Course Descriptions
1000 Introduction to the American Economy (3)Introduction to economic analysis and problems through an examination of the development and operations of the American Economy; study of its evolution, institutions, and principal problems. Econ 1000 does not substitute for Econ 1001 or Econ 1002. Students who have already completed Econ 1001 or Econ 1002 may not take Econ 1000 for credit.
1001 Principles of Microeconomics (3)
Prerequisite: Math 1030. Introduction to the determinants of household
demand, production and cost, and market prices. Applies the principles
of individual decision-making behavior to understanding goods, services,
and resource markets.
1002 Principles of Macroeconomics (3)
Prerequisite: Econ 1001. Introduction to the determination of levels of
and changes in aggregate income, output, employment, and prices. Applies
economic principles of choice to the formulation and achievement of public
policies that affect national employment, income distribution, and economic
growth.
1003 Microeconomics in the News:
A Virtual Classroom (1)
Prerequisite: Econ 1001 (may be taken concurrently). This course uses
a virtual chatroom to host one hour of discussion each week about current
news events with microeconomic content. News articles will focus on business,
public policy, and individual choices that can be understood within a
microeconomics framework. The chatroom can be accessed from any location,
on or off campus, with internet access.
1004 Macroeconomics in the News:
A Virtual Classroom (1)
Prerequisite: Econ 1002 (may be taken concurrently). This course uses
a virtual chatroom to host one hour of discussion each week about current
news events with macroeconomic content. News articles will focus on macroeconomic
phenomena -- e.g., intrest rates, the global economy, the Federal Reserve,
and public policy decisions -- that can be understood within a macroeconomics
framework. The chatroom can be accessed from any location, on or off campus,
with internet access.
1500 Entertainment Economics:
The Movie Industry (3)
This survey course examines the interrationships between economics and
the movie industry. It explores the impact of economic factors on the
production, distribution and exhibition of movies, focusing on the rise
and fall of the studio system, role of technological change in the evolution
of cinematography and the movie marketplace, financing and market segmentation,
globalization and changing industrial structure within which films are
produced. To the extent that movies reflect and contribute to popular
economic prespectives, this course also evaluates the soundness of the
movie industry's depiction of a variety of economic doctrines. Classes
will consist of lecture, discussion, and brief film screenings. This course
does not count towards the hours required for an Economic major.
1510 Entertainment Economics:
The Popular Music Industry (3)
This survey course examines the interrelationship between economics and
the music industry. It explores the impact of economics factors on the
production, distribution of music, payola, and the rise and fall of the
independent labes, the role of technological change in the evolution of
music industry, globalization and changing industrial structure within
which CDs are produced. To the extent that music reflects and contributes
to popular economics perspectives, this course also evaluates the soundness
of the music industry's depiction of a variety of economic doctrines.
Classes will consist of lecture, discussion, and brief listening sessions.
This course does not count towards the hours required for an Economics
major.
2010 The Business Firm:
History Theory, and Policy (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 1000 or Econ 1001 or consent of instructor. This course
presents a history of development of modern business firms and examines
the evolution of the economic theory of the firm. Special attention paid
to the role that firms play in fostering social and economic development.
Objective of course is to provide students with deeper understanding of
firms so that they can make better policy decisions as owners, managers,
lawmakers, regulators, and voters.
2410 Work, Families, and
Public Policy (3)
Prerequisite: Econ 1000 or Econ 1001. This course compares the economic
behavior of women and men in both the labor market and the household.
Topics include: the family as an economic (production) unit, gender differences
in labor force participation, occupations and earnings; the effectiveness
of human capital theory and labor market discrimination in explaining
the male-female wage gap; remedies for reducing the wage gap; family structure
and economic well-being; and alternative policies to alleviate poverty.
2610 The Economics of Professional
Sports (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 1000 or equivalent or consent of instructor. This
course will survey the economic organization of professional sports team
industries and the relationship of sports teams to their employees, fans,
and governments. Economic issues relating to salaries and labor disputes,
monopoly practices, cartels and pricing, team location decisions, and
public subsidies for professional sports teams will be analyzed.
