Current Semester Courses
Spring 2013
ECON 12100-all sections Principles of Macroeconomics LA SS 1b
3 credits
INSTRUCTORS:
Sections 01 & 02: Albert Alexander, Admin Annex 123, 4-1579
Section 03: Selma Creamer, Admin Annex 108, 4-3128
Sections 04 & 06: Jennifer Tennant, Muller 305, 4-1041
Section 07: Roger Hinderliter, Muller 331, 4-3582
Sections 08 & 09: Kenny Christianson, Muller 418A, 4-3134
Sections 05 & 10: Darius Conger, Muller 420, 4-3259
Sections 11 & 12: Mirinda Martin, Admin Annex 108, 4-1072
ENROLLMENT: 35
PREREQUISITES: None.
STUDENTS: Freshman and sophomores from a variety of majors.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is an introduction to economics as a discipline. Graphs are often used to analyze economic theories and solve problems. Macroeconomics includes the following topics: production-possibilities frontiers, determination and measurement of national income, business cycles, money and banking, fiscal and monetary policy, schools of economic thought, taxation, price levels, and applications to current economic problems.
COURSE FORMAT/STYLE: Lectures/discussions. Tutoring available.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS & GRADING: Exams (15% each); final (10%).
ECON 12200-01, 02 Principles of Microeconomics LA SS 1b
3 credits
INSTRUCTOR: Patrick Meister, Muller 319, 4-3883
ENROLLMENT: 35
PREREQUISITES: None.
STUDENTS: Generally first year students from all majors with economics and business majors taking the course as a requirement.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: To introduce students to microeconomics with topics such as determination of price by supply and demand, theory of consumer demand and utility, analysis of costs and supply, market structures and industry organization including monopoly, distribution of income, pricing of productive resources (wages, interest, profits, and rents), international economics, comparative economic systems, and applications to current economic problems.
COURSE FORMAT/STYLE: Lectures and discussions.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS & GRADING: Letter grades with pass/fail available for some majors (not economics) see major advisors for specifics.
ECON 28100-01, 02 Environmental Economics LA SS 1h
3 credits
INSTRUCTOR: Bill Kolberg, Muller 430, 4-3609
ENROLLMENT: 25
PREREQUISITES: ECON 12200.
STUDENTS: Sophomores through seniors; all majors and schools.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: The objective of this course is to provide a methodology for examining the underlying causes for the crisis of the environment, to analyze existing regulatory programs and to explore policy alternatives. Topics include: stationary source, mobile source, regional and global air pollution; toxic substances; site preservation; distributional effects of environmental policy, and international aspects of environmental problems.
COURSE FORMAT/STYLE: Lecture/discussion.
ECON 29901-01 Microeconomic Experiments SS LA
3 credits
INSTRUCTOR: William Kolberg, Muller 430, 4-3609, Kolberg@ithaca.edu
ENROLLMENT: 30
PREREQUISITES: ECON 12200, Principles of Microeconomics
STUDENTS: Sophomores, juniors, seniors; any major.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: To provide a “real world” arena for applying theory and concepts discussed in Principles of Microeconomics. Students manage firms in a market composed of class participants. After an orientation/introduction unit, students will make decisions for their firms three times per week during the semester. Grades will be based on profits earned and class participation.
COURSE FORMAT/STYLE: Orientation and introduction component will be conducted in classroom as informal lecture/workshop. The market simulation will be conducted on-line. At the end of the semester, there will be a final in-class de-briefing session.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS & GRADING: In addition to weekly discussions, students will write up a 5 page lab report summarizing their experience in the market simulation. Letter grades based on profit rank (75) and lab report (25).
ECON 30400-01 Economics of Health Care SS
(cross listed with HLTH 30400)
3 credits
INSTRUCTOR: Jennifer Tennant, Muller 305, 4-1041
ENROLLMENT: 25
PREREQUISITES: ECON 12100/12200 and two courses in humanities, social sciences, or business.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course will introduce students to the health care delivery and financing system in the United States. We will use economic analysis to dive into these concepts, as well as current health policy debates. Topics will include insurance, health care reform in the United States, Medicare, Medicaid, physician payment arrangements and resulting incentives, global comparative health systems and quality of care.
COURSE FORMAT/STYLE: Lectures and discussions.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS & GRADING: Midterm, policy brief, reading responses and final exam.
ECON 31200-01 Economic Development SS LA
3 credits
INSTRUCTOR: Stephen Younger, Muller 418A, 4-3134
ENROLLMENT: 20
PREREQUISITES: ECON 12100 and ECON 12200 or two additional courses in humanities, social sciences, or business.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course examines how economies ―develop‖ – how they grow, how their structure changes, and what that means for the material living standards of their people. The focus is on the poorer economies of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, though historical data from the now richer economies are also considered. The course emphasizes public policy options to promote economic development and poverty reduction.
