An introduction to the modes of thought of economics. Use of simple standard tools of economics to analyze important problems that arise frequently in public policy, the news media, and in daily life. An emphasis on how economists predict what choices societies make and how economists analyze whether those are good choices. Practical application of a variety of economic tools leading to a focus on the essential unity underlying these analytical tools, viewing economics as a discipline that applies a core methodology in different ways in different situations.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Peter Murrell
    Fall 2023Instructor: Peter Murrell
    Fall 2022Instructor: Peter Murrell
    Fall 2021Instructor: Peter Murrell

History shows that the gap between the rich and the poor has varied over time within and between countries, most recently seeming to increase within many countries while somewhat decreasing between countries. This course challenges students to investigate why people make different amounts of money, why income inequality has changed dramatically in recent years, what public policy tools exist to counter inequality increases, and what different institutional arrangements different countries use to lower inequality.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2023Instructor: Ethan Kaplan
    Spring 2023Instructor: Sergio Urzua
    Fall 2022Instructor: Ethan Kaplan
    Spring 2022Instructor: Sergio Urzua
    Fall 2021Instructor: Ethan Kaplan
    Spring 2021Instructor: Sergio Urzua

How does society balance the benefits of environmental protection and preservation against the costs? Though some might say that the environment is priceless, economists recognize that every action involves trade-offs. This course investigates sustainability through comparing costs and benefits. From this perspective, other questions arise: How can we design policies that incentivize sustainable choices? Why might usual market functioning fail to achieve sustainability? Do we need to put a price on the environment in order to protect it? How do we measure an economy's "success"?

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2022Instructor: Erin Moody
    Fall 2021Instructor: Erin Moody

Introduces economic models used to analyze economic behavior by individuals and firms and consequent market outcomes. Applies conceptual analysis to several policy issues and surveys a variety of specific topics within the broad scope of microeconomics.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Stefania Scandizzo
    Fall 2024Instructor: Erin Moody
    Fall 2024Instructor: Hossein Abbasi
    Spring 2024Instructor: Stefania Scandizzo
    Fall 2023Instructor: Erin Moody
    Fall 2023Instructor: Stefania Scandizzo
    Fall 2023Instructor: Hossein Abbasi
    Spring 2023Instructor: Stefania Scandizzo
    Fall 2022Instructor: Stefania Scandizzo
    Fall 2022Instructor: Hossein Abbasi

Introduces economic models used to analyze economic behavior by individuals and firms and consequent market outcomes. Applies conceptual analysis to several policy issues and surveys a variety of specific topics within the broad scope of microeconomics.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Stefania Scandizzo
    Fall 2024Instructor: Erin Moody
    Fall 2024Instructor: Hossein Abbasi
    Spring 2024Instructor: Stefania Scandizzo
    Fall 2023Instructor: Erin Moody
    Fall 2023Instructor: Stefania Scandizzo
    Fall 2023Instructor: Hossein Abbasi
    Spring 2023Instructor: Stefania Scandizzo
    Fall 2022Instructor: Stefania Scandizzo
    Fall 2022Instructor: Hossein Abbasi

An introduction to how market economies behave at the aggregate level. The determination of national income/output and the problems of unemployment inflation, will be examined, along with monetary and fiscal policy.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: John Shea
    Fall 2024Instructor: Naveen Sarna
    Spring 2024Instructor: Alka Gandhi
    Spring 2024Instructor: Naveen Sarna
    Fall 2023Instructor: John Shea
    Fall 2023Instructor: Naveen Sarna
    Spring 2023Instructor: Alka Gandhi
    Spring 2023Instructor: Naveen Sarna
    Fall 2022Instructor: John Shea
    Fall 2022Instructor: Naveen Sarna