2800 History of American
Economic Development (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 1000 or Econ 1001 or consent of instructor. (Same
as Hist 2800). Uses economic concepts to expalin historical developments
in American economiy, beginning with hunter-gatherers who crossed the
Bering land bridge around 12,000 B.C. Main topics include Native American
economies, European exploration and conquest, colonial economies, indetured
servitude, American Revolution, U.S. Constitution, westward expansion,
transportation, Industrial Revolution, state banking and free banking,
slavery, Civil War, post-bellum agriculture, rise of big business and
antitrust, banking panics, Federal Reserve Act, First and Second World
Wars, New Deal, and growth of government in postwar economy.
3001 Intermediate Economic
Theory: Microeconomics (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 1001 and Econ 1002. Analysis of prices in terms of
equilibrium of the business firm and consumer demand in markets of varying
degrees of competition.
3002 Intermediate Economic
Theory: Macroeconomics (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 1001 and Econ 1002; Econ 3200 is recommended. Study
of national income, expenditure, and the forces of determining the level
of economic activity. Special emphasis on the theory of income determination
and its application to public policy.
3100 Economic Statistics (3)
Prerequisites: Math 1030, Econ 1001, and Econ 1002. Introduction to economic
data sources, data interpretation and statistical inference as used in
economic analysis. Emphasizes the testing of economic hypotheses and the
development and estimation of economic models. Introduces the use of statistical
software used in economics.
3150 Quantitative Methods
and Modeling in Economics, Business and the Social Sciences (3)
Prerequisites: Math 1030; Econ 1001 or junior standing. This course focuses
on the application of mathematical techniques to model building. The course
reviews various mathematical techniques and shows students how they can
be used for describing various social and business phenomena. Specific
examples from business, economics, criminology and other social sciences
will be employed to reinforce the mathematical tools and concepts discussed.
Students who have previously completed Econ 4150 or Math 1080 or Math
1100 may not take this course for credit.
3200 Money, Banking, and
Monetary Theory (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 1001 and 1002. Factors influencing bank reserves and
the money supply. Ability of the Federal Reserve System and the Treasury
to control these factors. Introduction to monetary theory; integration
of monetary phenomena with national income theory. Analysis of current
policy issues.
3300 International Economic
Analysis (3)
Prerequisite: Econ 1000, or 1001, or 1002. Introduction to the theories
of international trade and factor movements including determinants of
trade, the effects of trade on sectors and on overall economic performance,
trade restrictions, and balance of payments and exchange rates. Discussion
of current institutions and economic developments in the globbal economy.
3301 International Finance (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 1000, or 1001, or 1002. Introduction to international
monetary systems; foreign exchange markets; financing of international
transactions; the international position of the dollar.
3310 Comparative Economic
Systems(3)
Prerequisite: Econ 1000, or 1001, or 1002. Introduction to the comparitive
study of economic organization, growth, and welfare in different types
of national economies such as the United States, the United Kingdom, France,
Germany, Sweden, Japan, the republics of the former Soviet bloc, and China.
3320 Economic Development (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 1001 and 1002. Survey of economic growth as applied
to developed and underdeveloped countries. Analysis of development policies
with emphasis on case studies. Case studies may include the United States,
Western Europe, or Latin America.
3400 Labor Economics (3)
Prerequisite: Econ 1001. Examines the labor market in the economy. Considers
the theories of labor supply, labor demand, and market determination of
wages. Other topics included noncompetitive markets, internal labor markets,
the theory of human capital, compensating wage differentials, labor market
discrimination, unions and collective bargaining, unemployment, and poverty
and the distribution of income.
3500 Public Finance: Expenditures (3)
Prerequisite: Econ 1001. Analysis of public goods and externalities, models
of collective choice, elements of benefit-cost analysis, the theory of
bureaucracy, governments as agents in markets.
3501 Public Finance: Revenues (3)
Prerequisite: Econ 1001. Analysis of the economic role of governments,
subsidies and taxes in the federal system, criteria for tax evaluation,
the nature of tax legislation, private decision making under different
tax institutions, and government borrowing.
