Department of Economics

Last updated: November 4, 2010 at 3:19 p.m.

Objectives

Majors in economics receive broad yet rigorous training in the core subjects of the discipline: general principles, micro and macroeconomic theory, statistics, and econometrics. They learn to use skills developed in the core courses to analyze a variety of economic problems, social issues, and economic institutions. These skills are applied and reinforced in four elective courses chosen from a list that includes most of the subfields of interest to economists, for example, international economics, financial markets, industrial organization, government regulation of economic activity, the public sector, technology, growth, and economic development.

The department stresses analytic and quantitative approaches to the study of human choice and economic behavior, functioning of the economic system, and specific subject areas and economic issues. Students in the major develop analytic and quantitative skills that are useful not only for economics but for other subjects as well. Both theoretical and applied courses are available. After completing the major, students should be familiar with the scholarship associated with a variety of economic subjects; as majors, students learn to read books and articles written for the general economist.

The major in economics provides background for many positions in business and government. Some graduates pursue advanced degrees in economics, and others enroll in professional schools of business, law, public policy, and other fields. Programs of study can be designed to match the interests of the student (see the following list of courses).

Brandeis juniors can apply for admission as "five-year students" to the Lemberg Master's Program in International Economics and Finance (see Brandeis International Business School section of this Bulletin). Brandeis also offers a business minor (see the Program in Business section of this Bulletin).

How to Become a Major or a Minor

The major has a single entry point, ECON 2a (Introduction to Economics), which is one of the courses that fulfill the quantitative reasoning component of the general university requirements. Most majors begin their study in the first or second year with ECON 2a, followed by a second principles course, ECON 8b (The Global Economy). A total of six core courses are required. The two principles courses are followed by four intermediate theory courses: microeconomic theory, macroeconomic theory, statistics, and econometrics (which builds on statistics). Majors must also complete four electives. It is important for prospective majors to begin the study of economics early, because the upper-level electives required for the major build on intermediate courses and have from three to six prerequisites. Calculus is required for the intermediate theory courses.

Faculty

Gary H. Jefferson, Chair
Economics of innovation. Institutional economics. Development. Industrial organization. China.

Chad P. Bown (on leave academic year 2010-2011)
International economics. Economic development. Industrial organization.

Elizabeth Brainerd
Labor economics. Economic demography. Health economics.

Linda Bui (on leave spring 2011)
Environmental economics. Public finance. Applied microeconomics. Industrial organization.

Laarni Bulan
Corporate finance. Corporate governance. Real options.

Anne Carter
Technological change. Input/output analysis.

H. Michael Coiner (on leave spring 2011)
Economics of higher education. Macroeconomics. International economics.

F. Trenery Dolbear
Macroeconomics. Public sector.

Can Erbil
Economic development. International trade. Public finance.

Kathryn Graddy
Applied microeconomics. Empirical industrial organization.

Nader Habibi
Economics of the Middle East.

George J. Hall
Macroeconomics.

Jens Hilscher
Asset pricing. Corporate finance. International finance.

Adam Jaffe, Dean of Arts and Sciences
Technological change. Economics of regulation. Industrial organization.

Blake LeBaron
Macroeconomics. International finance. Microeconomics.

Hong Li
Time series econometrics. Macroeconomics. Monetary economics.

Catherine L. Mann
International finance. Outsourcing. Technology. U.S. economic policy.

Rachel McCulloch (on leave spring 2011)
International economic theory and policy. Industrial organization.

Nidhiya Menon (on leave academic year 2010-2011)
Empirical microeconomics. Economic development. Econometrics. Economic demography and labor.

Carol Osler
International finance. Financial markets. Open economy. Macroeconomics.

Peter Petri
International trade. Development. Japan. Korea.

Scott A. Redenius, Undergraduate Advising Head
Economic history. The economics of financial institutions.

Raphael Schoenle
Macroeconomics.

Elif Sisli Ciamarra
Corporate finance. Corporate governance. Financial intermediation.

Daniel Tortorice
Macroeconomics. Business cycles. Consumption. Unemployment fluctuations.

Patricia Tovar
International trade. Political economy. Development. Microeconomics. Behavioral economics.

Requirements for the Minor

A. Successful completion of ECON 2a (Introduction to Economics) and ECON 8b (The Global Economy) with a grade of C or higher.