An introduction to how market economies behave at the aggregate level. The determination of national income/output and the problems of unemployment inflation, will be examined, along with monetary and fiscal policy.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: John Shea
    Fall 2024Instructor: Naveen Sarna
    Spring 2024Instructor: Alka Gandhi
    Spring 2024Instructor: Naveen Sarna
    Fall 2023Instructor: John Shea
    Fall 2023Instructor: Naveen Sarna
    Spring 2023Instructor: Alka Gandhi
    Spring 2023Instructor: Naveen Sarna
    Fall 2022Instructor: John Shea
    Fall 2022Instructor: Naveen Sarna

Analysis of the determination of national income, employment, and price levels. Discussion of consumption, investment, inflation, and government fiscal and monetary policy.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Martina Copelman
    Fall 2024Instructor: Naveen Sarna
    Spring 2024Instructor: Martina Copelman
    Fall 2023Instructor: Martina Copelman
    Spring 2023Instructor: Martina Copelman
    Fall 2022Instructor: Martina Copelman
    Spring 2022Instructor: Martina Copelman
    Fall 2021Instructor: Martina Copelman
    Spring 2021Instructor: Martina Copelman

Analysis of the theories of consumer behavior, producer behavior, different market structures, and various sources of inefficient outcomes. Analysis of microeconomic policies designed to improve market outcomes.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Aaron Finkle
    Fall 2024Instructor: Peter Coughlin
    Spring 2024Instructor: Aaron Finkle
    Fall 2023Instructor: Aaron Finkle
    Spring 2023Instructor: Aaron Finkle
    Fall 2022Instructor: Aaron Finkle
    Spring 2022Instructor: Aaron Finkle
    Fall 2021Instructor: Aaron Finkle
    Spring 2021Instructor: Aaron Finkle

Economic concepts are used to analyze various aspects of the founding and early history of the U.S., including the British settlement of the North American colonies, the economics of the American Revolutionary war, the writing of the Constitution, the development of financial markets, policies on public lands and the spread of western agriculture, slavery, banking, and early industrialization.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: John Joseph Wallis
    Spring 2024Instructor: John Joseph Wallis
    Fall 2023Instructor: John Joseph Wallis
    Spring 2022Instructor: John Joseph Wallis
    Fall 2021Instructor: John Joseph Wallis

Topics include: the economics of the Civil War, the performance of southern agriculture in the late 19th century, the rise of large corporations, industrialization, the development of financial markets, the creation of the Federal Reserve Board, the economics of the Great Depression and the New Deal, the economic impact of World War II, and the rise of the modern service economy in the late 20th century.

Course Offerings:
    Spring 2024Instructor: Alka Gandhi
    Spring 2023Instructor: Alka Gandhi
    Fall 2022Instructor: Alka Gandhi
    Fall 2021Instructor: Alka Gandhi

Analysis of policy options and debates on fostering economic growth and development in a global economy where national boundaries are no longer relevant. Topics covered will include real loanable funds markets in both local and international contexts during normal conditions and during financial crises, the design of trade and industrial policies, and the role of the World Bank, IMF, WTO, and other international agencies as well as regional and bilateral trade agreements. Emerging economies will be emphasized.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Naveen Sarna
    Spring 2024Instructor: Naveen Sarna
    Fall 2023Instructor: Naveen Sarna
    Spring 2023Instructor: Naveen Sarna
    Fall 2022Instructor: Naveen Sarna
    Spring 2022Instructor: Naveen Sarna
    Fall 2021Instructor: Naveen Sarna
    Spring 2021Instructor: Naveen Sarna

Introduction to the use of statistics in economics. Topics include: Probability, random variables and their distributions, sampling theory, estimation, hypothesis testing, analysis of variance, regression analysis and correlation.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Alka Gandhi
    Spring 2024Instructor: Alka Gandhi
    Fall 2023Instructor: Alka Gandhi
    Spring 2023Instructor: Alka Gandhi
    Fall 2022Instructor: Alka Gandhi
    Spring 2022Instructor: Alka Gandhi
    Fall 2021Instructor: Alka Gandhi
    Spring 2021Instructor: Alka Gandhi