3510 Public Finance: State and
Local (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 1001 and 1002 and junior standing. A study of expenditure,
taxation, and financial administration of state and local governments,
with emphasis on problems of current interest. Special attention given
to research methods, as well as financial relations between various levels
of government.
3600 Industrial Organization (3)
Prerequisite: Econ 1001. A theoretical and empirical analysis of the actions
of firms under alternative forms of market organization. The role of economies
of scale, product differentiation, mergers, and advertising in affecting
industry structure, and the impact of the resulting industry structure
on pricing, output, promotion, and technology decisions of firms.
3620 Business and Government (3)
Prerequisite: Econ 1001. Relations between business firms and government
at all levels. Questions of regulation, public ownership, guidelines,
and competition considered.
3630 Government Regulation and
Antitrust Policy (3)
Prerequisite: Econ 1001. Evaluation of the use of antitrust policy and
government regulatory agencies to improve the performance of industrial
markets. Course will include discussion of antitrust cases and analysis
of the economic impact of deregulatory initiatives in the airline, trucking,
railroad, and telecommunications industries.
3650 Law and Economics (3)
Prerequisite: Econ 1001. Analysis of the economic role of property rights
and contracts in the private for-profit and not-for-profit sectors of
the economy. Considers economic incentives to form organizations as one
alternative and to form contracts as another. Considers the economic efficiency
of the common law and judicial systems in use in the United States.
3700 Urban and Regional
Economics (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 1001 and 1002. A survey of factors affecting the location
of economic activity, industrial diversity, determinants of urban growth,
the role of urban public economy, and the management of the urban environment.
3710 Planning Processes in the
Urban Economy (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 1001 and junior standing. Economic techniques and
criteria used in planning and evaluating programs and projects for the
urban economy.
3750 The Political Economy
of Health Care (3)
Prerequisite: Econ 1001. The course provides an economic perspective on
the working of the health care market, focusing on the effects of government
regulation, tax policy and entitlement programs. There will be a detailed
review of existing U.S. health care financing programs (e.g. Medicare,
Medicaid) as well as financing systems of other developed countries. Health
care policy will be evaluated according to its impact on quality, cost,
and access to medical care and, ultimately, the overall health status
of our population.
3800 History of Economic
Thought (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 1001 and 1002. The evolution of economic thought from
the ancients through post-Keynesian theory.
3900 Selected Topics in
Economics (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 1001 and 1002. Analysis of a selected economic topic.
The topic selected will vary from semester to semester. This course may
be taken for credit more than once as long as the topic discussed in each
semester is different.
4030 Managerial Economics (3)
Prerequisite: Econ 3001; Math 1800 or 1100 recommended. Application of
microeconomic theory to decision-making process in the business firm.
Topics include pricing and profit strategy, cost analysis, decision making
under uncertainty, technology, innovation, and productivity growth, and
structure and organization of firms. Problem-solving and case-study approach
used.
4040 Analysis of Business
Cycles (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 3200; 3002; 3100 or equivalent. This course focuses
on the empirical regularities in macroeconomics commonly referred to as
the business cycle. It examines the variability and co-movements of aggregate
economic variables and explores alternative theoretical explanations of
these phenomena.
4100 Introduction to Econometrics (4)
Prerequisites: Econ 1001 and 1002; Econ 3100; Math 1800 or 1100; or consent
of instructor. An introduction to quantitative analysis of economic behavior.
The ordinary least squares technique and the assumptions underlying it
are developed. Methods designed to detect and correct for the violations
of these assumptions are examined. Special emphasis is given to the practical
application of the procedures discussed through the use of computer exercises.
4110 Applied Econometrics (4)
Prerequisite: Econ 4100 or equivalent. Concepts, techniques, and advanced
applications of econometrics. Emphasis on developing a critical understanding
of the appropriateness and limitations of a variety of state-of-the-art
techniques used to model economic or political processes. Topics will
include joint tests of hypothesis, estimation of lagged effects, models
of qualitative choice, simultaneous systems, and outlier diagnostics.
4120 Time Series Econometrics
for Economics and Finance (4)
Prerequisite: Econ 4100 or equivalent and a solid foundation in statistics.
