Economics

Degrees and Certificates

Courses

ECON 112: Economic Morality in Sports

Economic Morality in Sports explores Economic philosophy and theory applications to moral questions surrounding interpersonal relationship within sports and the regulation of human choices in sports by outside institutions. Students will read contemporary and historical economic philosophy and relate their insights to real world examples.

ECON 113: Comparative Economic Systems

Comparative Economic Systems looks at how economies are evaluated. The course analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of theoretical capitalism and theoretical communism as well as the real world modifications to the theories. The economies of three capitalist and three communist countries are analyzed. Also examined are the difficulties of transitioning form communism to capitalism.

ECON 201: Principles of Microeconomics

Principles of Microeconomics introduces the fundamental principles of microeconomic theory and their application to consumer behavior, profit maximization, labor markets, and public choice. Alternative market structures are explored with formal emphases placed on resource allocation and issues of productivity.

ECON 202: Principles of Macroeconomics

Principles of Macroeconomics introduces the fundamental topics of macroeconomics. The course focuses on the empirical characteristics of the modem American economy and on how those characteristics are measured. Topics covered include aggregate demand and supply analysis, national income determination, fiscal policy, the banking system, and the role of fiscal and monetary policies in controlling and stabilizing unemployment and inflation.

ECON 205: Quantitative Methods for Business and Economics

Quantitative Methods for Business and Economics teaches the mathematical tools from Calculus and Linear Algebra which are used in Economics and Business. Topics include derivatives, multivariate derivatives, and systems of equations applied to problems from Economics and Business. (Not open to students who have taken MATH 201. This course cannot replace MATH 201 as a pre-requisite for MATH 202.)

ECON 222: Research Methods in Economics

Research Methods in Economics introduces elementary research methods in economics. The course includes the use of microcomputers in economics and business. Emphasis is on using spreadsheets to prepare quantitative research projects in economics. The course also covers writing quantitative reports in economics. (This course may be taken for credit as BUSI 222).

ECON 260: Comparative Sustainable Economic Development

Comparative Economic Development examines major analytical economics and environmental policy issues facing the “lesser developed” nations of the world. Development is defined and contrasting policies of individual countries that have succeeded or failed are examined. The developmental role of agriculture, export-oriented policies, women, labor markets, multinational corporations, the public sector, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund, upon the environment and the economy are also considered.

ECON 280: Managerial Economics

Managerial Economics is a study of profit-maximizing managerial decision-making with emphasis on the external environment of the firm. The course introduces students to quantitative techniques of decision-making.

ECON 287: Organizations and Human Behavior

This course is a study of specific aspects of organization culture, such as motivation, conflict, power, and leadership. Focus is on improving the effectiveness of organizations by strengthening human processes. (This course may be taken for credit as BUSI 287.)

ECON 301: Intermediate Microeconomics

Intermediate microeconomics is a study of consumer behavior, demand analysis, market development, output determination, cost analysis, and pure competition. The course includes exposure to mathematical constructs

ECON 302: Intermediate Macroeconomics

Intermediate Macroeconomics is a study of the determinants and the behavior of the national economy, with emphasis on income determination, employment, price levels, and monetary and fiscal policy.

ECON 304: Advanced Microeconomics

Advanced microeconomics is a study of imperfect competition, general equilibrium and welfare economic analysis, game theory, resource pricing, price discrimination, information and time, external costs and benefits, and public goods. This course also includes exposure to appropriate mathematical constructs.

ECON 350: Business Cycles and Forecasting

Business Cycles and Forecasting explores economic fluctuations in the modem American economy against the backdrop of the alternative theories explaining these fluctuations. Students in the course are presented with the quantitative data which describes the cycles and the analytical techniques used to generate economic forecasts.

ECON 360: International Trade

International trade is an examination of the principles of international trade and finance and their application to the modem world. The concepts emphasized are exchange rates, theories of comparative advantage, economies of scale, tariffs, quotas, commercial policy, capital movements, reciprocal effect of changes in microeconomic and macroeconomic policies, the role of international organizations, and aid to developing countries.

ECON 376: Junior Seminar in Economics

The Junior Seminar in Economics is designed to prepare the student for Senior Seminar in Economics and Senior Project. In the course students gain command of the writing and research methods characteristic of contemporary economics and their incorporation in written and oral reports in economics.

ECON 476: Senior Seminar in Economics

The Senior Seminar in Economics is a review of economic analysis with attention to the mathematical concepts and writing in Economics. In the course students improve their command of the research methods characteristic of contemporary economics and their incorporation in the preparation of oral and written reports in economics.

ECON 477: Senior Seminar in Economics

Senior Seminar has two purposes. The first is to prepare students for their future. The student learns how to make presentations and how to write a resumé and papers. The second purpose is to synthesize the material learned in economics through Lagrangians and analyze current events using economic models.

ECON 490: Senior Project

The Senior Project is open only to students majoring in Economics. Students prepare and present a senior project. The topic for the senior project must be selected during the first semester of the senior year and must be approved by the department chair.