Analysis of macroeconomic behavior and policy with emphasis on theoretical rigor. Topics include the determinants of economic growth, unemployment, inflation, and international economic flows.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: L. Luminita Stevens
    Spring 2024Instructor: L. Luminita Stevens
    Fall 2023Instructor: L. Luminita Stevens
    Spring 2023Instructor: L. Luminita Stevens
    Fall 2022Instructor: L. Luminita Stevens
    Spring 2022Instructor: Alka Gandhi
    Fall 2021Instructor: L. Luminita Stevens
    Spring 2021Instructor: L. Luminita Stevens

Analysis of economic decision-making by individuals and firms, the resulting market outcomes, and applications to real-world problems. Emphasis on analytical logic and theoretical rigor. Topics covered include consumer preferences and utility maximization, perfect competition and market power, uncertainty and risk, externalities, and asymmetric information.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Judith K. Hellerstein
    Spring 2024Instructor: Melissa Kearney
    Fall 2023Instructor: Ginger Jin
    Spring 2023Instructor: Judith K. Hellerstein
    Fall 2022Instructor: Ginger Jin
    Fall 2022Instructor: Ginger Jin
    Fall 2021Instructor: Ginger Jin

The structure of financial institutions and their role in the provision of money and near money. Analysis of the Federal Reserve System, the techniques of central banks, and the control of supply of financial assets in stabilization policy. Relationship of money and credit to economic activity and the price level.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Thomas Drechsel
    Spring 2024Instructor: Thomas Drechsel
    Fall 2023Instructor: Thomas Drechsel
    Spring 2023Instructor: Thomas Drechsel
    Fall 2022Instructor: Martina Copelman
    Fall 2022Instructor: Thomas Drechsel
    Spring 2022Instructor: Thomas Drechsel
    Fall 2021Instructor: Martina Copelman
    Spring 2021Instructor: Martina Copelman

See Department Advising Office for course eligibility, course requirements, and application information.
Contact department for information to register for this course.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Erin Moody
    Spring 2024Instructor: Erin Moody
    Fall 2023Instructor: Erin Moody
    Spring 2023Instructor: Erin Moody
    Fall 2022Instructor: Erin Moody
    Spring 2022Instructor: Erin Moody
    Fall 2021Instructor: Erin Moody
    Spring 2021Instructor: Erin Moody

Increase student knowledge of career paths, job search tools, and strategies for successfully obtaining a job with a BA or BS in economics. Students will engage in a range of different activities which build their understanding of job opportunities in economics and hone their abilities to find positions they want. Students will reflect on specific skills employers seek from economics graduates and incorporate that knowledge in their own individual job search and career plan.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Stefania Scandizzo
    Fall 2024Instructor: Ronda Ansted
    Spring 2024Instructor: Stefania Scandizzo
    Fall 2023Instructor: Stefania Scandizzo
    Spring 2023Instructor: Stefania Scandizzo
    Fall 2022Instructor: Stefania Scandizzo
    Spring 2022Instructor: Stefania Scandizzo
    Fall 2021Instructor: Stefania Scandizzo
    Spring 2021Instructor: Stefania Scandizzo

First semester of the departmental honors sequence. Students will develop and apply research skills required to carry out original research. By the end of the semester students will have produced a complete draft of an honors thesis resembling a scholarly journal article.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Nolan Pope
    Fall 2023Instructor: Nolan Pope
    Fall 2022Instructor: Nolan Pope
    Fall 2021Instructor: Unlisted/TBD

Analysis of current economic problems and public policies. Topics could include poverty, income inequality, social insurance, education, environmental sustainability, immigration, and innovation. Other issues may be substituted depending on current events.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2023Instructor: Katharine Abraham
    Fall 2022Instructor: Katharine Abraham
    Fall 2021Instructor: Katharine Abraham

Analysis of the fluctuations in economic activity and the formulation and use of forecasting models of the economy. Illustrations of computer macro models and forecasting problems.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Boragan Aruoba
    Fall 2023Instructor: Boragan Aruoba
    Fall 2022Instructor: Boragan Aruoba
    Fall 2021Instructor: Boragan Aruoba

Expands on the assumptions of rational decision-making used in intermediate microeconomics and develops more complicated, more realistic models which address uncertainty, intertemporal choices, strategic interactions, social preferences and considerations of what is fair.

