Courses

ECON B105 Introduction to Economics

Fall 2024, Spring 2025

An introduction to micro- and macroeconomics: opportunity cost, supply and demand; consumer choice, the firm and output decisions; market structures; efficiency and market failure; the determination of national income, including government spending, money and interest rates; unemployment, inflation and public policy. Prerequisites: Quantitative Readiness Required.

Quantitative Methods (QM)

Quantitative Readiness Required (QR)

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ECON B200 Intermediate Microeconomics

Spring 2025

Systematic development of the analytical framework economists use to explain the behavior of consumers and firms. Determination of price; partial and general equilibria; welfare economics. Application to current economic problems. Prerequisite: ECON B105, MATH B101 (or equivalent), one 200-level economics elective. ECON H201 does not count as an elective.

Course does not meet an Approach

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ECON B202 Intermediate Macroeconomics

Fall 2024

The goal of this course is to provide a thorough understanding of the behavior of the aggregate economy and the likely effects of government stabilization policies. Models of output, inflation, unemployment and interest rates are developed, along with theories of consumption, investment, economic growth, exchange rates and the trade balance. These models are used to analyze the likely macroeconomic effects of fiscal and monetary policies and to explore current macroeconomic issues and problems. Prerequisites: ECON 105, MATH B101 (or equivalent), and one 200-level Economics elective. ECON H201 does not count as an elective.

Course does not meet an Approach

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ECON B205 Financial Economics

Not offered 2024-25

The class covers the economics of how people working in financial markets and intermediaries solve problems associated with: 1) fund raising and 2) risk management. The course covers the emergence of financial markets in history to understand the current financial system, the economics of intertemporal choice, the measurement and management of risk in asset allocation, the capital asset pricing model, the arbitrage pricing theory, derivatives, the economics of banking, capital structure and closes with historical perspectives on financial market crises. Prerequisites: ECON B105 ?Strongly recommended: Econ B253, Econ H203, Econ H204, or another 200-level statistics course.

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ECON B207 Money and Banking

Not offered 2024-25

Analysis of the development and present organization of the financial system of the United States, focusing on the monetary and payment systems, financial markets, and financial intermediaries. May not be taken by students who have completed ECON 307. Prerequisites: ECON 105.

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ECON B208 Labor Economics

Fall 2024

Analysis of labor markets. Focuses on the economic forces and public policies that determine wage rates and unemployment. Specific topics include: human capital, family decision marking, discrimination, immigration, technological change, compensating differentials, and signaling. Prerequisite: ECON B105.

Course does not meet an Approach

Counts Toward: Growth and Structure of Cities.

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ECON B209 Introduction to Behavioral Economics

Spring 2025

This course will introduce you to behavioral economics - the subfield of economics that uses economic models coupled with insights from psychology to understand better and model human behavior. The broad goal of the course is to apply these insights to understand individual decisions in risky scenarios, strategic scenarios, cooperation, attention, and more. Prerequisite: ECON B105

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ECON B213 Industrial organization and Antitrust

Spring 2025

Introduction to the economics of industrial organization and regulation, focusing on policy options for ensuring that corporations enhance economic welfare and the quality of life. Topics include firm behavior in imperfectly competitive markets; theoretical bases of antitrust laws; regulation of product and occupational safety, environmental pollution, and truth in advertising. Prerequisite: ECON B105.

Course does not meet an Approach

Counts Toward: Growth and Structure of Cities.

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ECON B214 Public Finance

Fall 2024

Analysis of government's role in resource allocation, emphasizing effects of tax and expenditure programs on income distribution and economic efficiency. Topics include sources of inefficiency in markets and possible government responses; federal budget composition; social insurance and antipoverty programs; U.S. tax structure and incidence. Prerequisites: ECON B105.

Counts Toward: Growth and Structure of Cities; Health Studies; Health Studies.