B. Three additional economics courses, each of which must include a prerequisite of at least ECON 2a. This means that only some of the cross-listed courses, those that specifically have ECON 2a as a prerequisite, may be counted toward the minor in economics. Students must earn at least a C- in each of these three electives

C. Students undertaking the economics minor together with the business major or minor are subject to additional restrictions to minimize the overlap in content.. For business majors and minors, no business courses can count toward the economics minor. In addition, students pursuing a business major and economics minor are required to take a minimum of 14 total courses in the major and minor. Also note that business majors and minors may double count no more than two courses for another major or minor.

D. No course taken pass/fail may count toward requirements for the minor.

Requirements for the Major

A. ECON 2a (Introduction to Economics) and ECON 8b (The Global Economy). A grade of C or higher is required in these courses.

B. ECON 80a, 82b, and 83a. Students receiving less than a C- for any of these courses must retake the course and earn a C- or better before enrolling in any upper-level elective.

C. ECON 184b or ECON 185a, or ECON 311a. A grade of at least C- is required. Students are strongly encouraged to enroll in one of these courses as soon as possible after completing ECON 83a.

D. Four elective courses in economics, at least two of which must be upper-level. Upper-level electives are courses that have as prerequisites ECON 80a, ECON 82b, and/or ECON 83a; not all 100-level courses meet this criterion. ECON 122b, 170a, and 175a are lower-level electives. Lower-level electives can be any course in economics other than the required courses, except that ECON 98a/b, ECON 99a/b, and BUS 89a do not count as electives for the major. Only one course that does not include ECON 2a as a prerequisite can be accepted as a lower-level elective. Eligible lower-level electives include cross-listed courses and certain other courses that contain significant economics content offered by IBS, Heller, and other departments in the social sciences. Any student who intends to count an economics-oriented course in another department or school toward the economics major should obtain prior approval of the undergraduate advising head.

E. A passing letter grade must be obtained in each course taken for credit toward the major. No course taken pass/fail may count toward requirements for the major. Students must earn at least a C- in three of the four electives, that is, no more than one grade of D, D+, or D-. Students must also achieve a GPA of at least 2.00 in the major courses; students close to this average should consult the undergraduate advising head before enrolling in economics courses for the senior year.

F. Students undertaking the economics major and the business major or minor are subject to additional restrictions. Business majors and minors may double count no more than two courses for another major or minor.

G. Any exception to the previously listed rules requires department approval by petition. See the department academic administrator or the undergraduate advising head for a petition; for example, a student must petition to get credit toward the major for an economics course taken at another university.

H. Qualified seniors are invited to participate in the department's honors program, which involves research and writing a thesis under the supervision of a member of the faculty. Candidates for honors must maintain a GPA of at least 3.5 in the major. Honors are awarded on the basis of excellence in courses taken in the major and the senior thesis.

Special Notes Relating to Undergraduates

Business Major and Minor

Students interested in pursuing a formal program in business should consult the description given in the business program section of this Bulletin.

Mathematics

The required intermediate theory courses (ECON 80a, 82b, 83a) assume a knowledge of calculus at the level taught in MATH 10a (Techniques of Calculus). Students with a limited mathematics background should begin with MATH 5a (Precalculus Mathematics). Every student taking ECON 80a, ECON 82b, or ECON 83a must have (a) completed MATH 10a with a grade of C- or better, or (b) scored at least 4 on the AP Mathematics AB test or at least 3 on the AP Mathematics BC test, or (c) passed a placement exam the economics department administers at the beginning of each semester. For some more advanced courses, additional calculus and linear algebra provide a useful background. Students unsure of the adequacy of their mathematics preparation should consult their adviser.

Academic Adviser and Selection of Courses

Students are strongly advised to choose courses with well-considered educational objectives in mind. Course offerings in economics can be grouped roughly into four categories (see below). Some students will wish to take at least one course from each of the four groups and thereby obtain a broad exposure to the discipline. Others will find a more narrow focus with in-depth study in only one or two groups more appropriate. Majors should discuss educational objectives and course selections and sequencing with their academic advisors.

Internships

Most economics majors and minors interested in taking an internship for credit enroll in BUS 89a. BUS 89a does not provide credit toward the economics major or minor, but it is a four-credit course that counts as one of a student’s thirty-two courses and as one of the BUS electives. Internships can be done during an academic semester or during the summer. For more information, consult the description and enrollment information for BUS 89a in the Business section of this Bulletin or the Web site for internships: www.brandeis.edu/programs/internships/students.