Course Offerings:
    Spring 2022Instructor: Yusufcan Masatlioglu
    Fall 2021Instructor: Erkut Ozbay
    Spring 2021Instructor: Yusufcan Masatlioglu

Institutions are the sets of rules that constrain the decisions and interactions of economic agents. The course uses economic analysis to understand both formal institutions (e.g. laws) and informal institutions (e.g. cultural norms). Practical examples are drawn from economics, law, and politics, and reflect the experience of many different countries.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Peter Murrell
    Fall 2023Instructor: Peter Murrell
    Spring 2023Instructor: Peter Murrell
    Fall 2022Instructor: Peter Murrell
    Spring 2022Instructor: Peter Murrell
    Fall 2021Instructor: Peter Murrell

Studies the competitive and cooperative behavior that results when several parties with conflicting interests must work together. Learn how to use game theory to analyze situations of potential conflict. Applications are drawn from economics, business, and political science.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Daniel R. Vincent
    Spring 2024Instructor: Peter Coughlin
    Fall 2023Instructor: Daniel R. Vincent
    Spring 2023Instructor: Daniel R. Vincent
    Fall 2022Instructor: Daniel R. Vincent
    Fall 2021Instructor: Robert M. Schwab

Analysis of the determinants and influences on economic development. Emphasis on both theoretical models and econometric methods of explaining why some countries are poor, along with examination of policies to promote development.

Course Offerings:
    Spring 2022Instructor: Sebastian Galiani
    Fall 2021Instructor: Sebastian Galiani
    Spring 2021Instructor: Sebastian Galiani

Emphasizes the interaction between economic problems and the assumption employed in statistical theory. Formulation, estimation, and testing of economic models, including single variable and multiple variable regression techniques, theory of identification, and issues relating to inference.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Alka Gandhi
    Spring 2024Instructor: Maureen Cropper
    Fall 2023Instructor: Alka Gandhi
    Spring 2023Instructor: Maureen Cropper
    Fall 2022Instructor: Alka Gandhi
    Fall 2022Instructor: Ethan Kaplan
    Spring 2022Instructor: Alka Gandhi
    Spring 2022Instructor: Maureen Cropper
    Fall 2021Instructor: Ethan Kaplan
    Fall 2021Instructor: Maureen Cropper

Emphasizes the interaction between economic problems and the assumption employed in statistical theory. Formulation, estimation, and testing of economic models, including single variable and multiple variable regression techniques, theory of identification, and issues relating to inference.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Alka Gandhi
    Spring 2024Instructor: Maureen Cropper
    Fall 2023Instructor: Alka Gandhi
    Spring 2023Instructor: Maureen Cropper
    Fall 2022Instructor: Alka Gandhi
    Fall 2022Instructor: Ethan Kaplan
    Spring 2022Instructor: Alka Gandhi
    Spring 2022Instructor: Maureen Cropper
    Fall 2021Instructor: Ethan Kaplan
    Fall 2021Instructor: Maureen Cropper

Interaction between economic problems and specification and estimation of econometric models. Topics may include: autocorrelation, heteroscedasticity, functional form, simultaneous equation models, logit and probit models, instrumental variables, qualitative choice models, and other computational methods.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2023Instructor: Maureen Cropper
    Spring 2023Instructor: John Chao
    Spring 2022Instructor: John Chao
    Fall 2021Instructor: Sergio Urzua
    Spring 2021Instructor: John Chao
    Spring 2021Instructor: Maureen Cropper

Provide the knowledge and skills necessary to accomplish and utilize basic applied econometric analysis utilized by many business service providers, government agencies, and nonprofits engaged in policy analysis. Topics include simple and multiple regressions using cross section, time series, and panel data, issues of heteroskedasticity, serial correlation, and multicollinearity, models with binary dependent variable, and program evaluation. Course emphasizes application of knowledge using software packages but still covers essential theoretical background.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Hossein Abbasi
    Spring 2024Instructor: Hossein Abbasi
    Fall 2023Instructor: Hossein Abbasi
    Spring 2023Instructor: Hossein Abbasi
    Fall 2022Instructor: Hossein Abbasi
    Spring 2022Instructor: Hossein Abbasi
    Fall 2021Instructor: Hossein Abbasi
    Spring 2021Instructor: Hossein Abbasi

