Undergraduate Economics
Undergraduate Economics
2025 Spring Term
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PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS
ECON 201
This course introduces microeconomic analysis and its application. Students examine how consumers and firms make decisions when facing scarce resources, as well as how those decisions affect market outcomes, such as prices and output. Students utilize models to understand supply and demand, theories of individual behavior and the firm, competition and monopoly and the distribution of income in society. Conventional grade basis only if this course is required in the College of Business and Economics for major.
PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS
ECON 202
This course introduces macroeconomic analysis and its application. Students study the economy as-a-whole, analyzing and interpreting macroeconomic data on national income, unemployment, inflation, interest rates and exchange rates. Basic models are utilized to understand recessions, recoveries and changes in macroeconomic data. Students use this understanding to evaluate taxes and government spending (fiscal) and interest rate (monetary) policies, as well as to identify their impacts on society. Conventional grade basis only if this course is required in the College of Business and Economics for major.
ECONOMICS FOR TEACHERS
ECON 213
This course introduces microeconomic analysis and its application. Students examine how consumers and firms (including cooperative business organizations) make decisions when facing scarce resources, as well as how those decisions affect market outcomes, such as prices and output. Students utilize models to understand supply and demand, theories of individual behavior and the firm, competition and monopoly and the distribution of income in society. Satisfies the state teacher certification requirements of instruction in cooperatives.
BUSINESS STATISTICS
ECON 245
This course introduces methods for utilizing data to answer questions of business, economic, social and policy interest. Students examine and interpret graphical and numerical methods of summarizing data, as well as apply probability concepts, theoretical probability distributions, sampling methods and sampling distributions. Students also calculate sample statistics, estimate population parameters, construct confidence intervals, formulate hypothesis tests and perform simple regression analysis. The skills and techniques covered allow students to effectively utilize data in the decision-making process.
INTERMEDIATE MICROECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECON 301
This is an intermediate level course in microeconomic theory and its application. Students utilize economic models to understand consumer and firm behavior under different market structures using price-based partial and general-equilibrium analysis. Students model consumer preferences and decision-making, as well as the pricing of products and factors of production by firms. In addition, students analyze changes in the distribution of income in society resulting from government intervention and market structure.
INTERMEDIATE MACROECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECON 302
This is an intermediate level course in macroeconomic theory and its application. Students analyze fluctuations in national income, output, worker productivity, economic growth, employment, inflation, interest rates and exchange rates using economic models. Students also examine the goods, financial and labor markets, as well as the role of the government and central banks in maintaining a strong and vibrant economy in both the short- and long-run. Throughout, students analyze the efficacy of fiscal and monetary policies, and the effects of macroeconomic events and shocks on economic activity.
ECONOMETRICS
ECON 345
This is an intermediate level course in statistical regression techniques widely used across a variety of careers. Students utilize numerical and graphical descriptive methods to explore, analyze and interpret data. Students employ simple and multiple regression to perform causal inference and quantify important relationships in business, economic, social and policy contexts. Applications to real world data using modern statistical software and developing skills needed to understand empirical work are emphasized.
RACE, GENDER, AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE
ECON 352
This course analyzes the experiences of ethnic minorities and women in the economy. Students evaluate traditional and nontraditional economic approaches to the unique experiences of these groups. Students examine topics including labor force participation, wage determination, occupational choice and segregation, immigration, poverty and the criminal justice system.
CONTEMPORARY LABOR MARKETS
ECON 353
This course introduces the labor market, how it functions and the important role it plays in the economy. Students analyze wage and employment dynamics at the level of the firm, industry and macroeconomy by investigating the economic and institutional forces which determine labor supply and demand. Students examine topics including minimum wages, workforce programs, the labor movement, human capital, collective bargaining and the gig economy.
MONEY AND BANKING
ECON 354
This course focuses on financial markets, monetary policy and central banking. Students are introduced to topics such as money, securities, exchange rates, interest rates and the basics of asset pricing through present value calculations. Students utilize economic models to understand the behavior of bond, stock and foreign exchange markets. Students examine the Federal Reserve, determinants of the money supply process, operations and goals of monetary policy and alternative monetary policy frameworks. Finally, students evaluate contemporary issues on monetary policy, including those faced by policymakers, using economic models to understand and illustrate these issues.
PUBLIC FINANCE
ECON 356
This course analyzes the role of the public sector in the U.S. economy. Students evaluate different government policies by employing modern theoretical and empirical tools. Students examine policies involving healthcare, education, taxation, social insurance and business.
INTERNATIONAL FINANCE
ECON 406
This course introduces monetary interactions between countries. Students examine topics including exchange rates, prices, interest rates and balance of payments accounting. Students use economic models to understand spot and forward foreign exchange, international financial markets and international banking, exchange rate systems and the role of central banks as well as open-economy macroeconomics and the international monetary system in the context of current policy issues.
ECONOMICS OF GLOBALIZATION
ECON 431
This course introduces economic theories on international trade and multinational firms. Students apply these theories to analyze trade and commercial policy at national and global scales, and assess the economic and social impact of these policies. Students also examine the development and function of the world trading system. In addition, students investigate the globalization experiences of the different regions of the world and the controversies surrounding deepening commercial integration.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCE ECONOMICS
ECON 471
This course analyzes environmental problems and their causes in the context of a market economy. Students evaluate how markets may fail to correctly allocate environmental and natural resource amenities and the policy alternatives available to correct these market failures. Students apply cost-benefit analysis and non-market valuation methods to environmental and natural resource issues involving water, energy, minerals, pollution, climate disruption and sustainability.
ECONOMICS SENIOR CAPSTONE
ECON 489
The Economics Capstone is a course for seniors soon to graduate with an Economics degree. Students will reflect on their previous education and demonstrate proficiency in program learning objectives. Student work will center on the production of a substantial high-quality thesis on a student-chosen topic of economic interest.
INDEPENDENT STUDY
ECON 498
Study of a selected topic or topics under the direction of a faculty member. Repeatable.