Courses

ECON B105 Introduction to Economics

Fall 2025, Spring 2026

An introduction to micro- and macroeconomics: opportunity cost, supply and demand; consumer choice, the firm and output decisions; market structures; efficiency and market failure; the determination of national income, including government spending, money and interest rates; unemployment, inflation and public policy. Prerequisites: Quantitative Readiness Required.

Quantitative Methods (QM)

Quantitative Readiness Required (QR)

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ECON B200 Intermediate Microeconomics

Spring 2026

Systematic development of the analytical framework economists use to explain the behavior of consumers and firms. Determination of price; partial and general equilibria; welfare economics. Application to current economic problems. Prerequisite: ECON B105, MATH B101 (or equivalent), one 200-level economics elective. ECON H201 does not count as an elective.

Course does not meet an Approach

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ECON B202 Intermediate Macroeconomics

Fall 2025

The goal of this course is to provide a thorough understanding of the behavior of the aggregate economy and the likely effects of government stabilization policies. Models of output, inflation, unemployment and interest rates are developed, along with theories of consumption, investment, economic growth, exchange rates and the trade balance. These models are used to analyze the likely macroeconomic effects of fiscal and monetary policies and to explore current macroeconomic issues and problems. Prerequisites: ECON 105, MATH B101 (or equivalent), and one 200-level Economics elective. ECON H201 does not count as an elective.

Course does not meet an Approach

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ECON B208 Labor Economics

Spring 2026

Analysis of labor markets. Focuses on the economic forces and public policies that determine wage rates and unemployment. Specific topics include: human capital, family decision marking, discrimination, immigration, technological change, compensating differentials, and signaling. Prerequisite: ECON B105.

Course does not meet an Approach

Counts Toward: Growth and Structure of Cities.

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ECON B209 Introduction to Behavioral Economics

Spring 2026

This course will introduce you to behavioral economics - the subfield of economics that uses economic models coupled with insights from psychology to understand better and model human behavior. The broad goal of the course is to apply these insights to understand individual decisions in risky scenarios, strategic scenarios, cooperation, attention, and more. Prerequisite: ECON B105

Course does not meet an Approach

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ECON B213 Industrial organization and Antitrust

Spring 2026

Introduction to the economics of industrial organization and regulation, focusing on policy options for ensuring that corporations enhance economic welfare and the quality of life. Topics include firm behavior in imperfectly competitive markets; theoretical bases of antitrust laws; regulation of product and occupational safety, environmental pollution, and truth in advertising. Prerequisite: ECON B105.

Course does not meet an Approach

Counts Toward: Growth and Structure of Cities.

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ECON B217 Health Economics

Fall 2025

Economic analysis of the health sector. The demand for health care (demand curve for health care and health as human capital); the supply of health care (models of hospital and physician behavior); socioeconomic disparity in health; the demand for health insurance (the role of uncertainty, adverse selection, and moral hazard); health care systems in the U.S. and around the world. Prerequisite: ECON B105.

Course does not meet an Approach

Counts Toward: Health Studies; Health Studies.

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ECON B225 Economic Development

Fall 2025

Examination of the issues related to and the policies designed to promote economic development in the developing economies of Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Focus is on why some developing economies grow faster than others and why some growth paths are more equitable, poverty reducing, and environmentally sustainable than others. Includes consideration of the impact of international trade and investment policy, macroeconomic policies (exchange rate, monetary and fiscal policy) and sector policies (industry, agriculture, education, population, and environment) on development outcomes in a wide range of political and institutional contexts. Prerequisite: ECON B105.

Course does not meet an Approach

Counts Toward: Environmental Studies; Growth and Structure of Cities; International Studies; International Studies.

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ECON B235 Macroeconomic Challenges in the US Economy

Spring 2026

This course will analyze macroeconomic challenges and policy responses in the US, drawing from both recent and historical events. Topics will include the roles of monetary and fiscal policy in stabilizing the economy; the federal budget, government deficits and national debt; inflation and monetary policy; the US trade deficit and global imbalances; long-run economic growth; and the recent economic shocks associated with the 2008-09 financial crisis and Covid-19. The course will build upon the macroeconomic theory from introductory economics and include both theoretical and empirical analysis. Prerequisite: ECON B105

Course does not meet an Approach

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ECON B236 Introduction to International Economics

Fall 2025, Spring 2026

An introduction to international economics through theory, policy issues, and problems. The course surveys international trade and finance, as well as topics in international economics. It investigates why and what a nation trades, the consequences of such trade, globalized production, the role of trade policy, the economics of immigration, the behavior and effects of exchange rates, and the macroeconomic implications of trade and capital flows.Prerequisites: ECON B105. The course is not open to students who have taken ECON B316 or B348.

