fall 2009
ECONOMIC
COURSE
OFFERINGS
Fall
2009
EC 011 Principles of
Macroeconomics
90333 Lec
A 11:30 – 12:45 TR
Prof. Gibson
90343 Lec B 2:30
– 3:45 TR
Prof. Mathieu-Bolh
90344 Lec C
11:45 – 12:35 MWF
Prof. Woolf
90345 Lec D 12:50 –
1:40
MWF
Prof. Law
90349 Lec E
3:00 – 3:50 MWF
Prof. Vizcarra
Introduction
to economic concepts, institutions and
analysis. This course provides a
thorough understanding of the principles of economics that apply to an
economic
system as a whole, and also introduces basic supply-and-demand thinking.
EC 012
Principles of Microeconomics
90351 Lec A 9:35
– 10:25 MWF
Prof. Gedeon
Principles of economics that
apply to the functions of consumers and producers within the larger
economic
system and policies concerning them.
Prereq: EC 11
EC 060 ISSP: Capitalism
& Human
Welfare
90378 Lec A 2:30 – 3:45 TR
Prof.
R. Thomson
Investigates
theories of growth of the capitalist economy and the historical process
of the
ascendance, domination, and recent relative and decline of the U.S.
economy.
Prereq: First year A&S students only
and
instructor permission.
EC 095 TAP: Health
Insurance: Theory,
Evidence and Policy
93528 Lec A 9:35 – 10:25 MWF
Prof.
Solnick
Study
of the purpose of insurance and how insurance affects choices, costs
and health
outcomes. Will cover the typical
structure of private insurance and the major forms of government
insurance, characteristics
of the uninsured in the United States and how other countries provide
insurance, and pros and cons of proposals for covering more or all
Americans.
Prereq: First year A&S students only.
EC 095 TAP: Latin America: Diversity, Progress, and Exclusion
93530 Lec B 10:40 – 11:30 MWF
Prof.
Vizcarra
An
introduction to Latin American economic development with emphasis on
the roots
of L.A.
backwardness, and the benefits and challenges of globalization.
Prereq: First year A&S students only.
EC 120 Money & Banking
90409 Lec A 11:45 – 12:35 MWF
Prof.
Gedeon
Commercial
and central banking with special attention given to the Federal Reserve
System,
European Central Bank, and monetary policy.
Prereq: EC 11 & EC 12
EC 133 Economics of Environmental Policy
90410 Lec A 1:55 – 2:45 MWF
Prof.
Ramirez-Harrington
This
course applies economic concepts of market equilibrium and market
efficiency in
analyzing environmental issues. It
focuses on a particular type of market failure, externalities, and
analyzes
various types of regulatory instruments including pollution taxes,
emission
standards and pollution permits.
Prereq: EC 11 & EC 12
EC 143 International Econ I: Trade
92931 Lec. A 8:30 – 9:45 TR
Prof.
Sicotte
Theory,
policy, and history of international trade patterns, terms of trade,
protectionism, competitiveness, structural adjustment, and
international
aspects of microeconomics.
Prereq:
EC 11 & EC 12
EC 170 Economic Methods
90421 Lec A 1:55 – 2:45 MWF
Summa
Statistical
and mathematical methods for economics including how to use and
describe data,
probability, statistical concepts and inference, and simple regression,
taught
using economic examples and applications.
Prereq: EC 11, EC 12 & Math 19
EC 171 Macroeconomic Theory
90422 Lec A 11:30 – 12:45 TR
Oyolola
90424 Lec B 2:30 – 3:45 TR
Oyolola
The
course explores macroeconomic issues through theoretical models. A review of core models is followed by three
extensions that focus on the role of expectations, the implications of
openness
of modern economies and economic pathologies such as depressions and
hyperinflation. Throughout the course,
those models are used to understand the effects of fiscal and monetary
policies
on the economy. The course ends up with
a review of the role of macroeconomic policy.
Prereq: EC 11, EC 12 & Math 19
EC 172 Microeconomic Theory
90426 Lec
A 9:35 – 10:25 MWF
Prof.
Ramirez-Harrington
Analysis
of consumer demand, supply and pricing under competition and
monopolistic
influences, and the theory of income distribution.