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ECON B215 Urban Economics

Not offered 2024-25

Micro- and macroeconomic theory applied to urban economic behavior. Topics include housing and land use; transportation; urban labor markets; urbanization; and demand for and financing of urban services. Prerequisite: ECON B105.

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ECON B217 Health Economics

Spring 2025

Economic analysis of the health sector. The demand for health care (demand curve for health care and health as human capital); the supply of health care (models of hospital and physician behavior); socioeconomic disparity in health; the demand for health insurance (the role of uncertainty, adverse selection, and moral hazard); health care systems in the U.S. and around the world. Prerequisite: ECON B105.

Course does not meet an Approach

Counts Toward: Health Studies.

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ECON B225 Economic Development

Fall 2024

Examination of the issues related to and the policies designed to promote economic development in the developing economies of Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Focus is on why some developing economies grow faster than others and why some growth paths are more equitable, poverty reducing, and environmentally sustainable than others. Includes consideration of the impact of international trade and investment policy, macroeconomic policies (exchange rate, monetary and fiscal policy) and sector policies (industry, agriculture, education, population, and environment) on development outcomes in a wide range of political and institutional contexts. Prerequisite: ECON B105.

Course does not meet an Approach

Counts Toward: Environmental Studies; Growth and Structure of Cities; International Studies; International Studies.

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ECON B236 Introduction to International Economics

Fall 2024, Spring 2025

An introduction to international economics through theory, policy issues, and problems. The course surveys international trade and finance, as well as topics in international economics. It investigates why and what a nation trades, the consequences of such trade, globalized production, the role of trade policy, the economics of immigration, the behavior and effects of exchange rates, and the macroeconomic implications of trade and capital flows.Prerequisites: ECON B105. The course is not open to students who have taken ECON B316 or B348.

Counts Toward: Growth and Structure of Cities; International Studies; International Studies.

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ECON B253 Introduction to Econometrics

Fall 2024, Spring 2025

An introduction to econometric terminology and reasoning. Topics include descriptive statistics, probability, and statistical inference. Particular emphasis is placed on regression analysis and on the use of data to address economic issues. The required computational techniques are developed as part of the course. Class cannot be taken if you have taken H203 or H204. Prerequisites: ECON B105 and a 200-level elective. ECON H201 does not count as an elective.

Quantitative Methods (QM)

Counts Toward: Data Science; Growth and Structure of Cities.

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ECON B255 Economic Crises and the Policy Response

Not offered 2024-25

Analysis of macroeconomic and financial crises and the effectiveness of alternative policy responses through different perspectives including economic history and recent developments in macroeconomic theory. May not be taken by students who have completed ECON H307. Prerequisite: ECON B105.

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ECON B304 Econometrics

Spring 2025

The econometric theory presented in ECON 253 is further developed and its most important empirical applications are considered. Each student does an empirical research project using multiple regression and other statistical techniques. Prerequisites:ECON B253 or ECON H203 or ECON H204 and ECON B200 or ECON B202 and MATH B201 or permission of instructor.

Counts Toward: Data Science; Mathematics.

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ECON B311 Game Theory and Applications

Not offered 2024-25

Game theory studies interactions between people, corporations, institutions, or countries in which each player recognizes their strategic interdependence with the others in the game. Many economic decisions in the real world have such strategic interdependence. The course uses theoretical models and techniques from game theory to examine economic incentives in various strategic scenarios. Applications may include oligopoly, zero and nonzero sum games, cooperative and noncooperative games, asymmetric information, adverse selection, signaling, and bargaining models. Prerequisite: B200.

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ECON B313 Industrial Organization and Public Policy

Not offered 2024-25

The study of the interaction of buyers, sellers and government in imperfectly competitive markets. Topics include the theory of the firm, monopoly behavior, oligopoly, collusion, and adverse selection. Prerequisites: ECON 200 and ECON B253 or 304.

