Course Descriptions opportunities for the analysis, evaluation and discussion of field experience.
Economics ECO 101 Economics of Social Issues (3 credits) This course will introduce students to the economics of social issues, focusing on today’s most pressing social and economic problems from both domestic and global perspectives. First, students will trace the development of our economic society from the Middle Ages to the present in order to gain an understanding as to why our present-day economy is the way it is. Participants will then examine public-policy issues such as, but not limited to, healthcare, inequality in the distribution of income, the environment, etc., by using the tools of macro and microeconomic analysis. Other areas of possible inquiry and analysis could include abortion, same-sex marriage, drug and alcohol abuse, assisted suicide, the military draft, gun control, bribery, or any other area of inquiry a student may choose. Students will be required to select a specific social and/or economic issue of their choice, research the issue throughout the semester, and then present the results of their work along with recommendations for public or private action. NOTE: ECO 101 may not be used by students majoring in the FIN/ECO degree program to satisfy elective requirements of the major. ECO 101 may be used as a free elective towards the B.S. or B.A. degree. ECO 201 Microeconomics (3 credits) This course examines the role of economic systems in allocating scarce resources to satisfy the needs and wants of individual members of a society. After a brief exposure to alternative economic systems, the focus becomes the nature and performance of American capitalism. Primary emphasis is placed upon the development of models that explain the behavior of consumers, producers and resource suppliers in various market structures. Prerequisites: MAT 106 and MAT 206, or, MAT 130, MAT 140, MAT 210, MAT 230 or MAT 240. ECO 202 Macroeconomics (3 credits) This course explores the manner in which the overall levels of output, income, employment and prices are determined in a capitalist economy. The focus is on the forces that act to shape these factors and determine their fluctuations. The role of government fiscal and monetary policy in influencing the level of economic activity also is a major area of study. The impact of international transactions on the domestic economy also is discussed. Prerequisites: MAT 106 and MAT 206, or, MAT 130, MAT 140, MAT 210, MAT 230 or MAT 240. ECO 301 Managerial Economics (3 credits) This course applies economic theory and quantitative techniques to solving business decision problems. The principal economic framework is that of microeconomics and covers such topics as demand, production, cost and market structures. Regression and linear programming are the main quantitative tools developed in the course. Computer applications are a required part of the course. Prerequisites: ACC 202, ECO 201, ECO 202 and MAT 240 (or equivalent).
ECO 306 Money and Banking (3 credits) This course covers three broad areas. The first is the banking industry’s regulations and internal operations. The second area focuses on the banking industry’s role in the national economy, including monetary policy and its macroeconomic effect on prices, employment and growth. International banking is the third area covered and includes an overview of institutional arrangements and the effects of international banking on the world economy. Prerequisites: ECO 201 and ECO 202. ECO 314 Labor Economics (3 credits) This course develops and explores explanations of the operation of the labor market in the United States’ capitalist economy. An eclectic approach is used to compare and contrast different views on such issues as the nature of the working class, the role of trade unions in the labor market, the impact of investments in labor power, the causes of poverty and unemployment, the influence of technological change on the labor market, and the role of the government in the labor market (i.e., minimum wage legislation, employment training programs, unemployment compensation, retirement and Social Security). Prerequisites: ECO 201 and ECO 202. ECO 322 International Economics (3 credits) International Economics develops and explores alternative explanations for the determinants of international trade and financial flows. Emphasis is placed on analyzing the cause and effect of such international phenomena as trade patterns, factor mobility, direct and portfolio investment, multinational corporations, balance of payments disequilibria, and government trade and exchange controls. The course highlights the interdependence of nation-states in the world economy and the development of national policies that are designed to alter or control the pattern of international trade and investment. Global Marker. Prerequisites: ECO 201 and ECO 202. ECO 325 Economics for Hospitality Students (3 credits) Topics in economics will be selected and designed for study by students in the bachelor of applied science in hospitality administration program. Open only to students in the BASHA program. ECO 327 Economic Development (3 credits) Economic explanations for development and underdevelopment are studied in this course. The course focuses on the problems that less-developed countries face and on alternative approaches to addressing these problems. Global Marker. Prerequisites: ECO 201 and ECO 202. ECO 330 Public Finance (3 credits) This course examines the economic rationale for government provision of goods and services in a market system. Efficiency criteria for evaluating government programs, tax policy and the current U.S. tax structure also are studied. Prerequisites: ECO 201 and ECO 202. ECO 335 Urban and Regional Economics (3 credits) This course looks at the causes of urbanization and the growth of regional economies. Problems arising from urban137