Courses numbered in the Economics 100 sequence are introductory courses.
Courses numbered in the Economics 200 sequence have an Economics 101 prerequisite.
Courses numbered in the Economics 300 sequence have a core theory prerequisite.
Within the Economics 200 and 300 sequences, there are other numbering conventions as well:
Economics 202 (Intermediate Microeconomic Theory),
Economics 203 (Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory),
and Economics 204 (Statistics)
are our core requirements.
(Basic Econometrics will replace Statistics
as a core theory requirement; click here for a description.)
Economics 210 and 310 represent courses that tend to be quantitative in nature.
Economics 220 and 320 represent courses that tend to be domestic policy-oriented courses.
Economics 230 and 330 represent courses that tend to be macroeconomic or international in nature.
Courses numbered in the Economics 400 sequence are senior-level courses.
Several faculty have syllabi linked to their individual web pages. The professors' names are links to their web pages.
Occasionally a course description includes a link to a description of a requirement.
100W (Comp) First Year Seminars
Staff
Writing intensive study of selected topics in economics.
Satisfies the composition requirement for graduation
and one of the two-course core requirement in social science.
Open only to first-year students.
101 Introductory Economics
Staff
Theories and institutions that organize and direct economic activities
in contemporary society. Prepares students for understanding domestic and international economic
issues; serves as a foundation
for further work in economics; and complements study in other areas. Meets
for extra sessions.
105 Statistics Mr. Foley,
Mr. Martin
Applications of probability and statistics to economic analysis.
Topics include: probability rules, discrete and continuous random variables, confidence intervals, hypothesis tests, correlation, and regression.
One laboratory session per week.
(First offering of course is in Spring 2004.)
130 Survey of International Economics Mr. Appleyard
(Cross-listed CIS 130). Investigation of the causes of and gains from international trade, and of the impact of
policies which restrict trade. Analysis of the balance of payments and exchange rates and of their implications for economic policy. Discussion of problems of
developing countries and possible strategies for solving those problems economy. Does not carry major credit.
Prerequisite: Economics 101.
(Fall)
195, 196 Independent Study
Staff
Designed for non-economics majors who desire to pursue some special interest in economics on an independent study basis. The proposal must be approved in advance by the faculty member who supervises the student and determines the means of evaluation.
202 Intermediate Microeconomic Theory Ms. Chaston,
Mr. Foley,
Mr. Smith
Analysis of production and consumption activities of individual economic
units. Areas of concentration include the theory of consumer behavior,
cost analysis, production and distribution theory, market structure, game
theory, general equilibrium,
and welfare criteria.
Prerequisites: Economics 101 and either AP Calculus or Mathematics 130/135.
203 Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory Mr. Appleyard,
Mr. Hess,
Mr. Kumar
Theories of aggregate demand and supply; determination of real national
income, employment, and price level; and use of fiscal and monetary policies
to achieve macroeconomic objectives.
Prerequisites: Economics 101 and either AP Calculus or Mathematics 130/135.
204 Statistics Mr. Foley,
Mr. Martin
Applications of probability and statistics to economic analysis. Topics
include: probability rules, discrete and continuous random variables, confidence
intervals, hypothesis tests, goodness-of-fit tests, correlation and regression.
Computer applications using SAS and Excel are incorporated into the
course. One laboratory section per week.
205 Basic Econometrics Ms. Chaston,
Mr. Foley,
Mr. Martin
Applications of linear regression analysis to economic analysis.
Topics include model specification, parameter estimation, inference, and problems relating to data issues, statistical concerns, and model diagnostics.
One laboratory section per week.
Prerequisites: Economics 101 and either Economics 105 or permission of the instructor.
(First offering of course is in Fall 2004.)
211 Introduction to Accounting Mr. Baker
Comprehensive study of the theory and problems of valuation of assets,
application of funds, corporation accounts and statements, and interpretation
of financial statements.
212 Intermediate Accounting Mr. Baker
Complex problems in various areas of financial accounting, with emphasis on theoretical background and
analysis of accounting data.