COURSE FORMAT/STYLE: Discussion and lecture.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS & GRADING: Course will use the Development Economics Reader, edited by Giorio Secondi and other articles provided by the instructor. Evaluation includes class participation, exams, and papers.
ECON 32100-01 Money and Banking LA SS
3 credits
INSTRUCTOR: Roger Hinderliter, Muller 331, 4-3582.
ENROLLMENT: 25
PREREQUISITES: ECON 12200; two courses in humanities, social sciences, or business.
STUDENTS: Sophomores through seniors; required for economics majors.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Basic topics include: functions of money and monetary standards, financial institutions and markets, financial decision-making, commercial banks and the role of money and financial institutions in exchange and the determination of output and employment, the level of prices, and economic growth.
COURSE FORMAT/STYLE: Lecture and discussion.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS & GRADING: 2 exams and a final exam; out of class projects.
ECON 32200-01 Monetary Theory and Policy LA SS
3 credits
INSTRUCTOR: Roger Hinderliter, Muller 331, 4-3582.
ENROLLMENT: 20
PREREQUISITES: ECON 32100 or FINA 20300.
STUDENTS: Sophomores through seniors.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Advanced topics include: theory of the demand for money, theory for the supply of money, alternative stabilization policies, strategy of monetary policy. Major objective: to obtain understanding of how monetary policy decisions are made, and the implication of the policy process for general economic activity.
COURSE FORMAT/STYLE: Lecture and discussion.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS & GRADING: Exams and papers.
ECON 33400-01 Econometrics II LA SS
3 credits
INSTRUCTOR: Stephen Younger, Muller 418A, 4-3134
ENROLLMENT: 15
PREREQUISITES: ECON 33300.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Advance topics in econometrics, including problems in regression (multicollinearity, autocorrelation, heteroscedasticity), tests of linear restrictions, dummy variables, distributed lags and simultaneous-equation models. Exposure to econometric computer packages.
ECON 34200-01 Macro Analysis LA SS
3 credits
INSTRUCTOR: Shaianne Osterreich, Muller 420, 4-3552
ENROLLMENT: 25
PREREQUISITES: ECON 12100-12200; two courses in the humanities, social sciences, or business. Not available to students who have taken ECON 34400.
STUDENTS: Sophomore and Junior Economics, Applied Economics, and Business Majors.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This intermediate course in macroeconomic theory examines mainstream and alternative approaches to understanding unemployment, inflation and economic growth. We will cover theoretical frameworks that seek to explain the role of policy in influencing price stability, business cycles, interest rates, employment as well as deficits and debt. The course will also cover open-economy macro, which represents theory that explicitly incorporates the global economy.
COURSE FORMAT/STYLE: Lecture/discussion.
ECON 36500-01 Sports Economics LA SS
(cross-listed with SPMM-36500)
3 credits
INSTRUCTOR: Darius Conger, Muller 318, 4-3259
ENROLLMENT: 30
PREREQUISITES: ECON 12200 and SPMM-11000
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Examine and analyze both the micro and macro operations of the professional and intercollegiate sports markets. Topics include analysis of sport statistics, the economic analysis of teams and leagues or other regulatory agencies; professional and intercollegiate labor markets for athletes and coaches; the financing of sport facilities; the role of government in sports including antitrust exemptions and Title IX enforcement.
COURSE FORMAT/STYLE: Group discussion, student presentation of research studies, lecture
COURSE REQUIREMENTS & GRADING: Text – selected readings available through Sakai. Exams, homework, term paper, class presentation.
ECON 37200-01 Industrial Organization LA SS
3 credits
INSTRUCTOR: Patrick Meister, Muller 318, 4-3883
ENROLLMENT: 25
PREREQUISITES: ECON 12100-12200; two courses in humanities, social sciences, or business.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Extends and refines the economic theory of the firm that students learned in economics principles courses. Special emphasis is placed on strategic behavior of business firms. Drawing on case studies in U.S. industries, it examines theories of firms‘ motives, interdependence among firms, product differentiation, and barriers to entry. It also addresses modes of competition. Mergers and acquisitions are also given special attention. The course also utilizes in-class simulations of real competitive situations. It also examines U.S. antitrust policies.
ECON 41100-01 International Economics LA SS 1g
3 credits
INSTRUCTOR: Shaianne Osterreich, Muller 420, 4-3552
ENROLLMENT: 25
PREREQUISITES: ECON 34200; two courses in humanities, social sciences, or business.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: The major goal of this course will be to develop your skills as an attentive and capable participant in the global society. This course will start with mainstream Classical and Neo-Classical theories of international trade. This section will focus on the issues of comparative advantage, ‘gains from trade‘ and the role of ‘exogenous endowments‘ in determining trade patterns. We will then move on to integrate the monetary sphere by covering balance of payments, exchange rates, and internationally mobile financial capital. In addition, this class will discuss relatively new and alternative theoretical frameworks for the roles of technology and monopoly power in shaping global trade and finance.