managerial decision-making. Topics will include the theories of demand, production cost and market structure. Game theory will be employed in the analysis of oligopolistic markets.The course will have a lecture/discussion format. Students will be evaluated on the basis of two or three midterm examinations, a final examination, and frequent homework assignments. Note: A student cannot receive credit for both ECON 280 and ECON 310.
ECON 301 - Financial Markets and Institutions
4 semester hours
Ankrom, Jeff
Prerequisites: ECON 190 and MATH 120.
The course is meant to impart a basic understanding of money and financial institutions and their impact on the working of the economy. This will be accomplished by examining the following topics.
The course will have a lecture/discussion format and will involve regular reading of the Wall Street Journal. Exams, quizzes, and class discussion form the basis for the course grade.
ECON 311 - Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory
4 semester hours
Gwinn, Lawrence
Prerequisites: ECON 190, ECON 205, and MATH 120 or its equivalent.
This course builds on the ideas presented in ECON 190 and ECON 201 to develop in greater detail models that analyze the national economy, with an emphasis on the distinction between short-run and long-run equilibrium, and on the various schools of thought. We discuss problems inherent in fiscal and monetary stabilization policy and their relationship to unemployment, inflation, and economic growth. A good understanding of algebra is necessary.
ECON 315 - Labor Economics
4 semester hours
Frost, Marcia
Labor Economics explores the determinants of the supply of and demand for labor, wages and working conditions, and the productivity of labor. It is concerned with both the microeconomic decision-making of individuals, households and firms, and the macroeconomic outcomes of their decision. The course will also explore the institutional framework of contemporary labor markets, including discrimination and affirmative action, government regulation, and unions. Lecture/discussion format.
ECON 330 - International Trade and Finance
4 semester hours
Gwinn, Lawrence
Prerequisites: ECON 190 and MATH 120 (or Math Placement Level 25)
International Trade and Finance is a study of the principles governing the effect of international trade on nations' welfare as well as on domestic income, unemployment, and prices. Topics include the pattern of exports and imports, the process by which countries gain from international trade and how those gains result in a redistribution of welfare within countries, and the pitfalls associated with tariffs and other trade restrictions. The effect of exchange rate systems on national economies and on the international market for assets receives particular attention.
ECON 400 - Senior Seminar in Economics
4 semester hours
Tiffany, Fred
Prerequisites: ECON 280 or 310, ECON 301 or 311, ECON 300, MATH 131 or 201, and senior standing.
This capstone course for both the Economics and Financial Economics majors requires students to synthesize their knowledge of economics by applying rigorous economic analysis to contemporary policy issues or historical questions of interest. Depending on instructor and student preferences, the course may take different forms: A series of short papers and student presentations based on current issues in economics and political economy as reported in the news media, such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Economist, a semester-long research project culminating in a thesis, or the course could emerge as a hybrid with some students opting for shorter papers and others a major project. It is possible that work can be accomplished in groups of two or three students. In any event, students will be expected to apply economic theory and use econometrics to examine economic questions. Grades will be based on the quality of papers, presentations, and class participation. Seminar format.