Prerequisite: Economics 211.Students may count either Economics 212 or Economics 213 towards the major, but not both.
(Spring)
213 Cost Accounting Mr. Baker
Study of allocation and utilization of resources. Emphasis on cost
behavior, cost allocation, product costing, budgeting, decision-making and
control activities related to job-order, process and activity-based (ABC)
costing systems.
Prerequisite: Economics 211.Students may count either Economics 212 or Economics 213 towards the major, but not both.
(Not offered in 2003-2004.)
215 Mathematical Economics Mr. Hess
Basic mathematical techniques used in economic analysis. Topics include
static and dynamic analyses of market equilibrium, macroeconomic models
and optimization.
Prerequisites: Economics 101 and either AP Calculus or Mathematics 130/135.
(Not offered in 2003-2004.)
221 Economic History of the United States Mr. Ross,
Mr. Smith
Principal events affecting economic policy and behavior in the United
States since colonial times. Emphasis on historical origins of contemporary
American problems.
Prerequisite: Economics 101.
(Fall)
222 Health Economics Ms. Chaston
Application of basic tools of economic analysis
to the markets for medical care and health insurance in the United States.
Includes international comparisons of health care systems in both developed
and developing countries and proposals to reform the health care system
in the United States.
Prerequisite: Economics 101.
(Not offered in 2003-2004.)
226 Environment and Natural Resources Economics Mr. Martin
Development of economic tools to value environmental amenities, analyze
pollution control strategies, and guide natural resource use. The class
develops a survey to value an environmental amenity and analyzes the policy
implications of the results.
Prerequisites: Economics 101. Either AP Calculus or Mathematics 130/135 recommended.
(Not offered in 2004-2005.)
227 Gender and Economics Ms. Chaston
Role of gender in economic decision-making and market transactions.
Models of time allocation between the household and the market, theories of discrimination, and occupational ghettoization and segregation will be studied. Related public policy initiatives will be assessed.
Prerequisite: Economics 101.
(Fall)
229 Urban Economics Mr. Smith
Role of economics in the development of modern cities.
Topics include: the monocentric-city model, urban land values, crime, transporation, education, and taxation.
Prerequisite: Economics 101.
(Spring)
231 History of Economic Thought Mr. Kumar
Development and nature of economic thought from the ancient Greeks to the present,
with particular attention to the classical, Marizian, Austrian, neoclassical, institutional, and Keynesian schools.
Prerequisite: Economics 101.
(Spring)
232 Economics of Transition Mr. Foley
Examination of the legacy of the Soviet economic system in theory and practice.
Critical analysis of the transformation from central planning to market-oriented systems including macroeconomic stabilization, market liberalization, and institutional development.
Case studies include Russia, China, central and eastern Europe, and the Baltic states.
Prerequisite: Economics 101.
(Fall)
233 Economic Development Mr. Hess
Models and strategies for economic growth and development with concentration
on the contemporary less developed countries; the international concerns
of resources, the environment, and security.
Prerequisite: Economics 101.
(Fall)
236 Economics of Population Mr. Hess
Population growth, components of population change, and demographic
correlates of economic development. Topics include rapid population growth
and contemporary developing economies, limits to growth and steady-state
economics, economic models of fertility and migration, and population policy.
Prerequisites: Economics 101. Either AP Calculus or Mathematics 130/135 recommended.
(Not offered after 2002-2003.)
280-284 Seminars
Staff
Reading, research, papers, and discussion on selected topics in economics.
Each staff member announces in advance the particular topic or area of
the seminar.
Prerequisite: Economics 101.
295, 296 Individual Research
Staff
Designed for the student who desires to pursue some special interest in
economics. A research proposal must be approved in advance by the faculty
member who supervises the student and determines the means of evaluation.
Prerequisites: Economics 101 and permission of the instructor.
314 Finance Mr. Martin
Fundamental aspects of financial theory in both a theoretical and practical
manner. Includes net present value theory, the capital asset pricing model,
capital market efficiency, dividend and capital structure issues, and option
models.