Introduction to application of econometric methods to time-series data.
Emphasis on model specification as it applies to macroeconomic or financial
data. Topics include: Stationary and non-stationary time-series, seasonality,
random walks, unit roots, Dickey-Fuller test, conitegration, ARCH/GRACH
models, and general to specific modeling (ADLs). Specific applications
to macro-economics, international economics and/or financial markets.
4130 Econometric and Time
Series Forecasting (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 4100 or equivalent. Alternative forecasting methodologies
for economic time series will be analyzed and discussed. The focus of
the course will be: (1) the development of time-series (ARIMA) models
and their application to forecasting; (2) the use of standard econometric
models for forecasting; and (3) evaluation and comparison of these methods
and the conditions under which each is the appropriate methodology.
4150 Mathematical Economics (3)
Prerequisites: Math 1800 or 1100; Econ 3001 or BA 5000 or 5001. This course
uses calculus and other mathematical tolls to analyze economic phenomena.
In addition to exploring techniques used to solve unconstrained optimization
problems, the course also examines how matrix algebra is used in economic
modeling. This course allows students to mathematically analyze economic
models which receive graphical treatment in lower level courses.
4160 Geospatial Economic Analysis (3)
Prerequisite: Junior standing. Econ 1001 and 1002 or consent of instructor.
Analysis of geospatioal socioeconomic data using geographi information
systems (GIS) software. Emphasis will be on how to create maps to clearly
present and analysis information; how geospatial analysis can be integrated
into research projects and presentations; and how geospatial data can
be identified and located to shed light on economic research questions.
4170 Fundamentals of Cost-Benefit
Analysis (3)
Prerequisite: Econ 3001 or equivalent. The purpose of this course is to
provide a systemic and rigorous way of thinking about the measurement
of benefits and costs when evaluating public projects, programs or regulations.
Cost-benefit analysis has wide application, including: environmental resource
use, highway construction projects, safety regulations, taxation of cigarettes,
and investment in higher education. Given the prevalence of cost-benefit
analysis in government budgetary processes, this course will develop critical
appraisal skills to evalute the appropriateness of these analysis.
4210 Financial Markets and Institutions (3)
Prerequisite: Econ 3200. Demand, supply, and flow of funds in the macrofinancial
system, including money, capital, futures, and foreign exchange markets.
Examines types and historical development of domestic and international
financial intermediaries operating within these markets, decision-making
within individual intermediaries, their regulatory environment, and how
their portfolio decisions affect flows in the financial system.
4510 Public Finance: State and
Local (3)
Prerequisite: Econ 1001 and 1002 and junior standing. A study of expenditure,
taxation, and financial admistration of state and local governments, with
emphasis on problems of current interest. Special attention given to research
methods, as well as financial relations between various levels of government.
4550 Natural Resource Economics (3)
Prerequisite: Econ 1001 or consent of instructor, junior standing. The
relationship between human activity and the world's natural resources
requires choices. This course uses an economics perspective to study these
choices. This perspective uses the view of the environment as an asset
for its starting point. Issues concerning the optimal and sustainable
use of natural resources are examined in this context. Special emphasis
is given to potential policy responses to environmental problems.
4610 Economics of Nonmarket Decision
Making (3)
Prerequsites: Econ 1001 or consent of instructor, junior standing. Application
of economic theory and methodology to study of nonmarket decision making.
Introduction to economic models of the judiciary, bureaucracies, interest
groups, regulatory agencies, legislative and executive branches of government,
and private nonprofit charitable organizations. Impact of voting rules
and agenda manipulation on collective outcomes will be explored.
4900 Advanced Topics in Economic
Analyis (3)
Prerequisite: Econ 3001 or 3002 or consent of instructor. Study of a specific
topic in Economics that may very from semester to semester. May be taken
for credit more than once if the topics are different.
4980 Special Readings (1-6)
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor; grade point of 3.0 or higher in
economics. Unscheduled, independent directed readings on topics mutually
acceptable to student and instructor. Maximum credit limited to six hours.