Counts Toward: Growth and Structure of Cities; International Studies; International Studies.

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ECON B253 Introduction to Econometrics

Fall 2025, Spring 2026

An introduction to econometric terminology and reasoning. Topics include descriptive statistics, probability, and statistical inference. Particular emphasis is placed on regression analysis and on the use of data to address economic issues. The required computational techniques are developed as part of the course. Class cannot be taken if you have taken H203 or H204. Prerequisites: ECON B105 and a 200-level elective. ECON H201 does not count as an elective.

Quantitative Methods (QM)

Counts Toward: Data Science.

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ECON B304 Econometrics

Spring 2026

The econometric theory presented in ECON 253 is further developed and its most important empirical applications are considered. Each student does an empirical research project using multiple regression and other statistical techniques. Prerequisites: ECON B253 or ECON H203 or ECON H204 and ECON B200 or ECON B202 or ECON H300 or ECON H302.

Counts Toward: Data Science; Mathematics.

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ECON B311 Game Theory and Applications

Fall 2025

Game theory studies interactions between people, corporations, institutions, or countries in which each player recognizes their strategic interdependence with the others in the game. Many economic decisions in the real world have such strategic interdependence. The course uses theoretical models and techniques from game theory to examine economic incentives in various strategic scenarios. Applications may include oligopoly, zero and nonzero sum games, cooperative and noncooperative games, asymmetric information, adverse selection, signaling, and bargaining models. Prerequisite: B200.

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ECON B314 The Economics of Social Policy

Fall 2025

Introduces students to the economic rationale behind U.S. government programs and the evaluation of U.S. social policies. Topics include minimum wage, unemployment, safety net programs, education, health insurance, and climate change. Additionally, the instructor and students will jointly select topics of special interest to the class. Emphasis will be placed on the use of statistics to evaluate social policy. Writing intensive. Prerequisites: ECON B200 and (ECON B253 or ECON B304)

Writing Intensive

Counts Toward: Growth and Structure of Cities.

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ECON B316 International Macroeconomics

Spring 2026

Examines the theory of, and current issues in, international macroeconomics and international finance. Considers the role of international factors in macroeconomic performance; policy-making in an open economy; exchange rate systems and exchange rate behavior; international financial integration; and international financial crises. Writing Intensive.Prerequisite: ECON B202 and ECON 253 or 304.

Writing Intensive

Counts Toward: International Studies; International Studies.

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ECON B317 The Economics of Agricultural and Rural Development

Spring 2026

Close to 900 million people living in extreme poverty live in rural regions and derive their income from agriculture. Many of them practice subsistence farming, consuming only what they grow. This class examines the economics of agricultural systems in poor countries, the challenges facing them, and why they account for such a large share of the world's poor. The class will do this from the perspectives of microeconomic theory, econometric research, development economics, environmental economics, and political economy. Writing Intensive. Prerequisite: ECON B200: Intermediate Microeconomics and either ECON B253: Introduction to Econometrics or ECON B304: Econometrics

Writing Intensive

Quantitative Readiness Required (QR)

Counts Toward: International Studies; International Studies.

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ECON B348 International Trade

Spring 2026

Study of the major theories offered to explain international trade. Includes analyses of the effects of trade barriers (tariffs, quotas, non-tariff barriers), trade liberalization, and foreign investment by multinational corporations on growth, poverty, inequality, and the environment. Prerequisite: ECON B200.

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ECON B394 Research Seminar: Labor Economics

Spring 2026

Thesis seminar. Each student does a semester-long research project on a relevant topic of interest. Research topics in discrimination, unionization, human capital, migration, labor supply, labor demand, and employment/unemployment are appropriate. Prerequisites: ECON 200; ECON 208 or 314 or 324; ECON 253 or 304.

Quantitative Readiness Required (QR)

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ECON B396 Research Seminar: International Economics

Not offered 2025-26

Thesis seminar. Each student does a semester-long research project on a relevant topic of interest. Research topics in international trade or trade policy, international finance, international macroeconomics, and international economic integration are appropriate. Prerequisites: ECON 316 and 202 or ECON 348 and 200; ECON 253 or 304.

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