Economics majors who are also undertaking interdepartmental programs with economics connections (e.g. legal studies, environmental studies), and who are doing an internship related to economics to fulfill the requirements of the interdepartmental program, may enroll in ECON 92a. Like BUS 89a, ECON 92a does not provide credit toward the economics major or minor but does count as one of a student’s thirty-two courses.

ECON Course Offering Groups

1. Core Analytical Courses

ECON 2a Introduction to Economics
ECON 8b The Global Economy
ECON 80a Microeconomic Theory
ECON 82b Macroeconomic Theory
ECON 83a Statistics for Economic Analysis
ECON 184b Econometrics
ECON 185a Econometrics with Linear Algebra

2. International and Comparative

ECON 26a Latin America's Economy
ECON 30a The Economy of China
ECON 60b The Economics of International Trade Disputes
ECON 122b The Economics of the Middle East*
ECON 141b Economics of Innovation
ECON 160a International Trade Theory
ECON 161a International Finance
ECON 162a Outsourcing and Offshoring: Informational Technology and Globalization
ECON 175a Introduction to the Economics of Development*
ECON 176a The Household, Health, and Hunger in Developing Countries

3. The U.S. Economy: Analysis, Institutions, Policy

ECON 57a Environmental Economics
ECON 59b The Economics of Education
ECON 69a The Economics of Race and Gender
ECON 76b Labor Economics
ECON/FA 87a Economics and the Arts
ECON 134b Public Sector Economics
ECON 135a Industrial Organization
ECON 171a Financial Economics
ECON 172b Money and Banking
ECON 174a Corporate Finance
ECON 177b Economic Regulation and Deregulation
ECON 182a Topics in Advance Macroeconomics

4. Analytical Methods


ECON 181b Game Theory and Economic Applications

Several Brandeis International Business School courses may be appropriate analytical electives for advanced undergraduates, including first-year courses in the PhD program in international economics and finance. Interested students should see their adviser or the undergraduate advising head for more information.

*This course is considered a lower-level elective.

Courses of Instruction

(1-99) Primarily for Undergraduate Students

ECON 2a Introduction to Economics
[ qr ss ]
Common final exam.
A one-semester introduction to economic analysis with policy applications. The economist's approach to social analysis is systematically elaborated. Usually offered every semester in multiple sections.
Mr. Coiner and Staff

ECON 8b The Global Economy
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: ECON 2a. This course is not a writing-intensive course.
Applies the basic tools and models of economic analysis to a wide range of topics in micro-, macro-, and international economics. Usually offered every semester in multiple sections.
Staff

ECON 26a Latin America's Economy
[ nw ss ]
Prerequisite: ECON 2a.
Introductory survey of economic, financial, and institutional problems, distortions, and reforms in Latin America. Topics include the role of government, privatization, liberalization of trade and capital flows, pension funds reforms, inflation, stabilization, and international debt crisis. Current and future trends will be discussed. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Tovar

ECON 30a The Economy of China
[ nw ss ]
Prerequisite: ECON 2a.
Analysis of China's economic transformation with particular emphasis on China's economic reforms since 1978, including the restructuring of its enterprise, fiscal, financial, and political systems and the roles of trade, foreign investment, and technology in driving China's economic advance. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Jefferson

ECON 57a Environmental Economics
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: ECON 2a.
Investigates the theoretical and policy problems posed by the use of renewable and nonrenewable resources. Theoretical topics include the optimal pricing of resources, the optimal use of standards and taxes to correct pollution problems under uncertainty, and the measuring of costs and benefits. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Bui

ECON 59b The Economics of Education
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: ECON 2a.
An introduction to economic analysis of the education sector. Topics include the concept of human capital, private and social return to investment in education, cost-benefit analysis of special educational programs, and issues in the financing of education. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Coiner

ECON 60b The Economics of International Trade Disputes
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: ECON 8b.
Analyzes economic issues involved in a set of recent international trade disputes at the frontier of disagreement and conflict in international economic relations from the perspective of directly and indirectly affected participants such as firms, workers, consumers, policymakers, and NGOs. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Bown

ECON 69a The Economics of Race and Gender
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: ECON 2a.
The role of race and gender in economic decision making. Mainstream and alternative economic explanations for discrimination, and analysis of the economic status of women and minorities. Discussion of specific public policies related to race, class, and gender. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Brainerd

