Please see the section on Course Description Symbols and Terms in the University Catalog for an explanation of course description terminology and symbols, the course numbering system, and course credit units. All courses are lecture and discussion and employ letter grading unless otherwise stated. Some prerequisites may be waived with faculty permission. Many syllabi are available on the Chico Web.

Economics Course Offerings

SUBJ NUM	Title	Units	Semester Offered	Course Flags
ECON 101	Introduction to Economics	3.0	FS	GE
A non-technical introduction to economics with coverage of both microeconomics and macroeconomics. Overview of the evolution of economic concepts and ideas. Application of economics to current problems such as inflation, unemployment, the financial sector, the economics of regulation, market imperfections, environmental problems, and international economics. Consumer decision making and different market models are included. (Can be substituted for ECON 102 in the major if students also take ECON 330 as one of their 300-level electives.) 3 hours lecture. This is an approved General Education course. (002635)
ECON 102	Principles of Macroeconomic Analysis	3.0	FS	GE
An introductory survey of macroeconomic analysis. Use of fundamental economic concepts to analyze the over-all economy. Determination of gross national product, rates of unemployment, problems of inflation, recession, and the use of governmental policies. Discussion of current problems. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved General Education course. (002636)
ECON 103	Principles of Microeconomic Analysis	3.0	FS	GE
An introductory survey of microeconomic analysis. Analysis of individual economic units: household, firms, and markets. Analysis of individual decision making. Supply and demand analysis. Type of market organization: competition, oligopoly, and monopoly. Discussion of current problems. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved General Education course. (002638)
ECON 301	Microeconomic Analysis	3.0	FS
Prerequisites: ECON 103. Microeconomics examines the economic behavior of individual decision-making agents, such as consumers, resource owners, and firms. The goal of this course is to build a theoretical foundation to study various applied fields in economics and management (such as international trade, public finance, labor, or environmental economics). Topics include consumer theory, production and cost analysis, theories of the firm and markets, and welfare economics. 3 hours discussion. (002647)
ECON 302	Macroeconomic Analysis	3.0	FS
Prerequisites: ECON 102. An extension of macroeconomic concepts and principles relating to short-term stabilization policies, long-term growth questions, fiscal and monetary theory and policy, international dimensions, and problems of inflation, deflation, unemployment, productivity, and growth. Theories and models are used to examine, develop, and analyze macroeconomics issues, problems, and policies. 3 hours discussion. (002648)
ECON 330	Money and Credit	3.0	SP
Prerequisites: ECON 102. Financial markets and financial institutions. Impact of money and credit on the economy. Central banking and monetary policy. International finance. Macroeconomics and monetary theory will be emphasized. (Can be substituted for ECON 102 in the major.) 3 hours lecture. (002660)
ECON 340	Work, Wealth, and Income Distribution	3.0	FS	GE
Investigation of the nature and causes of income distribution in the United States. Consideration of the social and economic forces which generate income levels and determine patterns of economic mobility over time, interweaving theoretical, descriptive, quantitative, and normative aspects. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved General Education course. (002662)
ECON 340W	Work, Wealth, and Income Distribution (W)	3.0	FS	GE W
Investigation of the nature and causes of income distribution in the United States. Consideration of the social and economic forces which generate income levels and determine patterns of economic mobility over time, interweaving theoretical, descriptive, quantitative, and normative aspects. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved Writing Course. This is an approved General Education course. (021270)
ECON 345	Economics of War	3.0	FS
Prerequisite: ECON 101 or ECON 102 or ECON 103. While many people are fascinated by the military tatics that win a war, wars are often fought for resources, and the side with the most resources usually wins. Even terrorism can be viewed from an economic perspective. This class first examines the circumstances in which war is good for the economy. Also covered are the following topics: the impact of defense spending, the supply of military labor, the rise of the corporate warrior, the process of weapons procurement, the cause and the effect of civil wars, the demand and supply of hatred, the rise of terrorism, and the demand and supply for weapons of mass destruction. Also emphasized are the wars in which the U.S. has participated starting with WWI and ending with the Iraq War and the War on Terrorism. 3 hours seminar. (020683)
ECON 350	The Economics of Big Business	3.0	FA
Prerequisites: ECON 103 or faculty permission. The study of large business firms and their markets. An examination of how industrial structure and firm behavior influence economic performance. Mergers, takeovers, multinational corporations, and other current issues. 3 hours lecture. (002666)
ECON 352	Medical Economics	3.0	FS	GE
An examination of the health care industry and its role in fulfilling national health needs. Topics include national health insurance, health financing, and resource allocation. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved General Education course. (002667)
ECON 355	The Economics of Government Regulations	3.0	SP
