Western New England College

EC ECONOMICS

School of Arts and Sciences


EC 101 INTRODUCTION TO ECONOMIC ISSUES

Not open to students who have completed EC 205. Does not satisfy 205 and 206 requirements in Schools of Business and Engineering. An exploratory, relatively nontechnical examination of some important economic issues. The workings of markets are explained using supply and demand analysis. Students are introduced to the issues of inflation, unemployment, fiscal and monetary policy, international trade, the environment, and poverty. 3 s.h.

EC 105 THE ECONOMICS OF CRIME

This course does not satisfy the economics requirement in the Schools of Business and Engineering. An examination at the very basic introductory level of the market relationship between the amount of crime and the money spent on crime prevention and protection. A basic issue discussed in the course is that given limited resources and an obvious recognition that crime imposes an economic cost, society must make choices involving the trade-off between the economic costs of crime and the costs of purchasing more crime protection. The opportunity cost principle is used to illuminate this and other issues, including the impact of criminal activity on the Gross Domestic Product and the impact of changing the legal status of certain goods and services. Offered in Fall semesters. 3 s.h.

EC 106 THE ECONOMICS OF POVERTY AND DISCRIMINATION

This course does not satisfy the economics requirement in the Schools of Business and Engineering. An introduction to the economic analysis of the problems of poverty and gender and race discrimination in the United States. Competing analytical perspectives are presented and evaluated. The course covers, among other topics, the analysis of government policies such as income maintenance, minimum wages, affirmative action and education policies. 3 s.h.

EC 190 SPECIAL TOPICS IN ECONOMICS

Topics in economics which are not carried in the catalogue on a regular basis. The course may be repeated for credit if the topic varies. 1-3 s.h.

EC 205 PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS I

The basic principles of economics applied to current public problems. The focus is on macroeconomics. Topics include National Income Accounting; Unemployment and Inflation; Money and Banking; The Issue of Government Deficits and the National Debt; and International Trade. 3 s.h.

EC 206 PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS II

Prerequisite: EC 205 or EC 101. Not open to students who have taken EC 208. Basic principles of economics, with the focus on microeconomics. Topics include characteristics of the American private enterprise economy; markets, the price system, and the allocation of resources; the distribution of income; problems of poverty and insecurity; unions, collective bargaining, and public policy. 3 s.h.

EC 208 PRINCIPLES OF APPLIED MICROECONOMICS

Prerequisite: EC 205, MATH 133 or MATH 123. Not open to students who have taken EC 206. A complete and rigorous introduction to many of the basic principles of microeconomics. The course focuses on those topics of greatest interest and importance to managers. These topics include demand, production, cost, pricing, market structure, and government regulation. Some of the topics included in the course are not found in a more traditional, theory based introductory course. These topics include revenue maximation, break-even analysis, and constrained profit maximization. 3 s.h.

EC 290 SPECIAL TOPICS IN ECONOMICS

Topics in economics which are not carried in the catalogue on a regular basis. The course may be repeated for credit if the topic varies. 1-3 s.h.

EC 305 MACROECONOMICS

Prerequisite: EC 206. A theoretical and applicational view of aggregative economics. A survey of Classical, Keynesian, and neo-Keynesian theory leads into a study of macroeconomics and economic policies, particularly in the United States. Emphasis is on current national economic goals and the macrodynamics of inflation, growth, investment, and consumption. 3 s.h.

EC 306 MICROECONOMICS

Prerequisite: EC 206. An intermediate course in economics covering the theoretical bases used by economists in explaining the behavioral patterns of consumers, firms, and industries. Problems, readings, and discussions are directed to the logical development, understanding, and application of theoretical models and concepts rather than pure exposition of static analysis. 3 s.h.

EC 315 COMPARATIVE ECONOMIC SYSTEMS

Prerequisite: EC 205 or EC 101. A study of capitalism and socialism, including theoretical interpretations of these systems. Case studies include descriptions of the mixed capitalist economies of the United States and Western Europe and the transitional economies of the former Soviet Union, China, and Eastern Europe. Offered in alternate years. 3 s.h.