Prereq: EC 11, EC 12 & Math 19
EC 195 History of Economic Thought
93534 Lec
A 8:30 – 9:20 MWF
Summa
course description pending
EC 195 Special Topics in Development
93568 Lec
B 5:30 – 6:45 TR
Oyolola
This course touches a wide-range of current and interesting topics
concerning the relationship between developed and developing
countries. Thus, topics such as foreign aid, foreign direct
investment, migration and welfare are widely discussed.
EC 200 Econometrics and Applications
90430 Sem A 2:30 – 3:45 TR
Prof.
Gibson
A
combination of economic theory, mathematics, and statistics for testing
economic hypotheses and
developing economic models. Conceptual development
and applications.
Prereq: EC 170, EC 171 and EC 172
EC 230 Sem C: Political Economy of Regulation
90433
Sem A 10:40 – 11:30 MWF
Prof.
Law
In
this course we will examine the role of government in regulating
economic
activity. Our objective is to gain an understanding of the origins and
persistence of economic regulation. The
course will start with a discussion of the various hypotheses that have
been
advanced to explain why governments regulate firms and markets. We will then proceed to analyze a variety of
historical and contemporary case studies that examine the political
economy of
particular regulations and the effects of these regulations on economic
outcomes. In each case study we will
ask: (1) Why did regulation arise? (2) What impact did regulation have
on
economic efficiency? (3) Who gained and who lost as a result of
regulation? Prereq: EC 170, EC 171, EC
172;
may repeat for credit if topics differ.
EC 230 Sem C: Advanced Industrial
Organization
93572 Sem B 11:30 – 12:45 TR
Prof.
Sicotte
This
seminar in industrial organization will focus on price determination in
markets
characterized by imperfection competition.
In imperfectly competitive markets, firms set price or quantity
strategically, taking into account the actions of other firms,
including
potential entrants. We will study
different models of imperfectly competitive markets, including models
of
product differentiation, entry deterrence, multi-market contact, and
collusive
behavior. We will apply these models to
the study of specific case studies, several taken from antitrust law. As much of the course has to do with the
exercise of market power by firms, we will also study the practical
measurement
of market power and social welfare.
Prereq:
EC 170, EC 171, EC 172; may repeat for credit if topics differ.
EC 240 Sem D: Poverty and Inequality
94337 Sem A 8:30 – 9:45 TR
Prof.
Seguino
This
course explores how the discipline of economics can explain and analyze
the
causes and effects of poverty and intergroup inequality.
Students will be introduced to economic
theories of poverty and inequality, and ways to measure each (and the
problems
associated with these measures). The
course will then consider the consequences of inequality in the
developing
world, and of the effects of increasingly open trade and capital
markets on
poverty and on inequality within and across countries.
If time permits, we will also explore the
role of global economic institutions (IMF, World Bank, bilateral aid
programs)
in addressing unequal opportunity. A
major empirical research paper will be required, a task made much
easier
because data on poverty and inequality are now widely available. It would be preferable to have completed EC
200 prior to taking this course.
Prereq: EC 170, EC 171, EC 172; may repeat
for credit
if topics differ.
EC 260 Sem F: Technological Change and
Capitalist Development
93573 Sem A 1:00 – 2:15 TR
Prof.
R. Thomson
Technological
change is of fundamental importance for the development of capitalist
economies
and for the welfare of people in them.
This seminar examines interpretations of technological change
and
applies these to understand technological change and capitalist
expansion in
the 19th and 20th centuries, with focus on the United States
in relation to other advanced countries.
On the micro side, we investigate industrial innovation, the
development
and uses of research and development, new product development and the
growth of
firms and industries. On the macro side,
we consider the role of technological innovation and diffusion in the
convergence or divergence of economies.
Prereq: EC 170, EC171, EC 172; may repeat
for credit
if topics differ.
EC 295 Topics on Public Finance
93574 Lec A 10:00 – 11:15 TR
Prof.
Mathieu-Bolh
Role
of the public sector in economy.
Examples of topics covered: Social Security, healthcare,
efficiency and
equity implications of taxation. Readings
(textbook and
papers) and research.
Prereq: EC 170, EC 171, EC 172; may repeat
for credit
if topics differ.
Last modified August 25 2009 01:32 PM