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ECON B314 The Economics of Social Policy

Not offered 2024-25

Introduces students to the economic rationale behind U.S. government programs and the evaluation of U.S. social policies. Topics include minimum wage, unemployment, safety net programs, education, health insurance, and climate change. Additionally, the instructor and students will jointly select topics of special interest to the class. Emphasis will be placed on the use of statistics to evaluate social policy. Writing intensive. Prerequisites: ECON B200 and (ECON B253 or ECON B304)

Writing Intensive

Counts Toward: Growth and Structure of Cities.

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ECON B316 International Macroeconomics

Fall 2024

Examines the theory of, and current issues in, international macroeconomics and international finance. Considers the role of international factors in macroeconomic performance; policy-making in an open economy; exchange rate systems and exchange rate behavior; international financial integration; and international financial crises. Writing Intensive.Prerequisite: ECON B202 and ECON 253 or 304.

Writing Intensive

Counts Toward: International Studies; International Studies.

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ECON B317 The Economics of Agricultural and Rural Development

Not offered 2024-25

Close to 900 million people living in extreme poverty live in rural regions and derive their income from agriculture. Many of them practice subsistence farming, consuming only what they grow. This class examines the economics of agricultural systems in poor countries, the challenges facing them, and why they account for such a large share of the world's poor. The class will do this from the perspectives of microeconomic theory, econometric research, development economics, environmental economics, and political economy. Writing Intensive. Prerequisite: ECON B200: Intermediate Microeconomics and either ECON B253: Introduction to Econometrics or ECON B304: Econometrics

Writing Intensive

Quantitative Readiness Required (QR)

Counts Toward: International Studies; International Studies.

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ECON B324 The Economics of Discrimination and Inequality

Fall 2024

Explores the causes and consequences of discrimination and inequality in economic markets. Topics include economic theories of discrimination and inequality, evidence of contemporary race- and gender-based inequality, detecting discrimination, identifying sources of racial and gender inequality, and identifying sources of overall economic inequality. Additionally, the instructor and students will jointly select supplementary topics of specific interest to the class. Possible topics include: discrimination in historical markets, disparity in legal treatments, issues of family structure, and education gaps. Writing Intensive. Prerequisites: At least one 200-level applied microeconomics elective; ECON 253 or 304; ECON 200.

Writing Intensive

Power, Inequity, and Justice (PIJ)

Counts Toward: Gender Sexuality Studies; Growth and Structure of Cities.

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ECON B325 Advanced Economic Development

Spring 2025

Advanced theories and models with respect to economic development and their empirical relevance in development policy. Analysis of problems relating to growth and development of emerging economies. Topics include rural development, digital transformation, inclusive growth, trade and climate resilience. Prerequisite: ECON B200 and ECON B253.

Writing Intensive

Counts Toward: International Studies.

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ECON B348 International Trade

Not offered 2024-25

Study of the major theories offered to explain international trade. Includes analyses of the effects of trade barriers (tariffs, quotas, non-tariff barriers), trade liberalization, and foreign investment by multinational corporations on growth, poverty, inequality, and the environment. Prerequisite: ECON B200.

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ECON B394 Research Seminar: Labor Economics

Spring 2025

Thesis seminar. Each student does a semester-long research project on a relevant topic of interest. Research topics in discrimination, unionization, human capital, migration, labor supply, labor demand, and employment/unemployment are appropriate. Prerequisites: ECON 200; ECON 208 or 314 or 324; ECON 253 or 304.

Quantitative Readiness Required (QR)

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ECON B396 Research Seminar: International Economics

Spring 2025

Thesis seminar. Each student does a semester-long research project on a relevant topic of interest. Research topics in international trade or trade policy, international finance, international macroeconomics, and international economic integration are appropriate. Prerequisites: ECON 316 and 202 or ECON 348 and 200; ECON 253 or 304.

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ECON B403 Supervised Work

An economics major may elect to do individual research. A semester-long research paper is required; it satisfies the 300-level research paper requirement. Students who register for 403 must submit an application form before the beginning of the semester (the form is available from the department chair). The permission of both the supervising faculty member and department chair is required.

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