EC 316 AMERICAN ECONOMIC HISTORY

Prerequisite: EC 205 or EC 101 or EC 106. A problem-oriented approach to American economic history. Specific problems studied in depth vary but have included the economic experience of Black America, the agricultural problems of the post-Civil War years, Southern economic history, the rise of the industrial giants, and the causes and consequences of the Great Depression. Offered in alternate years. 3 s.h.

EC 321 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Prerequisite: EC 205 or EC 101. An analysis of the characteristics and causes of underdevelopment in poor nations and of programs designed to stimulate economic growth. Offered in alternate years. 3 s.h.

EC 333-334 INDEPENDENT STUDY IN ECONOMICS

See "Independent Study" on page 29. 1-3 s.h.

EC 340 THE ECONOMICS OF SPORTS

Prerequisites: EC 206 or EC 101 or EC 105. This course applies the tools of economic theory to the market for professional sport entertainment. The major professional sports leagues all exhibit several practices which are unparalleled in other U.S. industries. These practices, both in hiring athletes and selling the "entertainment product", are analyzed. Government policies towards this unique market are investigated. 3 s.h.

EC 351 ECONOMICS AND GOVERNMENT

Prerequisite: EC 206. A critical examination of the role of governments in free enterprise economies. Topics include the history of governmental intervention in business, industry, and finance; major current economic problems; the method and degree of government action proposed to resolve economic problems. Offered in alternate years. 3 s.h.

EC 355 PUBLIC FINANCE

Prerequisite: EC 206. The effects of government expenditure, borrowing, and taxation upon resource allocation, national income, employment and income distribution. Special emphasis is placed on the appropriate types of taxation and current and recent government budgetary choices. 3 s.h.

EC 361 URBAN ECONOMICS

Prerequisite: EC 206. A study of the economic aspects of the social and political problems of the modern American city. Offered in alternate years. 3 s.h.

EC 371 INTERNATIONAL MONETARY ECONOMICS

Prerequisite: EC 206 or EC 205. An analysis of the balance of payments and the foreign exchange market, including the theory of payments adjustment and policies to attain domestic international balance. The course examines the roles of the dollar, other currencies, and the International Monetary Fund in the process of international monetary reform. 3 s.h.

EC 372 INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Prerequisites: EC 206. The theory and practice of international trade and investment. Topics include comparative advantage, determination of the pattern of trade, current problems of commercial policy and trade negotiations, the role of the multinational corporation, and the theory of economic integration, with special reference to the European Union. Offered in alternate years. 3 s.h.

EC 374 ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS

Prerequisite: EC 205 or EC 101. This course examines the economic aspects of current environmental and natural resource issues. The problems of pollution control and resource management are examined from an economic perspective. Other topics may include the global population problem; energy dependence and the economy, the economics of recycling; and the impact of environmental policy on growth, jobs, and the quality of life. 3 s.h.

EC 386 ECONOMETRICS

Prerequisites: EC 206; MATH 112; QM 201 or MATH 207, or PSY 207. Methods of detecting and means of remedying violations of the assumptions of classical regression analysis. While only economic models are discussed, the methodology is multidisciplinary in nature. 3 s.h. Laboratory fee $10.

EC 390 SPECIAL TOPICS IN ECONOMICS

Prerequisite: Varies according to nature of course. Topics offered depend upon student interest as well as particular interests of instructors. The course is offered as often as faculty time and student interest permit. Recent topics have included "The New England Economy," "The Economics of Election Issues," "The Economics of the GOP 'Contract with America,'" and "Economic Controversies." May be repeated for credit if the topic differs. 1-3 s.h.

EC 480-81 INTERNSHIP IN ECONOMICS

See "Internships" p. 30. 1-3 s.h.

EC 490 SEMINAR: ISSUES IN CONTEMPORARY ECONOMICS

Prerequisites: EC 206 and six additional semester hours of economics. Discussions of various topics of interest in economics. Each student prepares a research paper on a topic of choice. 3 s.h.


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