Department of History and Politics

School of Business - Economics Program

Class discussionBachelor of Arts in Economics
What can you do with an economics major? This program will prepare you for research, planning and management positions in business, financial institutions, non-profit organizations or government agencies.

Economics Curriculum:
Candidates for the Bachelor of Arts degree in economics must take 15 hours in the prescribed core of ECO 100, 101, 300, 301, MAT 245, and 15 more hours in approved economics or related courses for a total of 30 hours. Students in the major, particularly those planning to pursue graduate studies, are urged to take MAT 211 as well.

Economics Courses:

ECO 100 MACROECONOMIC PRINCIPLES 3 hours
A study of the macroeconomic principles underlying the current American economic system, including organization for production, distribution of income, business cycles, national income determination, and monetary and fiscal policies.

ECO 101 MICROECONOMIC PRINCIPLES 3 hours
A study of market structures, profit maximization, consumer demand, resource demand and pricing, resource allocation, and consumer responsiveness to price changes.

ECO 274 CONSUMER ECONOMICS 3 hours
No credit given in major for accounting, business, or economics.
Also offered as FCS 274.
An analysis of consumer decision making in the marketplace; government protection for the consumer; consumer credit institutions; insurance, investments, management of personal finances, and retirement and estate planning.

ECO 300 INTERMEDIATE MACROECONOMICS 3 hours
Prerequisite: ECO 100.
Semester Offered: Fall
An intermediate level analysis of national income and employment determination, theories of economic growth and fluctuation, techniques and problems of monetary and fiscal policies to achieve macroeconomic goals of full employment, price stability, economic growth, and balance of payment equilibrium.

ECO 301 INTERMEDIATE MICROECONOMICS 3 hours
Prerequisite: ECO 101.
Semester Offered: Spring
A study of resource allocation, consumer utility maximization, elasticity, resource demand, and profit maximization under different market structures.

ECO 322 ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY 3 hours
Semester Offered: Fall, even-numbered years
An analysis of the developing world economy in terms of core-periphery regions, international business, the geographical bases of agricultural, industrial, and service industries, and the developing information-based industries.  Counts as a social science elective for general education requirements.  Also offered as GEO 322.

ECO 324 HISTORY OF ECONOMIC THOUGHT 3 hours
Prerequisites: ECO 100 and 101.
Semester Offered: Fall, odd-numbered years (if sufficient demand)
A critical analysis of the development of economic ideas and philosophies, their origins and institutional framework, with primary emphasis on the interpretative study of outstanding economists of the past whose contributions have significance for contemporary economic theory.

ECO 334 INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS 3 hours
Prerequisites: ECO 100 and 101.
Semester Offered: Fall, odd-numbered years
A study of the foundations of international trade theory; development of international economic policies; foreign exchange and payments systems; and international institutions supporting trade, with special emphasis on the role of multinational corporations and common markets.

ECO 335 GENDER AND THE ECONOMY 3 hours
Prerequisite: ECO 101 or WST 200 or junior/senior status.
Semester Offered: Fall.  This course has been approved as an oral communication thread with Dr. York.
An examination of the economic consequences of the shift of women into the labor force and the changing roles of men and women.

ECO 355 MONEY AND BANKING 3 hours
Prerequisites: ECO 100 and 101.
Semester Offered: Spring
A study of contemporary monetary theory and policy, including an examination of the value and purchasing power of money; the role of commercial banks; the central banking system and its monetary controls; and the relationship among prices, production, employment, and economic growth.

ECO 356 PUBLIC POLICY ECONOMICS 3 hours
Prerequisites: ECO 101.  (ECO 100 is desired but not required).
Semester Offered: Spring, even-numbered years
A study of the appropriate means by which government may improve market efficiency and fairness by provision of public goods and services.  Special emphasis is given to topics in Environmental and Natural Resource Economics.  General topics include current government programs, public goods, externalities, health care, income redistribution, cost-benefit analysis, taxes, and fiscal federalism.

ECO 364 LABOR ECONOMICS 3 hours
Prerequisites: ECO 101.
Semester Offered: Spring, odd-numbered years
An analysis of American labor with an emphasis on an individual's decision to work; the firm's decision on hiring, wage determination; human capital models; labor market discrimination; role of unions; and unemployment.

ECO 435 COMPARATIVE ECONOMIC SYSTEMS 3 hours
Prerequisites: ECO 100 and 101.
Semester Offered: Spring, even-numbered years (if sufficient demand)
An analysis of the economic systems of capitalism, socialism, and their variants; and an evaluation of those systems as a means of fulfilling basic economic goals. Special attention will be given to a comparison of the present economies of the United States, the former U.S.S.R., Great Britain, Japan, China, India, and the European Union countries.

ECO 499 RESEARCH IN ECONOMICS variable hours
Joint participation by students and faculty in the discovery, examination, and analysis of knowledge in economics.  Open to juniors and seniors with a declared major, minor, or concentration in economics.  Credit 1 to 3 semester hours.  May be repeated up to a maximum total of 6 semester hours.

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