Undergraduate Course Descriptions

Current Course Listings and Schedules (Office of the Registrar)

Schedule Spring 2010

Schedule Fall 2009

180.101 (S) Elements of Macroeconomics

An introduction to the economic system and economic analysis, with emphasis on total national income and output, employment, the price level and inflation, money, the government budget, the national debt, and interest rates. The role of public policy. Applications of economic analysis to government and personal decisions. Prerequisite: basic facility with graphs and algebra.
Ball, Maccini: 3 credits

180.105 Int. Finance & Current Economic Crisis

Chabound: 3 credits

180.233 Intro. to the European Union

Heisenberg: 3 credits

180.235 Intro. to International Political Economy

Heisenberg: 3 credits

180.241 (S) International Trade

Theory of comparative advantage and the international division of labor: the determinants and pattern of trade, factor price equalization, factor mobility, gains from trade and distribution of income, and theory and practice or tariffs and other trade restrictions. Prerequisites: 180.101-102
Khan: 3 credits

180.252 (S) Economics of Discrimination

This course examines labor market outcomes by race and gender in the United States. There are several objectives: to apply economic theory to the labor market; to examine empirical evidence on earnings and employment outcomes, and to evaluate supply-side explanations for these outcomes; to consider the validity of several alternative economic theories of discrimination; and to assess the impact of public policies to combat discrimination. This course will also reinforce skills relevant to all fields of applied economics, including critical evaluation of the theoretical and empirical literature, and the reasoned application of statistical techniques. Prerequisite for the course is Elements of Microeconomics (180.102) or equivalent.

Morgan: 3 credits

180.261 (S) Monetary Analysis

Analysis of money, banking, and government debt, with emphasis on coherent models with microeconomic foundations. Topics include barter and commodity money, monetary institutions in historical perspective, international monetary systems; portfolio theory, liquidity, financial intermediation, bank risk, central banking; debts and deficits, savings and investment, the temptation of inflation. The course aims at providing students with the means to analyze monetary questions and institutions. Prerequisites: 180.101-102.
Ball: 3 credits

180.289 (S) Health Economics

Application of economic concepts and analysis to the health services system. Review of empirical studies of demand for health services, behavior of providers, and relationship of health services to population health levels. Discussion of current policy issues relating to financing and resource allocation. Prerequisite:180.102
Bishai: 3 credits

180.301 (S) Microeconomic Theory

An introduction to the modern theory of allocation of resources, starting with the theories of the individual consumer and producer, and proceeding to analysis of systems of interacting individuals, first in the theory of exchange, then to systems which include production as well. Prerequisites 180.101(can be taken concurrently with 180.101)-102 and Differential Calculus 110.106, or permission of instructor.
Shore: 4 1/2 credits

180.310 (S) Economics of Antitrust

This course explores the economic rationale for, and consequences of, antitrust laws. In addition to economic analysis, we will study landmark antitrust cases. Prerequisite: 180.301.
Hamilton: 3 credits

180.334 (S,Q) Econometrics

Introduction to the methods of estimation in economic research. The first part of the course develops the primary method employed in economic research, the method of least squares. This is followed by an investigation of the performance of the method in a variety of important situations. The development of a way to handle many of the situations in which ordinary least squares is not useful, the method of instrumental variables, concludes the course. Prerequisites: Statistical Analysis (550.111 or 550.420), or permission of instructor. Pre-or corequisites: 180.301-302.

180.351 (S) Labor Economics

In this course students extend their knowledge of economic theory as it applies to the labor market, examine earnings and employment outcomes, and assess the efficiency and equity impacts of several governmental programs. In lectures and readings a continuing focus will be on the methodologies and statistical techniques labor economists employ. In the second part of the course students will have an opportunity to use both economic theory and empirical evidence to analyze in depth topics such as discrimination, inequality, and the impact of immigration and globalization on the labor market. Prerequisites for the course are Microeconomic Theory (180.301) or permission of the instructor. Knowledge of statistical analysis up to the level of simple regression is also helpful.

Morgan: 3 credits

180.366 (S) Corporate Finance

An introduction to the financial management of a corporation. How should a firm decide whether to invest in a new project? How much debt and equity should a firm use to finance its activities? How should a firm pay its investors? How do taxes affect a firm's investment and financing decisions? What determines the value of a firm? The emphasis throughout the course is on the economic principles that underlie answers to these questions. Prerequisite: 180.301 or permission of the instructor.

Duffee: 3 credits

180.367 (S) Investments and Portfolio Management

Investment securities and their markets, especially the stock market. The relations between expected return and risk. The determination of security prices. Financial portfolio selection. The assessment of the performance of managed portfolios. Prerequisites: 180.301 and Statistics 111-112 or Perm. Req'd.
Wright: 3 credits

180.370 (S) Financial Market Microstructure

How financial markets work in theory and practice: role of organization and regulation on asset price formation. We examine market liquidity, transactions costs, volatility, trading profits.some emphasis on behavioral finance. Pre Req: 180.301.
Fohlin:3 credits

180.373 (S) Corporate Restructuring

The objective of this course is to familiarize students with financial, legal and strategic issues associated with corporate restructuring process. Main focus of the course is on the restructuring of financially distressed firms. The course surveys a variety of restructuring methods (out-of-court workouts, exchange offers, prepackaged bankruptcies, Chapter 11 bankruptcies, insolvency practices in other countries) available to troubled firms. A small portion of the course is concerned with restructuring employee contracts and equity claims (equity carve-outs, spin-offs, tracking stock). Prerequisite: 180.366
Eraslan: 3 credits

180.501 Independent Study in Economics

Independent work on selected topics may be arranged by agreement between a student, a faculty member, and the department.
Staff: 3 credits

180.521(S) Research in Economics

Students enrolled in this fall-semester course will do preliminary work on the Senior Honors Thesis. The tasks are to find an area of research, begin working with a thesis advisor, and develop a thesis topic and research plan for the thesis itself. By the end of fall semester the student and advisor should be able to make a firm determination as to the feasibility of the proposed thesis. NOTE: It is in the nature of research that some topics ultimately prove to be infeasible. With that in mind, it is possible to enroll in, and receive credit for, Research in Economics without subsequently enrolling in 180.522 Senior Honors Thesis. Prerequisite: Senior Standing, 180.334 (may be waived by the thesis advisor, depending upon the topic). (Note: This course cannot be counted as one of the 5 elective courses required for the Major in Economics)

Fohlin: 2 credits

570.428(S) Applied Economic Research

Hanke: 2 credits