Undergraduate Courses

ECON100 ECONOMIC ISSUES AND POLICIES Applies economic concepts to contemporary issues, problems and policies. Covers both macro and micro topics. Takes a less technical approach to basic economics. RESTRICTIONS: Not for major credit. May not be substituted for ECON151 or ECON152.

ECON151 INTRODUCTION TO MICROECONOMICS: PRICES AND MARKETS Introduces supply and demand concepts with basic economic graphs. Examines models of perfect and imperfect competition and the determination of product price and quantities. Covers current microeconomic issues such as the effect of government regulation and environmental problems. COREQ: One of the following - MATH114, MATH115, MATH242, MATH243, or higher. Can be either a prerequisite or corequisite.

ECON152 INTRODUCTION TO MACROECONOMICS: THE NATIONAL ECONOMY Analyzes the determinants of unemployment, inflation, national income, and policy issues relating to how the government alters unemployment and inflation through control of government spending, taxes and the money supply. PREREQ: ECON151.

ECON251 MANAGERIAL ECONOMICS Applies economic theory to business and managerial decision-making. Includes analysis of consumer demand, theory of production and supply, and the effects of different market structures and pricing strategies. PREREQ: ECON151 and MATH201. RESTRICTIONS:  Does not count for credit for economics major.  Credit can be earned for only one among ECON251, ECON300 or ECON301. 

ECON300 INTERMEDIATE MICROECONOMIC THEORY Price determination and income distribution in a market economy; the behavior of firms and industry under conditions of pure and imperfect competition. PREREQ: ECON151.  RESTRICTIONS: Credit can be earned for only one among ECON251, ECON300 or ECON301.  ECON300 cannot be used to satisfy economics B.S. major requirements.  B.S. majors must take ECON301.

ECON301 QUANTITATIVE MICROECONOMIC THEORY Uses calculus to study price determination and income distribution in a market economy; and the behavior of firms and industry under conditions of pure and imperfect competition. PREREQ: ECON151 and MATH221. RESTRICTIONS: Credit can be earned for only one among ECON251, ECON300 or ECON301. BS majors must take ECON301 

ECON302 BANKING AND MONETARY POLICY Nature and economic significance of money, credit and the banking system; the origin and management of the money supply; and effects of monetary changes on price levels, output and employment. PREREQ: ECON152.

ECON303 INTERMEDIATE MACROECONOMIC THEORY Determinants of national income, employment, and inflation; theoretical problem of short-run fluctuations and secular growth; relative merits of monetary and fiscal policy. PREREQ: ECON152 or permission of the instructor.

ECON311 ECONOMICS OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES Surveys policy issues related to economic growth and development. Special emphasis on problems facing contemporary developing countries. PREREQ: ECON151 and ECON152.

ECON315 ECONOMIC HISTORY OF COLONIAL AMERICA Simple economic models and quantitative evidence used to explain colonial American history. Includes migration, servant and slave markets, government financing and the creation of paper money, causes of the Revolution, colonial growth, foreign trade, education and witchcraft. PREREQ: ECON151 and ECON152.

ECON316 ECONOMIC HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES Examines the record of economic change in the United States from the colonial period to the present. Emphasis on using economic theory and measurement for interpreting the past. PREREQ: ECON151 and ECON152.

ECON332 ECONOMICS OF GOVERNMENT SPENDING AND TAXATION Microeconomic and macroeconomic analysis of public expenditure, borrowing and taxation. Introduction to stabilization, efficiency and distributional features of public finance. PREREQ: ECON151. RESTRICTIONS: ECON332 and ECON433 cannot both count for degree credit.

ECON333 CURRENT READINGS IN ECONOMICS Books on current economic topics, such as the Asian financial crisis, income distribution in America, environmental regulation, economic aid to developing countries, health care reform, privatizing social Security, and education vouchers are studied. Student papers and discussion form the essence of class sessions. PREREQ: ECON151.  Usually offered during winter session.

ECON340 INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS Theory, problems and policy in international trade and finance with emphasis on developments since World War II. PREREQ: ECON151 and ECON152. RESTRICTIONS: ECON 340 cannot be taken for credit after ECON441 or ECON443.

ECON341 ENVIRONMENT OF MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS Interdisciplinary approach explores the multinational corporation: its political and economic environment; current attitude of policy makers; and techniques used to earn profits. Material supplemented by practicing economists, financial experts, business executives and political analysts. May be cross-listed with BUAD341 and/or POSC341. PREREQ: ECON152.  RESTRICTIONS: This course is offered only during Winter Session in Geneva.  Counts as a BUAD elective for students receiving a degree in Business Administration. Credit for BUAD/ECON/POSC 341 given only once.  

ECON343 ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS  Analyzes benefits and costs of environmental policy; reviews valuation techniques; assesses efficiency of decentralized, regulatory, tax and marketable permit policies to protect the environment.  Uses graphical (non-calculus) economic analysis. PREREQ: ECON151 or FREC150. NOTE:  This course is cross-listed with FREC343.