ECON 76b Labor Economics
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: ECON 2a.
Analysis of competitive and less-than-competitive markets. Rationale for alternate methods of paying workers (e.g., hourly wages, piece rates, bonuses). Sources of wage differentials among jobs and workers. The U.S. labor movement, the process of collective bargaining, and the economic effects of unions. Effects of government interventions in the labor market, such as the minimum wage and occupational safety regulation. Extent and effects of discrimination in the labor market. Inequality in the distribution of wages. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Brainerd

ECON 80a Microeconomic Theory
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: ECON 8b. Calculus is required. See "Special Notes Relating to Undergraduates" in the Bulletin for more information.
Analysis of the behavior of economic units within a market economy. Emphasis upon individuals' decisions as demanders of goods and suppliers of resources, and firms' decisions as suppliers of goods and demanders of resources under various market structures. Usually offered every semester.
Staff

ECON 82b Macroeconomic Theory
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: ECON 8b. Calculus is required. See "Special Notes Relating to Undergraduates" in the Bulletin for more information.
Models of the determination of economic aggregates, such as national income, consumption, investment, government spending, exports, imports, and international capital flows, and economy-wide variables, such as the interest rate, the exchange rate, the price level and inflation, and the unemployment rate. The influence of fiscal and monetary policies on these aggregates and variables is examined. Usually offered every semester.
Staff

ECON 83a Statistics for Economic Analysis
[ qr ss ]
Prerequisites: ECON 2a. Calculus is required. See "Special Notes Relating to Undergraduates" in the economics section of the Bulletin for more information.
A first course in statistical inference. Topics include descriptive statistics, probability, normal and binomial distributions, sampling distributions, point and interval estimation, properties of estimators, hypothesis testing, regression, and analysis of variance. Usually offered every semester.
Staff

ECON 92a Internship
Signature of the undergraduate advising head required. Does not count toward the major in economics.
Available to economics majors who wish to do an internship as part of an interdepartmental program (e.g., legal studies, environmental studies), where the internship itself will be in an area related to economics. Any economics major not seeking credit for such a program should enroll instead in BUS 89a, an internship class connected to the business major and minor (see Business section of the Bulletin for the course description). Usually offered by request.
Staff

ECON 98a Independent Study
Signature of the instructor required. Does not count toward the major in economics.
Normally available for a student who has taken a course and wishes to pursue further reading or research in that field or study a subject not listed among the department course offerings. Usually offered every year.
Staff

ECON 98b Independent Study
Signature of the instructor required. Does not count toward the major in economics.
See ECON 98a for course description. Usually offered every year.
Staff

ECON 99a Senior Research
Signature of the instructor required. Does not count toward the major in economics.
A senior whose GPA in economics courses is 3.50 or above and who has completed ECON 184b or equivalent may petition to be admitted to the senior honors program and to enroll in this course. Usually offered every year.
Staff

ECON 99b Senior Thesis
Prerequisite: Satisfactory completion of ECON 99a. Signature of the instructor required. Does not count toward the major in economics.
Seniors who wish to complete a senior honors thesis normally enroll in this course. Usually offered every year.
Staff

ECON/FA 87a Economics and the Arts
[ ca ss ]
Prerequisite: ECON 2a and FA 17a, FA 18a, FA70a, FA 71a or FA 74a. The FA course may be taken concurrently with ECON/FA 87a.
Economics and art history provide dual lenses for studying mechanics of art auctions and building collections. Course will focus on the intersection of history and patronage of specific artists and works of art with the marketplace. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Graddy and Ms. Scott

(100-199) For Both Undergraduate and Graduate Students

ECON 122b The Economics of the Middle East
[ nw ss ]
Prerequisite: ECON 2a or the equivalent. Does not count toward the upper-level elective requirement for the major in economics.
Examines the Middle East economies--past experiences, present situation, and future challenges--drawing on theories, policy formulations and empirical studies of economic growth, trade, poverty, income distribution, labor markets, finance and banking, government reforms, globalization, and Arab-Israeli political economy. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Habibi

ECON 134b Public Sector Economics
[ ss ]
Prerequisites: ECON 80a and ECON 83a or permission of the instructor.
The effect of tax and expenditure policies on economic efficiency and equity. Topics include externalities and public goods, public choice, cost-benefit analysis, income redistribution, social security, and health care. Also discussion of U.S. tax system, public debt, and state and local finance. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Coiner

ECON 135a Industrial Organization
[ qr ss ]
Prerequisites: ECON 80a and ECON 83a or permission of the instructor.
Microeconomic analysis of firm behavior under alternative market structures and implications for market outcomes. Topics include strategic interaction, entry and exit, collusion, predation, price discrimination, product differentiation, vertical relations, imperfect information, advertising, and patents and innovation. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Graddy

