Course Title:
| Current Issues in American Economic Policy | |
Course Materials:
|
Economic Issues Today
Edition: 7th
Publisher: Sharpe
Author: Carson, Thomas and Hecht
ISBN: 0-7656-0838-3
Taking Sides
Edition: 12th
Publisher: McGraw
Author: Swartz and Bonello
ISBN: 0-07-312952-6 | |
Course Description:
| ECON 301 Current Issues in American Economic Policy (3) Prerequisite(s): ECON 201 and 203. Analysis of current economic problems and public policies. Topics include market power, federal budget and tax policy, governmental regulation, inflation, unemployment, poverty and distribution of income, and environmental issues. | |
Course Goals/Objectives:
Students who complete this course will gain:
-critical thinking skills and a framework for critiquing and analyzing economic and social issues
-skills in applying economic tools to controversial economic/social issues
-experience presenting written arguments about controversial issues
-an understanding of differing views of controversial economic/social issues | |
Course Introduction:
This course will consider various economic and social issues that are common in today's environment. These (a) appear in the news that we read and (b) have direct impact on our personal well-being.
The importance of this course is that we will apply basic economic concepts and reasoning to understanding these issues. As there are differing views toward each issue, it is very possible that the class will not generate agreement on the issues. The class will enable us to look at these issues from differing perspectives and, hopefully, develop our ability to make rationale decisions and interpretations. | |
Grading Information and Criteria:
A = 90-100%; B = 80-89%; C = 70-79%; D = 60-69%; F below 60%
Midterm Exam: 20%
Final Exam: 25%
Topic Discussions/Participation: 25%
Panel Performance (Pro): 15%
Panel Performance (Con): 15%
TOTAL: 100% | |
Other Information:
Any other information the instructor wishes to add. This might include:
* General expectations of students, such as hours per week students should expect to devote to the class
* Turnaround time for faculty to respond to email and return papers
* Unique class procedures or activities (such as cooperative learning exercises, panel presentations, case study methods, class journals or learning logs)
* Supplemental objectives (such as development of skills like teamwork, writing, oral presentation; integration of knowledge on focus topics)
* Optional activities such as study groups | |
Project Descriptions:
| The panel performance will consist of the class dividing into groups. The number and size of the groups will depend on the enrollment. Each group will develop and present to the class, the 'pro' side of an issue. Additionally, each group will also be assigned to develop a 'con' side of an issue that has been presented by another group in the class. | |
Academic Policies:
Cases of plagiarism are handled consistent with current UMUC guidelines.
See the UMUC policies at the following URL:
http://www.umuc.edu/policy/ | |
Course Schedule:
1
Class introduction
Class organization
2
Human misery: the most important issues of them all
3
Economic systems, resource allocation, and social well-being: lessons from the fall of the Soviet Union
4
Economics of higher education: who benefits and who pays the bills?
5
Economics of crime and its prevention: how much is too much?
Pollution problems: must we foul our own nests?
6
Discrimination: the high cost of prejudice?
7
Midterm Exam
8
Poverty problems: is poverty necessary?
9
The economics of big business: who does what to whom?
10
The economics of professional sports: what is the real score?
11
Protectionism versus free trade: can we restrict ourselves into prosperity?
12
Unemployment issues: why do we waste our labor resources?
13
Social security and Medicare: how secure is our safety net for the elderly?
14
Economic growth: why is it so important?
15
Review
16
Final Exam | |
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