4990 Internship in Applied Economics (2-6)
Prerequisites: Junior standing, Econ 3001, and consent of instructor.
Independent study involving work with appropriate private firm or public
agency. Maximum of 6 hours may be earned, only 3 of which may be applied
to economics major.
5001 Microeconomic Analysis (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 3001 or BA 5001; Econ 3002 or BA 5002; Econ 4150.
Survey of microeconomic comparative statistics. Detailed examination of
demand and supply, product, and factor markets. Partial equilibrium in
competitive, imperfectly competitive, and monopolistic markets.
5002 Macroeconomic Analysis (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 3001 or BA 5001; Econ 3002 or BA 5002; Econ 4150.
Aggregate economic theory, including analysis of the determinants of income,
output, employment and prices. Employment and price-level effects of consumer
and investment demand, the money supply and interest rates, and government
policies.
5010 Microeconomics for Policy
Analysis (3)
Prerequisite: Graduate Student Standing. Same as PPA 6080. This course
introduces microeconomic analysis of consumers, firms, and government,
with an emphasis on policy applications. It assumes no prior training
in economics and is appropriate for graduate students in public policy
administration, nonprofit management, political science, gerontology,
criminology and criminal justice, and other related fields. This course
may not be used by economics students to meet MA degree requirements..
5020 Economics of Contracts
and Organization (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 3001 or BA 5001 or 5000. Considers issues in the coordination
of human resources in the production of goods and services, either through
individual contracting or through various forms of organizations. Organization
is explained as a nexus of contractual relationships within a cooperative
production unit, whether that unit is governmental, in private commerce,
or has a non-profit orientation- or some mix of three basic modes. Emphasizes
the roles of transactions costs, bounded rationality, monitoring individual
performance in each team production, opportunism, basic principles of
insurance, and other incentive compatibility issues.
5051 Macroeconomics for the School
Curriculum (1-3)
Prerequisite: Junior standing. Analysis of forces affecting the national
economy, with emphasis on income determination, employment, money and
banking, and international trade and finance. Special reference to topics
included in elementary and secondary school social science curricula.
Econ 5051 may not be used by economics majors to meet degree requirements.
5052 Microeconomics for
the School Curriculum (1-3)
Prerequisite: Junior standing. Analysis of market forces, with emphasis
on business firms, households, and productive-factor markets, price determination,
and resource allocation. Special reference to topics included in elementary
and secondary school social science curricula. Econ 5052 may not be used
by economics majors to meet degree requirements.
5055 Economic Issues for
the School Curriculum (1-3)
Prerequisites: Junior standing and consent of instructor. An analysis
of selected economic issues appropriate to instruction in secondary and
elementary schools. May be taken more than once for credit, provided the
topic of the course is different each time. May not normally be used by
economics majors to meet degree requirements.
5100 Econometric Theory
and Methods (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 3001 or BA 5001; Econ 5002 or BA 5002; Econ 4150;
Econ 4100 or LOM 5300; Math 2450 or equivalent. A rigorous review of statistical
models and methods relevant to the estimation and testing of economic
relationships. Emphasis on the theoretical underpinnings of techniques
commonly used for single and multiple equation estimation and hypothesis
testing. Topics include ordinary and generalized least squares, robust
regression, and simultaneous equations estimation.
5110 Topics
in Applied Econometrics (3)
Prerequisite: Econ 4100, or Econ 5100 or LOM 5300, Math 2450 or equivalent.
Concepts and application of advanced econometric techniques. Students
will develop a thorough understanding of the appropriateness and application
of a variety of state-of-the art techniques. Topics will include specification
tests, polynomial distributed lags, discrete choice, pooled time-series
cross-section, simultaneous equations and outlier detection
.5120 Advanced in Time Series
Econometrics (3)
Prerequisite: Econ 4100 or equivalent and a solid foundation in statistics.
Applicaton of econometric methods to time-series data. Emphasis on model
specification as it applies to macroeconomic or financial data. Advanced
Topics include: Stationary and non-stationary time-series, seasonality,
random walks, unit roots, Dickey-Fuller tests, cointegration, ARCH/GARCH
models, and general to specific modeling (ADLs). Specific applications
to macroeconomics, international economics and/or financial markets.