Study of how to use cost benefit analysis and other similar tools of applied microeconomics to conduct policy analyses. Cost-benefit analysis is an empirical method of identifying an optimal choice from a set of policy alternatives, where optimal is defined in terms of economic efficiency. Real world examples are addressed, so that students understand limitations of the methods and also interactions of economic analysis with political and administrative processes.

Course Offerings:
    Spring 2023Instructor: Ephraim Leibtag
    Fall 2021Instructor: Ephraim Leibtag

Examines the economics of international economic integration, including the theory of customs unions and free trade areas, the role of GATT and the WTO, changes in individual countries' foreign trade policies during the new era of globalization, the special role of multinational firms in world trade, and recent controversies about the benefits and costs of globalized trade.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Stefania Scandizzo
    Spring 2024Instructor: Sebastian Galiani
    Fall 2023Instructor: Stefania Scandizzo
    Spring 2023Instructor: Stefania Scandizzo
    Spring 2022Instructor: Stefania Scandizzo
    Fall 2021Instructor: Unlisted/TBD
    Spring 2021Instructor: Stefania Scandizzo
    Spring 2021Instructor: Unlisted/TBD

Analysis of collective decision making, economic models of government, program budgeting, and policy implementation; emphasis on models of public choice and institutions which affect decision making.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Peter Coughlin
    Fall 2023Instructor: Peter Coughlin
    Fall 2022Instructor: Peter Coughlin
    Spring 2022Instructor: Peter Coughlin
    Fall 2021Instructor: Peter Coughlin
    Spring 2021Instructor: Peter Coughlin

The role of the public sector in a market economy constitutes the over-arching topic of this course. Emphasis lies on analyzing government expenditure programs and the microeconomics of tax policy.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Daniel Reck
    Fall 2023Instructor: Daniel Reck
    Fall 2021Instructor: Melissa Kearney

Relationship of the exchange process to the system of institutions and rules that society develops to carry out economic transactions. Topics covered include: Property rights; torts, negligence, and liability; contracts and exchanges; criminal control and enforcement; equity and efficiency issues.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Aaron Finkle
    Spring 2024Instructor: Aaron Finkle
    Fall 2023Instructor: Aaron Finkle
    Spring 2023Instructor: Aaron Finkle
    Fall 2022Instructor: Aaron Finkle
    Spring 2022Instructor: Aaron Finkle
    Fall 2021Instructor: Aaron Finkle
    Spring 2021Instructor: Aaron Finkle

Examines different theoretical models of firm behavior in markets with varying amounts of market power. Relates theory to specific industries and examines how market structure evolves over time.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2021Instructor: Andrew Sweeting

Analysis of labor markets in theory and the real world. Topics include labor supply, labor demand, human capital, performance incentives, unemployment, discrimination, and immigration. Students will develop an understanding of how formal economic research is used to analyze U.S. labor markets and how research influences policy debates.

Course Offerings:
    Spring 2024Instructor: Ethan Kaplan
    Spring 2023Instructor: Unlisted/TBD
    Fall 2021Instructor: Judith K. Hellerstein

Introductory technical treatment of standard Keynesian, classical and new classical macroeconomic models. Expectations formation and microeconomic foundations of consumption, investment, money demand, and labor market behavior.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Boragan AruobaCo-Instructor: John Shea
    Fall 2023Instructor: Boragan AruobaCo-Instructor: John Shea
    Fall 2022Instructor: Unlisted/TBDView: Syllabus
    Fall 2022Instructor: John Shea
    Fall 2021Instructor: Unlisted/TBD
    Fall 2021Instructor: John Shea

