Economics
ECON 2001 Principles of Macroeconomics: Recitation (0 semester credit hours) This course is designed as a recitation or practice session for ECON 2301 Principles of Macroeconomics core curriculum course. Credit/No Credit only. Corequisite: ECON 2301. (1-0) S
ECON 2301 (ECON 2301) Principles of Macroeconomics (3 semester credit hours) An introduction to theories of the determination of national production and income, interest rates, inflation, and unemployment. Other topics include the banking system, balance of payments, economic growth and development. (3-0) S
ECON 2302 (ECON 2302) Principles of Microeconomics (3 semester credit hours) An introduction to theories of the behavior of markets. Topics include the theory of demand and supply, market structure, consumer behavior, firm behavior, profit maximization, international trade, and the role of government policy and regulation. Note: ECON 2302 may be taken prior to ECON 2301. (3-0) S
ECON 3310 Intermediate Microeconomic Theory (3 semester credit hours) The study of the behavior of consumers, producers, and their interaction in markets. Emphasizes profit maximization, cost minimization, production, market structure, competitive environment, and strategic interaction within markets and welfare. Prerequisites: ECON 2302 and (MATH 1325 or MATH 2413 or MATH 2417) and (ENGR 3310 or EPPS 2302 or OPRE 3360 or STAT 1342 or STAT 2332 or STAT 3341 or STAT 3355 or STAT 3360 or STAT 4351 or CS 3341). (3-0) S
ECON 3311 Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory (3 semester credit hours) A study of the determinants of national income, employment, interest rates, and the price level, including theories and evidence regarding the influence of monetary and fiscal policies on the economy. Prerequisites: ECON 2301 and ECON 2302 and (MATH 1325 or MATH 2413 or MATH 2417) and (ENGR 3314 or EPPS 2302 or OPRE 3360 or STAT 1342 or STAT 2332 or STAT 3341 or STAT 3355 or STAT 3360 or STAT 4351 or CS 3341). (3-0) S
ECON 3312 Money and Banking (3 semester credit hours) The development, structure, and regulation of financial institutions and the roles of these institutions in determining the money supply and level of economic activity. Prerequisite: ECON 3311. (3-0) T
ECON 3315 Sports Economics (3 semester credit hours) Applies principles of economic analysis to look at the nature and characteristics of professional and amateur sports industries. Examines franchising and profit-maximization, monopoly and anti-trust, public financing of sports facilities, labor markets for players, team competitive balance, discrimination and other themes. Prerequisite: ECON 2302. (3-0) Y
ECON 3330 Economics of Health (3 semester credit hours) A study of personal and public expenditures on health care, the markets for medical personnel, the medical industry, the health insurance market, and present and proposed health care policies. (3-0) S
ECON 3332 Economic Geography (3 semester credit hours) This course will provide students with an introduction to economic geography which is the study of the location, distribution, and spatial organization of economic activities. The course will cover the following concepts: (1) Location and spatial distribution of economic activities, (2) Spatial interaction and economic dependence (trade, transportation, and migration), and (3) Economic change in spatial context (economic growth and performance of regions). Students will be introduced to the use of geospatial software (ESRI ArcView) to analyze economic trends and patterns. Prerequisites: ECON 2301 and ECON 2302 and (EPPS 2302 or STAT 1342). (3-0) R
ECON 3336 Economics of Education (3 semester credit hours) This course looks at education through the lens of economics. Topics include ways to finance education, various controversies in the production of human capital, public policies that are designed to improve education and the consequences of poor educational performance. Prerequisite: ECON 2302. (3-0) R
ECON 3337 Economics of Poverty and Inequality (3 semester credit hours) Examines the economic causes and consequences of poverty and inequality. Topics include U.S. welfare policy and transfer programs. Prerequisite: ECON 2302. (3-0) R
ECON 3338 Economics of Crime (3 semester credit hours) This course empirically analyzes the causes and consequences of crime and the criminal justice system using the tools of economics. A main focus of the course is reading and discussing empirical research papers in the economics of crime literature. Topics include the effects of incarceration on the incarcerated, the impacts of policies intended to deter crime or reduce recidivism, racial disparities in the criminal justice system, and the causes and consequences of domestic violence. Major projects include creation of a data portfolio examining one of several sources of national crime data using tables, graphs, and statistical relationships and a group presentation on a major episode or issue in U.S. crime policy. Prerequisites: ECON 2301 and ECON 2302. (3-0) T
ECON 3369 Political Economy of Terrorism (3 semester credit hours) Economic and statistical methods applied to terrorism. Topics include liberal democracy dilemma, counterterrorism, history of terrorism, international cooperation, and game theory applications. Prerequisite: ECON 2302. (3-0) R
ECON 3381 Economic History (3 semester credit hours) A review of the history of Western civilization, with particular emphasis on the economic influences of money, resources, production, and trade on political and social events. This course is also recommended for students who are not economics majors. (3-0) R
ECON 3396 Special Topics in Economics (3 semester credit hours) Additional prerequisites may be required depending on the specific course topic. May be repeated for credit as topics vary (9 credit hours maximum). Prerequisites: ECON 2301 and ECON 2302. (3-0) T
