UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
ECON 402: Principles of Microeconomics (Syllabus)
Course Description: This course attempts to provide the student with a survey of economic theory, problems and policies at the microeconomic level of economic behavior. In particular, we will begin by studying how a market economy works and then look at situations in which the market doesn’t perform so well. We will also explore how it is affected by government policy and how incomes are determined in a market economy. It is hoped that by the end of the semester the student will be equipped to analyze and understand economic events and issues and, more generally, ‘to think like an economist’, and perhaps more importantly, think critically about how an economist actually thinks.
Further, my classes in ECON 402: Principles of Microeconomics uses EconJourney, a program designed to empower students with the art of storytelling. I invite you to visit the site by following the link below to see what EconJourney has to offer: EconJourney
ECON 698: Environmental Economics and Policy (Syllabus)
Course Description: The theory of externalities and market failure will provide the basis for applying microeconomic concepts to the study of environmental improvement. Analytical tools, particularly benefit-cost analysis, will be explained and applied to problems with environmental dimensions. Criteria and strategies used in the development and implementation of environmental policies will be defined and summarized. The past and present state of environmental well-being with respect to air, water and waste management will be summarized. Theoretical and policy formulations will be pursued with respect to environmental management issues such as air and water quality, and solid and hazardous waste.
ADMN400: Introduction to Business (Syllabus)
Course Description: The purpose of the course is to introduce students to the world of business. More specifically, we will focus on the “Four M’s” of the business world: Money, Marketing, Management, and the Modern business environment. A recurring theme that will exist throughout the course is the notion that business organizations and functions exist to diagnose and solve increasingly complex, poorly defined problems in a way that creates value. As such, this course will focus on the “stakeholder” rather than simply the “shareholder” view of the firm/organization, and therefore “value” will be measured in multiple ways.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MAINE
ECO 101: Introduction to Macroeconomics (Syllabus)
Course Description: Macroeconomics provides direction regarding how an economy can and should be managed. Given the enormity and complexity of the question it is necessary that simplifying models be created that hold constant certain assumptions. Though, how one defines reality very much depends upon how one chooses to frame the question, and how one chooses to frame the question depends very much upon the assumptions one chooses to adopt. The purpose of this course is not to “teach” you how to define your assumptions but, rather, to understand the consequences of given sets of assumptions. For example, given a choice between two “bads” such as higher inflation or higher unemployment, which would you prefer to conquer knowing that in doing so you make the other worse. As you will come to realize there are perfectly valid yet opposing theoretical models that describe how an economy functions and what should be done to correct imperfections and inform difficult questions like the one just posed. The ultimate objective of this course is to help move the student to a position in which s/he can make informed decisions about creating the world we share.
ECO 102: Introduction to Microeconomics (Syllabus)
Course Description: This course is an introduction to Microeconomics. We start by asking “What is economics and why is it important to our lives?” We will learn economic reasoning and examine decisions that we make on an everyday basis. For example, why are you in school? Why do we make certain products and not others, what production techniques they adopt and why? We will examine market structures such as perfect competition, monopoly and monopolistic competition, and ask which market structure yields efficient outcomes. To do so, we define what we mean by efficiency particularly in the context of building more equitable societies. Finally, we will look at the shortcomings of a market-based analysis: issues such as market failure and the limited availability of public goods and the persistence of systemic racism and sexism.