Introductory technical treatment of standard Keynesian, classical and new classical macroeconomic models. Expectations formation and microeconomic foundations of consumption, investment, money demand, and labor market behavior.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Boragan AruobaCo-Instructor: John Shea
    Fall 2023Instructor: Boragan AruobaCo-Instructor: John Shea
    Fall 2022Instructor: Unlisted/TBDView: Syllabus
    Fall 2022Instructor: John Shea
    Fall 2021Instructor: Unlisted/TBD
    Fall 2021Instructor: John Shea

A detailed treatment of the theory of the consumer and of the firm, particularly emphasizing the duality approach. Topics include the household production model, imperfect competition, monopolistic and oligopolistic markets.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Emel Filiz-OzbayCo-Instructor: Lawrence Ausubel
    Fall 2023Instructor: Emel Filiz-OzbayCo-Instructor: Lawrence Ausubel
    Fall 2022Instructor: Emel Filiz-Ozbay
    Fall 2022Instructor: Emel Filiz-OzbayView: Syllabus
    Fall 2022Instructor: Lawrence AusubelView: Syllabus
    Fall 2021Instructor: Emel Filiz-Ozbay
    Fall 2021Instructor: Lawrence Ausubel

A detailed treatment of the theory of the consumer and of the firm, particularly emphasizing the duality approach. Topics include the household production model, imperfect competition, monopolistic and oligopolistic markets.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Emel Filiz-OzbayCo-Instructor: Lawrence Ausubel
    Fall 2023Instructor: Emel Filiz-OzbayCo-Instructor: Lawrence Ausubel
    Fall 2022Instructor: Emel Filiz-Ozbay
    Fall 2022Instructor: Emel Filiz-OzbayView: Syllabus
    Fall 2022Instructor: Lawrence AusubelView: Syllabus
    Fall 2021Instructor: Emel Filiz-Ozbay
    Fall 2021Instructor: Lawrence Ausubel

Survey of a variety of models explaining how market failures may lead to poverty and underdevelopment, with an emphasis on the empirical evaluation of constraints faced by individuals in developing countries and the programs that attempt to alleviate those constraints. Topics include: agricultural and land markets, labor markets, human capital in developing countries, credit markets, and consumption smoothing and risk coping.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Jessica Goldberg
    Fall 2022Instructor: Jessica GoldbergView: Syllabus
    Fall 2021Instructor: Jessica Goldberg

Specification, estimation, hypothesis testing and prediction in the classical and generalized linear regression model. Topics include: ordinary least squares, generalized least squares, instrumental variableestimation, quantile regression, finite and large sample analysis and general testing principles including misspecification tests. The course will also provide instructions on the use of a major statistical packagesuch as Stata or TSP.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Guido Kuersteiner
    Fall 2023Instructor: Guido Kuersteiner
    Fall 2022Instructor: Guido KuersteinerView: Syllabus
    Fall 2021Instructor: Guido Kuersteiner

An examination of the specification, computation, estimation and interpretation of structural models that are widely used in applied microeconomics (empirical and theoretical Industrial Organization, public and urban economics, environmental economics, development, political economy (e.g., voting), health and education economics, trade) and Marketing. The focus will be on how to use these models in practice, and students will solve and estimate models in weekly problem sets, with solutions/code being discussed in class.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Andrew Sweeting
    Spring 2023Instructor: Andrew Sweeting
    Fall 2021Instructor: Andrew Sweeting

To provide students with the opportunity to use empirical techniques that are particularly valuable in the analysis of microeconomic data. Topics include panel data, nonlinear optimization, limited dependent variables, truncated, censored, selected samples, the analysis of natural experiments, and quantile regressions. This course will emphasize hands-on practical experience.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Guido Kuersteiner
    Fall 2023Instructor: Guido Kuersteiner
    Fall 2022Instructor: Guido KuersteinerView: Syllabus
    Fall 2021Instructor: Guido Kuersteiner