ECON350 ECONOMICS OF ENTREPENEURSHIP  Analyzes impact of economic environment on behavior and development of new businesses. Reviews economic forces that influence new and developing businesses, including role of public policy.  Requires development of a business plan which carefully considers economic factors most relevant to the proposed business. PREREQ: ECON151.

ECON360 GOVERNMENT REGULATION OF BUSINESS Normative, economic and legal foundations of government intervention in business, particularly antitrust and regulation; and the process and the effects of government policies. PREREQ: ECON151.

ECON364 ECONOMICS IN PRACTICE Requires completion of at least 120 hours of an economics-related internship with verification by the hiring company.  Term paper relating real-world duties and experiences of internship to principles learned in standard economics courses also expected. PREREQ: ECON 300/301 or 303. RESTRICTIONS:  Requires permission of instructor.

ECON366  INDEPENDENT STUDY  RESTRICTIONS:  Requires permission of instructor.

ECON381 ECONOMICS OF HUMAN RESOURCES Analysis of labor markets and labor market outcomes. Topics include supply of and demand for labor, human capital, labor market discrimination, and the distribution of income. Public policy applications stressed. PREREQ: ECON151. RESTRICTIONS: ECON381 and ECON483 cannot both count for degree credit. 

ECON385 WOMEN AND THE ECONOMY Surveys a wide range of economic issues relating to women's lives with special emphasis on family, work, and pay.  Public policy applications are emphasized. PREREQ: ECON151. Satisfies University Multicultural Class Requirement

ECON390 ECONOMICS OF HEALTHCARE Introduction to the U.S. health care system. Analysis of existing policies and proposals. The roles of markets and governments are examined. Topics include costs, quantity, and quality of health care systems, managed care and alternative delivery systems. PREREQ: ECON151.  RESTRICTIONS: ECON390 and ECON490 cannot both count for degree credit.

ECON393 URBAN ECONOMICS   Uses simple microeconomic analysis to explain why cities exist, where they develop, how they grow, and how different activities are arranged within cities. Explores the economics of urban problems and policies related to local governments, land rent and land use patterns, poverty, housing, transportation, education, and crime. PREREQ: ECON151.

ECON406 ECONOMICS OF INFORMATION AND UNCERTAINTY  Investigates impact of costly information on the behavior of individuals and markets. Topics include decision making under risk and uncertainty, insurance, consumer-employer search behavior, product liability, industrial safety, futures markets and problems of contract enforcement.  PREREQ: ECON251, ECON300 or ECON301; MATH221 or MATH241; and MATH202.

ECON408 ECONOMICS OF LAW Effect of legal rules on resource allocation both in and between the public and private sectors. Considers common law, regulation and constitutional rules. PREREQ: ECON251, ECON300 or ECON301.

ECON415 ECONOMIC FORECASTING A practically oriented introduction to managerial forecasting. Includes an integration of microeconomic and macroeconomic theory with statistical and econometrics techniques to provide meaningful forecasts of the future values of series such as prices, sales, inventory levels and costs. PREREQ: ECON151, ECON152, and MATH202.

ECON418 ECONOMIC HISTORY OF AMERICAN LABOR MARKETS Economic models are used to explain the evolution of various American labor markets, including immigrant labor, female labor markets, slavery, labor unions, internal labor migration, southern labor institutions, and the impact of human capital on industrial expansion and productivity. PREREQ: ECON251, ECON300, or 301.  Satisfies University Multicultural Class Requirement.

ECON419 ECONOMICS OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION Analysis of modern theoretical explanations of the economic downturn of 1929-1933, with implications for understanding current economic problems. Theories considered include those based on monetary contractions, consumption and investment instability and international disturbances. PREREQ: ECON303.

ECON422 ECONOMETRICS METHODS AND MODELS I Uses statistical methods, especially multiple regression, to quantify economic models, including situations when the assumptions of classical statistics do not hold. PREREQ:  MATH221 or MATH241; MATH202;and ECON152.

ECON423 ECONOMETRICS METHODS AND MODELS II Class discussion and research in advanced economic statistics and applied econometrics. PREREQ: ECON422.

ECON426 MATHEMATICAL ECONOMIC ANALYSIS  Uses mathematical tools to formulate and analyze economic propositions. Topics include the use of calculus to analyze comparative statics, optimization and constrained optimization, interest and growth and dynamic models. Prerequisites: ECON251, ECON300 or ECON301; MATH221 or MATH241.

ECON430 ADVANCED MACROECONOMIC THEORY Continuation of intermediate macroeconomic theory.  Recent developments in macroeconomic theory are explored in the context of the ongoing debate between the classical equilibrium and Keynesian disequilibrium theorists.  PREREQ: ECON303.