Prerequisites: ECON 103. An overview of the economics of government regulation with emphasis on the formulation of regulatory policy, alternative methods of regulation, and the economic impacts of such policy. Topics may include environmental regulation, energy conservation policy, consumer protection, antitrust policy, and a critical evaluation of market-based regulatory policy. 3 hours lecture. (002668)
ECON 361	Sports Economics	3.0	SP
Prerequisite: ECON 103. This course is designed to investigate the world of sports through an applied economics framework. Using this framework allows us to begin to answer questions like 'Do sports franchises always try to maximize profits?' 'How is the price of ticket to a particular sporting event determined?', "Should cities help fund the building if sports arenas?', and 'Do either fans or employers discriminate against players based on their ethnicity/race/nationality?'. To answer these questions, this course extends theories and models from various fields of economics (for example, Industrial Organization, Public Finance, and Labor Economics) to the domain of sports, The goal of this course is for students to be able to apply economic theory to a real world setting- a setting where data is readily available to test these theories. Therefore, in addition to the theoretical answer to these questions, this course discusses what empirical answer have been found to these same questions. 3 hours lecture. (021847)
ECON 365	Environmental Economics	3.0	FS	GE
An analysis of the costs and benefits of environmental preservation. Systems for creating economic incentives for pollution abatement. Criteria for establishing optimum pollution abatement, including efficiency, safety, and sustainability standards. Impacts of population growth on global environmental problems. Alternative energy use patterns and their impact on energy markets and global environmental health. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved General Education course. (002671)
ECON 370	International Finance and Trade Policy	3.0	SP
Prerequisites: ECON 103 or instructor permission. A study on the theory of international finance and trade. In-depth analysis of what determines trade flows, gains from trade, and the international flow of capital and technology. Focus on international trade policies and institutions and a survey of current trade problems and conflicts. 3 hours lecture. (002672)
ECON 375	The Developing Countries	3.0	FA
Prerequisites: ECON 103. This course surveys theoretical approaches and policy options to the problems of development and underdevelopment in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Agricultural transformations, industrial development, balance of payments problems, the role of foreign aid, direct foreign investment, the economic role of international institutions such as the World Bank, and other related topics are included in this course. 3 hours lecture. (002673)
ECON 380	Economic Statistics	3.0	FS
Prerequisites: ECON 102 or ECON 103, MATH 105 or faculty permission. The objective of this course is to show the relevance of statistic analysis for economics. Each topic is presented with an application of a macroeconomic or microeconomic theory. Real data is used in software applications for developing a conceptual understanding of the problem and for analyzing the data. 3 hours discussion. (002675)
ECON 389	Internship	1.0 -6.0	FS
This course is an internship offered for 1.0-6.0 units. You must register directly with a supervising faculty member. Field experience in working with economic data designed to complement the theoretical classroom curriculum and to give students work experience related to their studies. Placements are limited, so students must be screened. Units are dependent upon the number of hours in the field. May be repeated up to a maximum of 15 units. No more than 3 units can be counted toward 300-level Economics major requirement. 9 hours supervision. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 15.0 units. Credit/no credit grading. (002677)
ECON 398	Special Topics	1.0 -3.0	FS
Prerequisites: Department permission. This course is for special topics offered for 1.0-3.0 units. Typically the topic is offered on a one-time-only basis and may vary from term to term and be different for different sections. See the Class Schedule for the specific topic being offered. 2 hours lecture. (002679)
ECON 399	Special Problems	1.0 -3.0	FS
This course is an independent study offered for 1.0-3.0 units. You must register directly with a supervising faculty member. 9 hours supervision. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 6.0 units. Credit/no credit grading. (002680)
ECON 410	The History of Economic Thought	3.0	FA
Prerequisites: ECON 301. Survey of the development of economic philosophy and its relevance to social and political development and issues. (May not be counted for credit toward a major in Economics if ECON 305 is used.) 3 hours seminar. (002683)
ECON 410H	History of Economic Thought - Honors	3.0	FA
Prerequisites: ECON 301, acceptance into Honors in the Major Program. Survey of the development of economic philosophy and its relevance to social and political development and issues. (May not be counted for credit toward a major in Economics if ECON 305 is used.) Honors students enrolled in this course are held to more rigorous standards and expectations in both reading and writing assignments than student in ECON 410. 3 hours seminar. (020734)
ECON 413	Marxist Economic Theory	3.0	SP
Prerequisites: ECON 301. An analysis of the economic theories of Karl Marx and Marxist economists with an emphasis on how these theories relate to economic conflicts, crises, and transformations; contrasts to orthodox economic ideas and theories; analysis of 20th century economic problems, and prospects for the future. 3 hours seminar. (002685)
ECON 431H	Theory of Money - Honors	3.0	FA