Essential computational methods used in macroeconomics. There will be particular focus on approximating the solution to dynamic stochastic general equilibrium models. Methods for representative-agent and heterogeneous-agent models will be extensively studied. Econometric methods such as Generalized Method of Moments, Maximum Likelihood, Vector Autoregressions wil also be covered.
Beginning on Fri, October 23rd, students will need to attend an evening meeting from 5:30p-830p

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Boragan Aruoba
    Fall 2023Instructor: Boragan Aruoba
    Fall 2022Instructor: Boragan AruobaView: Syllabus
    Fall 2021Instructor: Boragan Aruoba

An introduction to the methodology of laboratory and field experiments. The course concentrates on a series of experiments to show how experiments build on one another, allowing researchers with different theoretical dispositions to narrow the range of potential disagreement.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Erkut Ozbay
    Fall 2023Instructor: Erkut Ozbay
    Fall 2022Instructor: Erkut OzbayView: Syllabus
    Fall 2021Instructor: Erkut Ozbay

Decision making is a process in which we select a course of action among available options. It begins when we need to do something but we do not know what. First, we embark on a journey into a land of rationality to study the normative approach. Since our ability to think and knowledge are limited and time is pressing, it is not surprising that some behavioral biases will observed in decision making processes. Of course, this will require adjusting our normative theories to capture these biases. This will be the second purpose of this course.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Yusufcan Masatlioglu
    Spring 2024Instructor: Yusufcan Masatlioglu
    Spring 2023Instructor: Yusufcan Masatlioglu
    Fall 2021Instructor: Yusufcan Masatlioglu

Review recent empirical literature in industrial organization. Covers price discrimination, cartel and collusion, entry and market structure, information and competition, technological change and adoption, auction, and firm organization.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Ginger Jin
    Fall 2023Instructor: Ginger Jin
    Fall 2022Instructor: Ginger JinView: Syllabus
    Fall 2021Instructor: Ginger Jin

Recent developments in macroeconomics with an emphasis on topics and techniques useful for conducting research in macroeconomics. Topics include advanced treatment of fiscal and monetary policy issues; the role of imperfect competition; real, sectoral and nominal business cycle models.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: John C. Haltiwanger
    Fall 2023Instructor: John C. Haltiwanger
    Fall 2021Instructor: John C. Haltiwanger

Advanced Topics in Applied and Theoretical Microeconomics

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Sergio Urzua
    Spring 2024Instructor: Sergio Urzua
    Fall 2023Instructor: Sergio Urzua
    Spring 2023Instructor: Sergio Urzua
    Fall 2022Instructor: Sergio Urzua
    Spring 2022Instructor: Sergio Urzua
    Fall 2021Instructor: Sergio Urzua
    Spring 2021Instructor: Daniel R. Vincent
    Spring 2021Instructor: Peter Murrell
    Spring 2021Instructor: Chenyu Yang

Advanced Topics in Applied and Theoretical Macroeconomics

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: John Shea
    Spring 2024Instructor: John Shea
    Fall 2023Instructor: John Shea
    Spring 2023Instructor: John Shea
    Fall 2022Instructor: John Shea
    Spring 2022Instructor: John Shea
    Fall 2021Instructor: John Shea
    Spring 2021Instructor: Unlisted/TBD
    Spring 2021Instructor: John Joseph Wallis
    Spring 2021Instructor: Ingmar Prucha

Oriented towards macro-econometric methods. Topics covered will be selected from the following: Further discussion of topics covered in ECON624, nonlinear time series models, exogeneity and causality, non-stationary time series models (unit roots, co-integration, error correction models, vector autoregressive models), econometric models of volatility (ARCH and GARCH models, and Stochastic volatility models), rational expectations models, non-stationary panel data models, tests for structural change, Bayesian econometrics and methods for Bayesian computation.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: John Chao
    Fall 2023Instructor: John Chao
    Fall 2022Instructor: John ChaoView: Syllabus
    Fall 2021Instructor: John Chao