ECON 141b Economics of Innovation
[ ss wi ]
Prerequisites: ECON 80a and ECON 83a or permission of the instructor.
Technological change as the central focus of modern economies. Topics include changing industrial and international specialization, economics of research and development, innovation, diffusion and technology transfer, appropriability, patents, information markets, productivity, intersectoral effects, and global competitiveness. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Carter

ECON 155a Experimental Economics
[ ss ]
Prerequisites: ECON 83a or PSYC 51a, and ECON 80a or permission of the instructor.
Introduces students to economic experiments. Uses laboratory experiments to examine how design of economic institutions affects the production and allocation of resources. Topics include markets, specialization, bargaining, auctions, property, public goods, and coordination. Usually offered every year.
Mr. DeScioli

ECON 160a International Trade Theory
[ ss ]
Prerequisites: ECON 80a and ECON 83a or permission of the instructor.
Causes and consequences of international trade and factor movements. Topics include determinants of trade, effects on welfare and income distribution, trade and growth, protection, foreign investment, immigration, and preferential trading. Usually offered every year.
Ms. McCulloch

ECON 161a International Finance
[ ss ]
Prerequisites: ECON 82b and ECON 83a or permission of the instructor.
Applications of international economic theory--regarding trade, the balance of payments, investments, and exchange rates--to the management of import/export firms and multinational corporations. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Mann

ECON 162a Outsourcing and Offshoring: Information Technology and Globalization
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: ECON 80a. Corequisite: ECON 83a.
Examines how information technology facilitates services trade, how important services transactions are in global trade and investment, and whether services trade requires a new trade theory. Topics include issues for business strategy and national policy arising from globalization of services. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Mann

ECON 171a Financial Economics
[ ss ]
Prerequisites: ECON 80a and ECON 83a, or permission of the instructor.
An introduction to financial economics. Topics include the selection of assets, portfolio choice under uncertainty, equilibrium asset pricing models, the efficient markets hypothesis, futures, and options markets. Usually offered every year.
Staff

ECON 172b Money and Banking
[ ss ]
Prerequisites: ECON 82b and ECON 83a or permission of the instructor.
Considers the relationship of the financial system to real economic activity, focusing especially on central banks. Roughly one-half of the course is devoted to a study of the design and operation of central banks in the modern economy. The other half of the course considers the structure, management, regulations and supervision of bank and nonbank financial intermediaries; including examination of the globalization of the financial system. Students are assumed to know intermediate macroeconomics and elementary financial theory. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Redenius

ECON 174a Corporate Finance
[ ss ]
Prerequisites: ECON 171a and BUS 6a or permission of the instructor.
An introductory course in corporate finance and financial management. Covers the theory and application of capital budgeting techniques and capital structure choice of firms. Usually offered every year.
Staff

ECON 175a Introduction to the Economics of Development
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: ECON 2a or permission of the instructor. Does not count toward the upper-level elective requirement for the major in economics.
An introduction to various models of economic growth and development and evaluation of these perspectives from the experience of developing and industrial countries. Usually offered every year.
Staff

ECON 176a The Household, Health, and Hunger in Developing Countries
[ nw ss ]
Prerequisites: ECON 80a and ECON 184b, or permission of the instructor. ECON 175a is recommended. Primarily recommended for juniors and seniors.
Examines aspects of poverty and nutrition that are confronted by households in low-income countries. Examines these issues primarily from a microeconomic perspective, although some macroeconomic angles are explored as well. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Menon

ECON 177b Economic Regulation and Deregulation
[ ss ]
Prerequisites: ECON 80a and ECON 83a or permission of the instructor.
Rate regulation of natural monopolies, antitrust regulation of horizontal and vertical mergers and contracts, and the deregulation movement. Focus on the peak-load pricing problem, vertical restraints, and case histories of airlines and savings and loan institutions. Usually offered every third year.
Staff

ECON 181b Game Theory and Economic Applications
[ ss ]
Prerequisites: ECON 80a, ECON 83a, MATH 10a or equivalent.
Analysis of decision making in multiperson settings. Studies models of equilibrium and various kinds of games under perfect and imperfect information. The applications include competition, auctions, voting, risk sharing, bargaining. Usually offered every second year.
Staff