Prerequisites: Economics 202, 204, and 211.
(Not offered in 2004-2005.)
317 Econometrics Mr. Martin
Theory and applications of linear regression modeling to the analysis
of economic theory and to the forecasting of economic variables.
Prerequisites: Economics 204 and either AP Calculus or Mathematics 130/135.
(Not offered in 2004-2005.)
318 Sports Economics Mr. Smith
The economics of professional and collegiate sports leagues.
The course examines sports economics topics from labor economics, public economics, and industrial organization.
Prerequisites: Economics 202 and 204.
(Fall)
319 Game Theory and Strategic Behavior Mr. Foley
Study of strategic situations in theory and practice.
Course begins with static and dynamic games of complete information, moves to static games of incomplete information, and then concludes with dynamic incomplete information games.
Prerequisites: Economics 202.
(Spring)
323 Industrial Organization Ms. Chaston
Theoretical basis for antitrust laws and the regulation of industries.
Mergers, market power, economies of scale, barriers to entry, and contestable
market theory. Emphasis is placed on past and recent antitrust cases.
Prerequisites: Economics 202; Economics 204 or permission of the instructor.
(Not offered in 2003-2004.)
324 Labor Economics Mr. Foley,
Mr. Ross
Labor markets, unionization, unemployment, and public policy primarily
in the setting of the United States.
Prerequisites: Economics 202; Economics 204 or permission of the instructor.
(Fall)
325 Public Sector Economics Mr. Smith
Analysis of the role the public sector plays in a mixed economy. Topics
include public goods, externalities, tax policy, expenditure policy, budget
deficits, and the national debt. Includes proposals for tax, welfare, and
health care reforms.
Prerequisite: Economics 202.
(Not offered in 2003-2004.)
328 Money and the Financial System Mr. Kumar
Money and financial systems. Term structure of interest rates, structure
of financial markets, regulatory framework, asset demand theories, Federal
Reserve system and operation of monetary policy.
Prerequisite: Economics 203.
(Fall)
336 Economic Growth and Sustainable Development Mr. Hess
Determinants and consequences of economic growth; theories and policy implications of sustainable development.
Prerequisites: Economics 203 and either Economics 105 or Economics 204.
(Spring)
337 International Trade Mr. Appleyard
Economic basis for international trade, determinants and consequences of trade flows, barriers to trade, and trade policy.
Prerequisite: Economics 202.
(Spring)
338 International Finance Mr. Hess,
Mr. Kumar
Macroeconomics of an open economy, balance of payments adjustment, exchange rate regimes, and coordination of international economic policy.
Prerequisite: Economics 203.
(Fall)
380-384 Seminars
Staff
Reading, research, papers, and discussion on selected topics in economics.
Each staff member announces in advance the particular topic or area of
the seminar.
Prerequisite: Economics 202, 203, or 204 and permission of the instructor.
395, 396 Individual Research
Staff
Designed for the major who desires to pursue some special interest in
economics. A research proposal must be approved in advance by the faculty
member who supervises the student and determines the means of evaluation.
Prerequisites: Economics 202, 203, or 204 and permission of the instructor.
401 Honors Research
Staff
Independent research designed to formulate a written proposal for an honors thesis.
The proposal will encompass a review of recent literature, development of a theoretical framework and research hypotheses,
and the preparation of an annotated bibliography.
An oral defense of the written proposal is required.
Graded on a Pass/Fail basis.
(Fall: Please note the department's requirements to earn honors.)
402 Honors Thesis
Staff
Completion of the honors research proposed in Economics 401.
Oral defense of the thesis is required.
Prerequisite: Pass in Economics 401 and permission of the department chair.
(Spring: Please note the department's requirements to earn honors.)
495 Senior Session Mr. AppleyardMr. Martin
Required of all seniors majoring in economics. Students participate
in colloquia on economic problems, theory, and policy; write an empirical
research paper; and take a comprehensive examination in economics that
includes the major field achievement test in economics, an oral exam and
written examinations in quantitative methods and micro-macroeconomic theory.
(Spring)
