Macroeconomics - Description

This introductory macroeconomics course teaches basic concepts, models, and their real world applications. Compared with microeconomics, which studies how individuals make decisions and the functioning of markets, macroeconomics examines aggregate economic phenomena such as national income, economic growth, employment, inflation, financial system, etc. and their policy-related issues. Throughout the course, all students are required to participate in class meetings, register in MyEconLab to complete assignments online, conduct research projects, and take two exams.

It is important for students to provide feedback in time throughout the course to ensure positive learning and teaching experience. If students have trouble keeping up with the class material or the workload, please feel free to contact the instructor. It is the instructor's responsibility to support students to make progress and succeed in the course.

Learning Objectives

The main goal is to learn the language and hammer home the analytical framework in macroeconomics. After completing this course, students should:

become acquainted with most widely used macroeconomic concepts and topics;
appreciate price theory, money theory, and interest theory;
relate theories to the measurement issues and learn how to model relations among macroeconomic variables;
acquire skills in analyzing macro data and conduct relevant research;
understand the roles, goals, functions, and effects of monetary and fiscal policy;
debate macro issues such as national income and wealth, government deficit and debt, economic growth, inflation, unemployment, business cycle and macroeconomic policies, and financial crisis.

Throughout the course, students are encouraged to 1) raise questions and participate in discussion; 2) provide feedback and suggestions regarding teaching and course organization; 3) solve the problem sets and conduct research together; 4) assist in grading the assignments on a voluntary basis; 5) improve the learning and teaching process. Special accommodations will be given to students with disabilities.

Evaluation

Students will earn official letter grades calculated from the percentage basis, based on the following components:

1) MyEconLab Assignments (20%);

2) Group Research Projects (20%);

3) Midterm and Final Exams (60%);

4) Attendance and Participation (+ or -).

The last day to withdraw from the course with a "W" grade is April 11, 2016.

Computer-Aided Assignments (20%). Problem sets will be posted on the MyEconLab; you can expect a graded assignment with feedback roughly every week. Deadlines are firm. Practice sets may be done an unlimited number of times. You may submit each problem set up to 3 times; I will keep the highest grade. Do not wait until the last minute to submit the assignment. Register at http://www.pearsonmylabandmastering.com. Course ID: chen85755.

Group Research Projects (20%). Students will be assigned into groups and jointly complete research projects. These projects require processing and analyzing macroeconomic data in Excel Spreadsheet. Research topics include GDP, CPI, employment, and macroeconomic policies. For details and requirements, please follow up the course website.

Midterm and Final Exam (each 30%). Exams will not be rescheduled because of travel arrangements. In the case of a valid/documented emergency on the scheduled exam date, a make-up exam will be given, or the weight of the missed midterm will be shifted to the final exam (must provide the proof within 48 hours of the exam). Any cheating during exams will result in failure of the course and the matter being reported to the dean.

Attendance and Participation (+ or -). In final evaluation, students with full attendance will receive a grade enhancement while being absent or late, except for illnesses and emergencies, for more than 2 times will negatively affect your final grade. Please ensure an effective learning environment for the whole class by refraining from texting, surfing on the web, using your cell phone. Inappropriate classroom behavior will result in the student being withdrawn from the classes without official grades.

Attendance Policy

In a total of 15 class meetings, good attendance receives a final grade enhancement;

Except for emergencies and illnesses, without any valid excuse and document,

1) more than 3 times arriving late receives a downgrade in final evaluation;

2) more than 2 absences receives a downgrade in final evaluation;

3) more than 3 absences receives a "W" or "F".

Academic Integrity

Students and all others who work with information, ideas, texts, images, music, inventions, and other intellectual property owe their audience and sources accuracy and honesty in using, crediting, and citing sources. Copying assignments from a fellow classmate is considered cheating and will be dealt with severely. Proven cases of cheating or plagiarism will normally result in a grade of “F” with the student being denied admission to or dismissal from the College.

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