ECON 182a Topics in Advanced Macroeconomics
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: ECON 80a, 82b, and 83a.
Contemporary theories of economic growth, business cycles, monetary economics, and financial crises and their implications for monetary and fiscal policy. Emphasis on empirical work and computer modeling. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Hall

ECON 184b Econometrics
[ qr ss ]
Prerequisites: ECON 83a. Corequisite: ECON 80a or permission of instructor. This course may not be taken for credit by students who have previously taken or are currently enrolled in ECON 185a or ECON 311a.
An introduction to the theory of econometric regression and forecasting models, with applications to the analysis of business and economic data. Usually offered every year.
Staff

ECON 185a Econometrics with Linear Algebra
[ ss ]
Prerequisites: ECON 80a, 82b, 83a and MATH 15a. A working knowledge of linear algebra is required. Dose not count toward the major in economics if the student has taken ECON 184b.
Students are first exposed to the necessary background in advanced probability theory and statistics. Then statistical theory for the linear regression model, its most important variants, and extensions to nonlinear methods including Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) and Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) are covered. Theoretical analysis is accompanied by the study of empirical economic examples. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Li

Cross-Listed in Economics

AAAS 60a Economics of Third World Hunger
[ nw ss ]
Employs the tools of social science, particularly economics, to study causes and potential solutions to problems in production, trade, and consumption of food in the underdeveloped world. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Nyangoni

BUS 6a Financial Accounting
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: ECON 2a.
Develops basic concepts and accounts and applies them to income measurement, capital values, and costs. Through the use of cases, develops the basis for rational choice and control of business activity. Usually offered every semester.
Mr. Keith and Ms. Weihs

BUS 10a Functions of the Capitalist Enterprise
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: BUS 6a. BUS 6a may be taken concurrently with BUS 10a.
Introduces the internal complexity of modern businesses and the various roles they play in society. First examines the internal workings of firms--marketing, operations, finance, and other functions. Subsequently, the relationships between businesses and their context--the economy, social issues, and government are studied. Usually offered every semester in multiple sections.
Ms. Banerjee, Mr. Bayone, Mr. Canella, Mr. Carver, Mr. Reed, and Ms. Wang

BUS 70a Business in the Global Economy
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: BUS 10a
Modern firms frequently cross national borders to find new markets and resources. Their strategies are then shaped by the international economy and by the policies of national governments. Using case discussion, students explore why and how U.S., Japanese, and European firms operate outside their home countries. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Zimmerman

BUS 75a Financial Analysis for Management
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: Bus 10a and Bus 71a.
Examines management decisions using quantitative, strategic, and financial analysis. Special attention to large companies with financial challenges and industries in transition, such as automobile, airlines, and oil. Also examines how industry trends affect the decisions of small businesses and investors. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Canella

HS 104b American Health Care
[ ss ]
Examines and critically analyzes the United States health care system, emphasizing the major trends and issues that have led to the current sense of "crisis." In addition to providing a historical perspective, this course will establish a context for analyzing the current, varied approaches to health care reform. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Altman

HS 110a Wealth and Poverty
[ ss ]
Examines why the gap between richer and poorer citizens appears to be widening in the United States and elsewhere, what could be done to reverse this trend, and how the widening disparity affects major issues of public policy. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Shapiro

HSSP 104b Health Economics
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: ECON 2a.
Emphasizes the concepts and tools of health economics applicable to both developed and developing countries. Topics include: cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis, the demand for health services, insurance and risk, managed care, provider reimbursement, national health insurance, and an overview of health care systems in other countries. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Hodgkin

PHIL 13b The Idea of the Market: Economic Philosophies
[ hum ]
Historical survey of philosophical assumptions in the defense and critique of market capitalism, starting from Adam Smith's views on value, self, and community. Explores philosophical alternatives in Marx, Weber, Durkheim, Dewey, and Nozick, including debates on justice and individualism. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Gaskins

POL 173a U.S. Foreign Economic Policy
[ oc ss wi ]
Presents the history and politics of the foreign economic policy in the United States. Emphasis is on political and economic considerations that influence the domestic actors and institutions involved in the formulation of policy. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Chase

PSYC 146a Evolutionary Psychology
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: PSYC 1a, PSYC 51a, PSYC 52a or permission of the instructor.
Approaches psychology using two core ideas: evolution and computation. Investigates the mind as a functional system which performs computations to solve adaptive problems. Topics include perception, objects, tools, family, mates, trade, property, and culture. Usually offered every year.
Mr. DeScioli