ECON 4301 Game Theory (3 semester credit hours) Rational decision-making in strategic situations where the optimal decision for one player depends upon the strategies of others. Games are illustrated through the use of economic examples, such as pricing and output decisions of firms, common property usage, bargaining, international trade games, and games of market entry. Prerequisite: ECON 3310. (3-0) R
ECON 4302 Urban and Regional Economics (3 semester credit hours) Emphasizes the spatial distribution of economic activity. The course analyzes the benefits from urbanization, as well as the problems it poses for issues such as housing, crime and transportation. The course also covers factors that contribute to the growth and decline of economic regions. Prerequisite: ECON 3310. (3-0) T
ECON 4310 Managerial Economics (3 semester credit hours) The use of economics in managerial decision making. Includes profit maximization, cost analysis, economies of scale and scope, learning curves, market structure, and strategic competition. Prerequisites: ECON 2302 and (MATH 1325 or MATH 2413 or MATH 2417). (3-0) F
ECON 4320 Public Sector Economics (3 semester credit hours) A study of the economics of the public sector, including taxation, public expenditures, and fiscal policy. Examines the theoretical foundation for government intervention in the economy, and the incentive effects of government policies on work, investment, and the spending of income. Prerequisite: ECON 3310. (3-0) S
ECON 4324 Economics of Sustainability (3 semester credit hours) Sustainability can be described as a state in which the needs of the present generation can be met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This course offers a comprehensive examination of the sustainable utilization of natural resources. It introduces the analysis of optimal resource use and delves into the theoretical assessment of policies aimed at conserving the environment. Students will gain insight into key ecological and environmental economic principles and will have the opportunity to apply these concepts to real sustainability challenges. (Same as IPEC 4324 and PPOL 4324 and PSCI 4324) (3-0) Y
ECON 4325 Digital Economics and the Law (3 semester credit hours) Digital Platforms are becoming essential building blocks of modern economies, facilitating an unprecedented scale of economic transactions and activities. At the same time, an increasing number of laws and regulations are drafted, discussed, and ready to reshape the landscape of digital platforms. This course is an introduction to the economic scholarship on various legal and regulatory problems faced by digital platforms. It covers a variety of contentious topics, such as digital copyright, intermediary liability, content moderation, censorship, privacy, cybercrimes, etc. Despite the digital context, many policy questions discussed are also common in the economic analysis of law and such connections will be emphasized throughout the course. The course will be particularly helpful to students interested in either understanding the digital economy or applying economic reasoning to legal problems. (Same as PPOL 4325 and PSCI 4325) (3-0) Y
ECON 4330 Law and Economics (3 semester credit hours) Contracts, torts, and property rights, integrating economic theory concerning efficiency and equity with actual legal cases. Topics include medical malpractice, habitability laws, zoning, crime deterrence, environmental laws, and discrimination. This course is also recommended for students who are not economics majors. (3-0) R
ECON 4332 Energy and Natural Resources Economics (3 semester credit hours) This course is a study in the application of economics to renewable and nonrenewable natural resources problems and to the role of the energy sector in the world economy. Prerequisites: ECON 2302 and ECON 3310. (3-0) R
ECON 4333 Environmental Economics (3 semester credit hours) A study of people and their environment, emphasizing the social and economic consequences of development and pollution. Alternative public policies for dealing with environmental impacts are explored. Prerequisites: ECON 2302 and ECON 3310. (3-0) T
ECON 4334 Experimental Economics (3 semester credit hours) This is a course in the use of laboratory methods to study behavior in economics and the social sciences. Students will study state-of-the-art methodology in experimental economics, including experimental design, laboratory technique, financial incentives, and analysis of data. Students will participate in, design, and conduct experiments in bargaining, auctions, asset markets, public goods and commons situations, and risky decision-making. Prerequisite: ECON 3310. (3-0) T
ECON 4336 Environmental Economic Theory and Policy (3 semester credit hours) Economic and ecology aims at understanding the workings of highly interconnected systems in which trade-offs among goals of participants and policy makers are unavoidable. This course brings them together to study the environmental implications of environmental growth and development and to utilize the tools of economic theory to analyze ecological problems and suggest practical policy solutions that are efficient as well as effective. Topics include environmental ethics, collective goods, externalities, pollution control, energy, economics and ecology, and climate change. Prerequisite: ECON 2302. (3-0) R
ECON 4340 Labor Economics and Human Resources (3 semester credit hours) Analyses of wage and employment determination, the role of unions and government in labor market outcomes; discussion of such issues as human capital, discrimination, occupational safety and health, and labor market segmentation. Prerequisite: ECON 3310. (3-0) T