Exchange rate determination; exchange rate regimes; international monetary reform; policy conflict and cooperation; the LDC debt problem; pricing of international assets; balance of payments crises.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Pierre De Leo
    Fall 2023Instructor: Pierre De Leo
    Fall 2022Instructor: Pierre De LeoView: Syllabus
    Fall 2021Instructor: Pierre De Leo

Comparative advantage, Heckscher-Ohlin theory, specific-factors model, empirical verification, economies of scale, imperfect competition, commercial policy, factor mobility.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2021Instructor: Unlisted/TBD

Basic Electoral Models of Aggregating Preferences and Information. Political Participation and Voter Turnout. Pivotal and Ethical Voters. Opportunistic versus Policy-Motivated Candidates. Credibility of Policy. Political Agency and Accountability – Moral Hazard and Selection. Legislatures – Legislative Bargaining and Legislative Dynamics. Special Interest Politics.

Campaign Financing. Political Polarization and Ambiguity. Behavioral Political Economy. Populism and Authoritarianism. Political Parties. 

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Allan Drazen
    Fall 2023Instructor: Allan Drazen
    Fall 2022Instructor: Allan DrazenView: Syllabus
    Fall 2021Instructor: Allan Drazen

Modern analytical and quantitative labor economics. Labor supply decisions of individuals and households; human capital model and distribution of income. Demand for labor; marginal productivity theory, imperfect information and screening. Interaction of labor demand and supply; unemployment; relative and absolute wages; macroeconomic aspects of the labor market.

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Judith K. Hellerstein
    Fall 2023Instructor: Sergio Urzua
    Fall 2022Instructor: Sergio Urzua
    Fall 2022Instructor: Sergio Urzua
    Fall 2021Instructor: Sergio Urzua

Workshop on Macroeconomics and Growth; Workshop in Applied Economics

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Boragan Aruoba
    Spring 2024Instructor: Boragan Aruoba
    Fall 2023Instructor: Boragan Aruoba
    Spring 2023Instructor: Boragan Aruoba
    Fall 2022Instructor: Boragan Aruoba
    Spring 2022Instructor: Boragan Aruoba
    Fall 2021Instructor: Boragan Aruoba
    Spring 2021Instructor: Allan Drazen
    Spring 2021Instructor: Unlisted/TBD

Workshop in Econometrics

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: John Chao
    Spring 2024Instructor: John Chao
    Fall 2023Instructor: John Chao
    Spring 2023Instructor: John Chao
    Fall 2022Instructor: John Chao
    Spring 2022Instructor: John Chao
    Fall 2021Instructor: John Chao
    Spring 2021Instructor: John Chao

Workshop in International Development, and Comparative Economics

Course Offerings:
    Spring 2024Instructor: Peter Murrell
    Fall 2023Instructor: Peter Murrell
    Spring 2023Instructor: Peter Murrell
    Fall 2022Instructor: Peter Murrell
    Spring 2022Instructor: Peter Murrell
    Fall 2021Instructor: Peter Murrell
    Spring 2021Instructor: Peter Murrell

Workshop in Industrial Organization

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Yusufcan Masatlioglu
    Spring 2024Instructor: Yusufcan Masatlioglu
    Fall 2023Instructor: Yusufcan Masatlioglu
    Spring 2023Instructor: Yusufcan Masatlioglu
    Fall 2022Instructor: Yusufcan Masatlioglu
    Spring 2022Instructor: Yusufcan Masatlioglu
    Fall 2021Instructor: Yusufcan Masatlioglu
    Spring 2021Instructor: Yusufcan Masatlioglu
    Spring 2021Instructor: Chenyu Yang

Workshop in Labor Economics

Course Offerings:
    Fall 2024Instructor: Jessica Goldberg
    Spring 2024Instructor: Jessica Goldberg
    Fall 2023Instructor: Jessica Goldberg
    Spring 2023Instructor: Jessica Goldberg
    Fall 2022Instructor: Jessica Goldberg
    Spring 2022Instructor: Jessica Goldberg
    Fall 2021Instructor: Jessica Goldberg
    Spring 2021Instructor: Maureen Cropper
    Spring 2021Instructor: John Joseph Wallis