Credits: (3)
Prerequisite(s): ECON 303.
This course examines the gains from trade, trading patterns between countries, the effect of trade on income distribution and the effects of industrial and commercial policies. Other topics include the political economy of trade protection and the development of the world trading system.
The American higher education system is the most market-driven system in the world and it contains the most diverse set of public and private institutions. This diversity and market orientation is driven in part by its historical evolution. In light of that evolution, this course will explore the current system’s structure, strengths, and weaknesses. We will use that perspective to explore a range of contemporary issues, such as access, rising cost, affordability, debt burdens, accountability, social mobility, technological change, and the role of state government and federal programs.
Credits: (3)
Prerequisite(s): ECON 303 and ECON 308
College Curriculum: COLL 400
This seminar explores the economics of higher education. We explore the economic and political forces that affect student demand for higher education and that shape the behavior of colleges and universities. Specific topics include the return to higher education, the drivers of college cost, how tuition is set, the workings of financial aid, and how education is financed.