ECON 4342 Public Policies Toward Business (3 semester credit hours) Analysis of the economic rationale for government intervention in markets. The course considers direct intervention in the form of price, entry, and/or product quality directives, the economic welfare foundations of public utility economics, and the theory of regulation and deregulation, including indirect regulation through antitrust laws. Topics include collusion, price discrimination, vertical restraints, and other attempts to monopolize a market. Prerequisite: ECON 3310. (3-0) R
ECON 4345 Industrial Organization (3 semester credit hours) Market structure, firm conduct, and social performance of industries with emphasis on firms' strategic behavior in price and nonprice competition. Topics include oligopoly pricing, strategic entry deterrence, location strategies, product differentiation, advertising, research and development, and the effect of firms' conduct on economic welfare and market structure. Prerequisite: ECON 3310. (3-0) T
ECON 4346 Technology, Economy, and Society (3 semester credit hours) This course explores the ways technology and society shape one another in an economic context. Drawing on theoretical and research contributions from several social sciences, the course devotes primary attention to the economic impacts of so-called information and communication technologies (ICT) on employment and earnings, job creation and destruction, new firm formation and failure, as well as profit and productivity. (3-0) R
ECON 4348 Business and Technology (3 semester credit hours) This course explores the role of technological innovation in macroeconomic performance and firm-level business activity. It highlights theoretical and research contributions from across several social sciences, engineering, and management. Topics include reflection on how technical advances emerge from - and have their impacts shaped within - markets and broader societal organization. The roles of domestic political institutions and public policy, as well as geo-political contexts, will be used to illustrate the broader implications of the technology-business relationship. Prerequisite: ECON 2302. (3-0) R
ECON 4351 Mathematical Economics (3 semester credit hours) Mathematical formulation of economic theories such as static and dynamic analysis of market behavior and macroeconomic models. Introduction to optimization techniques and linear algebra. Prerequisites: (EPPS 2302 or OPRE 3360 or STAT 1342 or STAT 2332 or STAT 3341 or STAT 3355 or STAT 3360 or STAT 4351) and (MATH 1326 or MATH 2414 or MATH 2419). (3-0) S
ECON 4355 Econometrics (3 semester credit hours) The application of statistical methods to economic analysis; particular attention is given to regression analysis, hypothesis testing, and forecasting. Includes the analysis of cross-sectional, time series and panel data. Prerequisites: (EPPS 2302 or OPRE 3360 or STAT 1342 or STAT 2332 or STAT 3341 or STAT 3355 or STAT 3360 or STAT 4351 or CS 3341) and (MATH 1326 or MATH 2414 or MATH 2419). (3-0) S
ECON 4360 International Trade (3 semester credit hours) Studies international relationships among national economies with a principal focus on trade relationships. Examines theories of trade, rationale for protectionism, and the foundation of exchange markets. Prerequisite: ECON 3310. (3-0) Y
ECON 4362 Development Economics (3 semester credit hours) A study of development and economic growth, with a principal focus on less developed countries. Includes theories and patterns of development, the role of human resources, capital resources, agriculture, and international markets. Prerequisites: ECON 2302 and ECON 3311. (3-0) R
ECON 4381 History of Economic Ideas (3 semester credit hours) An investigation into the writings and ideas of economists past and present. Beginning with the ancient Greeks and ending with contemporary radical economic thought, the course places current economic issues into historical perspective. Works by Smith, Malthus, Mill, Marx, Veblen, Schumpeter, Galbraith, and others are covered. This course is also recommended for students who are not economics majors. (3-0) R
ECON 4382 International Finance (3 semester credit hours) Studies the international financial system, including the foreign exchange markets and the balance of payment accounts. Includes a discussion of international monetary theory. Prerequisite: ECON 3311. (3-0) T
ECON 4385 Business and Economic Forecasting (3 semester credit hours) Techniques, statistical and otherwise, for forecasting events relevant to business and economic activities. Prerequisite: (MATH 1326 or MATH 2414 or MATH 2419) and (EPPS 2302 or OPRE 3360 or STAT 1342 or STAT 2332 or STAT 3341 or STAT 3355 or STAT 3360 or STAT 4351). (3-0) R
ECON 4386 Contemporary Macroeconomic Policy (3 semester credit hours) This is an applied macroeconomics class, intended to provide an overview of modern macroeconomic models and their implications for policy, and a comprehensive knowledge of macroeconomic datasets and their use both in macroeconomics and outside of macroeconomics. A large component of the class will focus on using macroeconomic and economic data, and on evaluating case studies based on current events. Prerequisite: ECON 3311. (3-0) T
ECON 4396 Selected Topics in Economics (3 semester credit hours) Additional prerequisites may be required depending on the specific course topic. May be repeated for credit as topics vary (9 semester credit hours maximum). Prerequisites: ECON 3310 and ECON 3311. (3-0) R
ECON 4V97 Independent Study in Economics (1-6 semester credit hours) Independent study under a faculty member's direction. May be repeated for credit (6 semester credit hours maximum). Program Head consent required. ([1-6]-0) S
ECON 4V98 Internship (1-6 semester credit hours) Credit/No Credit only. May be repeated for credit (6 semester credit hours maximum). Instructor consent required. ([1-6]-0) S
ECON 4V99 Senior Honors in Economics (1-6 semester credit hours) For students conducting independent research for honors theses or projects. May be repeated for credit (6 semester credit hours maximum). Instructor consent required. ([1-6]-0) S