5130 Business and Economic
Forecasting (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 3001 or BA 5001; Econ 3002 or BA 5002; Econ 4150;
Econ 4100 or MS/IS 5300. This course develops the alternative techniques
which are used to forecast economic time series. Each forecasting technique
will be evaluated in terms of its theoretical soundness and predictive
track record. Students will also learn to use these techniques to differentiate
among competing economic models.
5140 Seminar in Economic
Research (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 3200; Econ 3001 or BA 5001; and Econ 3002 or BA 5002.
Research methods applied to economics. Develops efficiency and skill in
conducting research and communicating the results with written reports
and oral communications. This course must be taken within the first year
of study after completion of the prerequisites.
5200 Monetary Theory and
Policy (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 3200; Econ 3001 or BA 5001; and Econ 3002 or BA 5002;
Econ 4150. An examination of how monetary policy has affected teh economy
in the past and how it can improve economic performance in the future.
Topics include: the origins of money, money supply, money demand, the
determinants of real and nominal interest rates, the term structure of
interest rates, the impact of discretionary monetary policy on the domestic
economy and foreign exchange markets, and the relationship between monetary
policy and federal government deficits.
5210 Financial Markets (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 3200; Econ 3001 or BA 5001; and Econ 3002 or BA 5002.
Demand, supply and flow of funds in allocating credit and distributing
risk in the macrofinancial system. The saving investment process, the
rational for financial markets,and the role of financial intermediaries
are studied within the framework of the flow of funds accounts. Special
attention is given to the operation of money, capital, futures, and foreign
financial markets and the impact of public policy on the structure and
performance of financial markets.
5300 International Trade (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 3001 or BA 5001. Survey of modern theories of international
trade and their applications including factor endowments and other, trade
restrictions, foreign investment, trade and economic development, and
balance of payments and exchange rates. Discussion of current institutions
and economic developemtns in the global economy.
5301 International Monetary
Analysis (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 3200, Econ 3002 or BA 5002. Applicatin of macroeconomic
theory to the international monetary system. Topics include the blance
of payment, exchange rates, international linkages, world inflation, capital
flows, and the gold standard.
5400 Labor Economics: Theory
and Public Policy (3)
Prerequisite: Econ 3001 or BA 5001. This course examines labor supply,
labor demand, and market determination of wages. Topics covered include
the effect of technological change on employment, trends in labor force
participation, the impact of government taxes and transfers on the labor
supply, poverty, and its economic consequences, the human capital model
and its implications for investment in education and on-the-job training,
and theories of economic discrimination, and empirical measurement issues.
Throughout the course, current public policy debates are examined using
the theoretical models developed
5500 Public Sector Microeconomics (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 3001 or BA 5001, or PPA 6080. Same as PPA 6210. Application
of tools of intermediate microeconomics to address public sector issues.
Special emphasis is placed on critically analyzing current public policy
debates using the models developed. Topics covered include: cases in which
competitive market fails to allocate resources efficiently (e.g. externalities
and public goods), importance of property rights, incentive effects of
the tax and transfer system, and the fundamentals of cost-benefit analysis.
5600 Structure and Performance
of United States Industry (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 3001 or BA 5001; Econ 4150. An analysis of the functioning
of business firms under alternative market arragements. Topics include:
the theory and measurement of monopoly power and the role of economies
of scale, product differentiation, and entry conditions in affecting this
power; the impact of market power on the price-setting behavior, advertising
and promotional stratiegies, and technological innovation of firms; the
role of government policy in promoting or preventing competition among
firms.
5530 Economics of Telecommunications (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 3001, BA 5000 or BA 5001 and Econ 4150. Application
of economic theory and techniques to the telecommunications industry.
Topics include demand theory for telephone access and use, consumer surplus
models for subscription choice, nonliner pricing strategies including
pure and mixed bundling and multi-part tariffs, the incentives of the
firm under various regulatory regimes, a comparison of rate-of-return
regulation and incentive (price cap) regulation, and the impact of carrier-of-last-resort
responsibilities.