ECON433 ECONOMICS OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR  Role of government in the economy. Effects of taxation, spending and borrowing on resource allocation and income distribution. Special emphasis on cost-benefit analysis and current issues such as energy and environmental problems, social security, health care, and the national debt. PREREQ: ECON251, ECON300 or ECON301. RESTRICTIONS: ECON332 and ECON433 cannot both count for degree credit.

ECON435 CONTEMPORARY MACROECONOMIC POLICY  Unfolding events in the economy and the actions of policymakers are studied. Special emphasis on current policy actions of the Federal Reserve. Macroeconomic models studied in earlier courses are used to analyze current events. PREREQ: ECON303.

ECON436  SEMINAR IN PUBLIC POLICY ECONOMICS  Investigates current topics in economics, such as healthcare reform, privatizing Social Security, international trade restrictions, and energy policy.  Recent books and journal articles serve as basis for investigating topics.  Student papers and class discussion form the essence of class sessions.  PREREQ: ECON251, ECON300 or ECON301; and ECON303.

ECON441  INTERNATIONAL TRADE Focuses on international trade theory and policy and exchange rates. Topics include trade based on competitive advantage and economies of scale and imperfect competition, international factor movements, tariffs, quotas, export subsidies, customs unions, current account deficits, purchasing power parity, and fixed versus flexible exchange rates. PREREQ: ECON251, ECON300 or ECON301.

ECON442 ECONOMICS OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT Review of benefit-cost analysis and welfare theory; techniques for evaluating environmental amenities; the evolution of environmental legislation; and review of case studies of environmental conflicts. Cross-listed with FREC444. PREREQ: ECON300 or 301.

ECON443 INTERNATIONAL MONETARY ECONOMICS Applies macroeconomic theory in an international context. Uses historical cases to analyze policy making under fixed and flexible exchange rates. Develops alternative models of exchange rate dynamics. Discusses problems and proposed reforms of the international monetary system. PREREQ: ECON300 or ECON301; and ECON303.

ECON460 STRATEGIC BEHAVIOR OF FIRMS Traditional microeconomic theory and game theory to analyze cooperative and non-cooperative strategic behavior of firms. Topics include predatory pricing, price discrimination, limit pricing, collusion, mergers, vertical restrictions, franchise arrangements, technological change, and the role of prices in clearing markets.  PREREQ: ECON251, ECON300 or ECON301; AND MATH221 (or higher level math).

ECON463  THE ECONOMICS OF REGULATION Analyzes government regulation of industry and its economic rationale, pricing issues, firm incentives, and multi-product natural monopolies.  PREREQ: ECON251, ECON300 or ECON301; and MATH221 or MATH241.  RESTRICTIONS: ECON360 and ECON463 cannot both count for degree credit.

ECON465  TRANSPORTATION ECONOMICS Apples microeconomics theory to analysis of modes of passenger transportation with special emphasis on planes, trains, and automobiles.  Empirical analysis of transportation data used to examine policy choices in transportation sector.  PREREQ: ECON251, ECON300 or ECON301; and ECON422.

ECON468  INTERNET ECONOMICS Explores Internet markets and strategic interactions between participants in these markets. Applies microeconomic theory to investigate sources of competitive advantage and monopoly power, pricing practices, network structure and network externalities, technological standards, copyright, and other economic issues relevant to the Internet and e-commerce.  PREREQ: ECON251, ECON300 or ECON301.

ECON471 FUTURES AND OPTION MARKETS Analysis of futures and option markets of agricultural and nonagricultural commodities. Hedging and speculative theory and techniques, cash and futures price relationships. Students trade commodities via a satellite information system. May be cross-listed with FREC471. PREREQ: ECON300 or ECON301 or FREC404.  (Offered in Winter Session only.)

ECON483 ECONOMICS OF LABOR MARKETS Analyzes economic models of labor market topics - sex and race discrimination, determination of wages and fringe benefits, labor unions, individual and firm investments in education and training, geographical mobility, labor supply, and professional sports. PREREQ: ECON251, ECON300 or ECON301.  RESTRICTIONS: ECON381 and ECON483 cannot both count for degree credit.

ECON490 ECONOMICS OF HEALTH POLICY Theoretical analysis of healthcare issues and policies. Examination of changing relationships between patients, providers, hospitals, insurers, employers,
communities and government. Analysis of spending policies, cost containment, hospital competition, care of the elderly, Medicare, Medicaid, managed care regulation, medical malpractice and provider (physician) manpower planning. PREREQ: ECON251, ECON300 or ECON301

ECON530 APPLICATION OF MATHEMATICS IN ECONOMICS Provides students with experience in the application of mathematics in economics. Applications may vary from semester to semester. Mathematical topics may include applications of ordinary and partial differential equations, game theory,linear programming, dynamic programming, stochastic programming and calculus of variations. PREREQ: MATH302, MATH349, ECON301 and ECON303.  Cross-listed with Math530.

LAST REVISION 03/09/2009