Previously Taught Courses
ECON 2010 - Principles of Microeconomics | Syllabus
This course is an introduction to the concepts of microeconomics. Microeconomics is broadly defined as the study of individuals’ and firms’ decisions—why do people do what they do in a market setting? Its central goal is to help students learn how to model economic behavior, and most importantly, to think like an economist, by developing the relevant fundamentals for building and interpreting economic models. Being able to interpret the world through the lens of economics is essential for understanding the rationale behind any sort of economic decision-making. As this is an introductory course, much of the time is devoted to learning the language of the field, and understanding the way that economists interpret the world around them.
ECON 3070 - Intermediate Microeconomic Theory | Syllabus
Microeconomic theory is the study of individual decisions—typically those made by consumers and firms—in the presence of constraints. In this class we explore how and why economic agents make these decisions. The models and techniques presented in this course are used by every economist in every field of economics, and by the end of the class, students will have the analytical tools to understand economic logic and formulate microeconomic models. The class is broadly divided into four parts. We first introduce the basics of microeconomic analysis and explore consumer behavior. The second part analyzes how firms make optimal decisions under different market structures. The third part combines the consumer and producer results from the first two parts to explore how consumers and producers interact in a market setting. Finally, part four explores different market structures and game theory/strategic behavior.
ECON 3403 - International Economics and Policy | Syllabus
This course covers essential economic concepts and important developments relating to the global economy, emphasizing the theories, policies, and institutions of international trade and finance. There are three basic objectives: first, to build an analytical framework within which we can develop a logical approach to investigating international economics. The idea is for us to "think like economists," an approach that gives students a sound basis for understanding the complexities of international commerce and the objectivity needed for assessing various policy proposals. Second, to gain a fuller appreciation of the complicated economic interrelationships that link nations and peoples. The final objective is to become better informed about the world surrounding us by understanding why trade policies exist and how costly or beneficial they are.