5650 Law and Forensic Economics (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 3001, 3002, 3100, or equivalent, or consent of instructor.
Reviews issues of law that dictate conditions under which forensic economic
analysis is admissible. Topics include introduction to common law, federal
and state court systems, statutory basis for wrongful death damages, "make
whole" principle, efficient deterrence and efficient compensation,
differences by class of litigation, determination of relevant law, legal
implications of "preferred Jury instructions," standards for
admissibility of economic expertise.
5660 Labor Economics for Forensic
Economists (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 3001, 3002, 3100, or equivalent; or consent of instructor.
Focuses on areas of labor economics of special importance in forensic
economic analysis. Topics include human capital as a recoverable asset,
age-earnings cycles, variations in age-earnings cycles, earning capacity
versus expected earnings, theories of family and family bargaining, theory
of discrimination and tests for presence of discrimination.
5670 Assessment of Damages in
Personal Injury and Wrongful Death (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 3001, 3002, 3100, or equivalent; or consent of instructor.
Reviews methodologies for standard damage categories in forensic economic
analysis. Topics include methods for establishing base earnings, use of
age-earnings profile data, discount rates, net discount rates and stability
of relationship between wage growth and discount rates, analysis of fringe
benefit packages, concepts and measurement of nonmarket family services,
hedonic damage controversy, analysis of personal consumption/personal
maintenance for wrongful death cases.
5680 Statistical Research in
Forensic Economic Analysis (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 3001, 3002, 3100, or equivalent; or consent of instructor.
Review of relevant statistical techniques, data sources, and reliability
factors. Since factual information about individual tort victims is often
limited in forensic economic assessment, this course deals extensively
with issues of inference that must be made with little data. Also addresses
issues of scientific admissibility and Internet as a potential source
of relevant data.
5690 Writing Reports and Papers
in Forensic Economics (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 3001, 3002, 3100, or equivalent; or consent of instructor.
A professional writing course in which students are expected to prepare
both a report suitable for litigation and a paper written in publication
format for a professional journal or law review. Some student papers will
be publishable in specialized journals, legal publications, and law reviews.
5695 Internship in Forensic
Economics (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 3001, 3002, 3100, or equivalent; or consent of instructor.
Internship with litigation division in law or accounting practice, or
with forensic consulting firm. Internship activities and products will
be monitored largely through Internet interaction between student and
faculty.
5700 The Political Economy of
Metropolitan Areas (3)
Prerequisites: Regualr graduate student status and consent of graduate
student coordinator. This course deals with both the public and private
sector issues that affect our nation's metropolitan areas. It focuses
on policy implications for economic development, government finace (especially
at the state and local level) and intergovernmental relations. It also
covers the economics of specific topical areas such as local education,
transportation, financing adequate urban services, governmental structure
and financial organizations, infrastructure needs.
5750 The Political Economy
of Health Care (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 3001 or BA 5000 or consent of instructor. This course
investigates the impact of government policy on health care provision
and financing, focusing on the effect of entitlement programs, tax policy,
and government regulation. Applying standard economics techniques, students
will analyze incentives facing the decision makers in the health care
system and ways in which they are altered by government policy. Attention
will also be given to rationales for government intervention and roles
of interest groups in the formulation of U.S. health care policy. The
course will provide a detailed review of specific federal and state government
financing programs, primarily focusing on Medicare and Medicaid, and will
include discussions of the economic aspects of current health finance
reform proposals.
5760 Health Economics (3)
Prerequisites: Econ 3001 or BA 5001. This course applies microeconomic
theory and statistical techniques to understand decision making in health
care markets. The effects of government policies on the health care choices
of consumers and providers are identifies and quantified; attention is
given to federal and state entitlement programs, regulations, tax policies
and antitrust enforcement. The role of insurance as a risk-sharing device
is explored, along with its implications for pricing and health care utilization.
5900 Advanced Topics in
Economic Analysis (3)
Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor. Study of a specific economics
topic, which may vary from semester to semester. May be taken more than
once if the topic is different.
5980 Directed Readings (1-6)
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor. Independent study through readings,
reports, research projects, and conferences.