Prerequisites: ECON 302, acceptance into the Honors in the Major Program. A survey course of monetary theories. The role of money in general equilibrium and exchange theory. Money in the classical system. Keynes' theory of money. Monetarism. Honors student enrolled in this class are held to more rigorous standards and expectations in both reading and writing assignments than students in ECON 431. 3 hours seminar. (020735)
ECON 431W	Theory of Money (W)	3.0	FA	W
Prerequisite: ECON 302. A survey course of monetary theories. The role of money in general equilibrium and exchange theory. Money in the classical system. Keynes' theory of money. Monetarism. 3 hours seminar. This is an approved Writing Course. (002688)
ECON 440	Labor Economics	3.0	FA
Prerequisite: ECON 301. This course is designed to be an introduction to labor markets with emphasis on applied microeconomic theory. The course begins with the classical models of labor demand and labor supply. This framework is then used to discuss questions like 'How do individuals choose how much to work, it at all?', 'What are the effect of a minimum, wage on labor markets outcomes?', 'How do unions impact the labor market?', and 'Why does discrimination exist in a perfectly competitive market?'. In addition to looking at the theoretical answer to these questions, this course also discusses what empirical answers have been found to these same questions. 3 hours lecture. (002690)
ECON 452	Health Economics	3.0	SP
Prerequisite: ECON 380. This course examines economics as it applies to global health. Students study the role health plays in economic development with emphasis on developing countries. While students learn some theories in health economics, development economics and econometrics sub fields, the bulk of the course load is applied centric. The course first provides students with a toolkit for analyzing issues related to global health economics and then requires them to apply these skills. 3 hours lecture. (022007)
ECON 465	Economics of Energy	3.0	SP
Prerequisites: ECON 301. An analysis of petroleum markets and the likely trend in prices. Alternatives to petroleum and increasing dependence on OPEC, including conservation technologies, efficiency improvements in conventional energy production, and the potential for expanded use of renewable energy resources. Public utility deregulation and the impact on the efficient use of energy. 3 hours seminar. (002695)
ECON 466H	Environmental and Natural Resource Economics - Honors	3.0	FA
Prerequisites: ECON 301, acceptance into the Honors in the Major Program. Economic theory and policy concerning optimization of resource use and pollution abatement. Incentive systems for generating optimum pollution abatement. Efficiency, safety, and sustainability standards as criteria defining the appropriate level of environmental preservation. Economically efficient rates of consumption for renewable and non-renewable resources. Case studies in resource exploitation assessing whether current use rates deviate from the optimum. Honors students enrolled in this class are held to more rigorous standards and expectations in both reading and writing assignments than students in ECON 466. 3 hours lecture. (020739)
ECON 466W	Environmental and Natural Resource Economics (W)	3.0	FA	W
Prerequisite: ECON 301. Economic theory and policy concerning optimization of resource use and pollution abatement. Incentive systems for generating optimum pollution abatement. Efficiency, safety, and sustainability standards as criteria defining the appropriate level of environmental preservation. Economically efficient rates of consumption for renewable and non-renewable resources. Case studies in resource exploitation assessing whether current use rates deviate from the optimum. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved Writing Course. (002696)
ECON 470	International Economics	3.0	FA
Prerequisites: ECON 301. Economic problems arising out of economic relations and interactions among nations. Current theory of international trade, capital flows, and finance. International economic institutions and their relationship to American foreign policy. 3 hours seminar. (002697)
ECON 470H	International Economics - Honors	3.0	FA
Prerequisites: ECON 301, acceptance into the Honors in the Major Program. Economic problems arising out of economic relations and interactions among nations. Current theory of international trade, capital flows, and finance. International economic institutions and their relationship to American foreign policy. Honors students enrolled in this class are held to more rigorous standards and expectations in both reading and writing assignments than students in ECON 470. 3 hours seminar. (020740)
ECON 475	Open-Economy Macroeconomics	3.0	SP
Prerequisite: ECON 302. The main objective of this course is to develop macroeconomics models that apply to the international economic phenomena. The first part of the course discusses the main theories which are combined into a unifying theoretical framework and applied to actual policy issues. The second part of the course covers relatively new topics in international macroeconomics such as stabilization policies, macroeconomics policy coordination, optimum currency areas, and proposed reforms in the international financial system. Honors students enrolled in this course are held to more rigorous standards and expectations in both readings and writing assignments. 3 hours discussion. (021226)
ECON 476	Issues in Global Environment and Development	3.0	SP
Prerequisite: ECON 301. Explores the issues in poverty and economic development as they relate to climate change, gender, and international trade. 3 hours discussion. (021227)
ECON 481	Introductory Econometrics	3.0	FA
Prerequisites: ECON 301, ECON 302, ECON 380. Use of mathematics and statistics to design and test econometric models. 3 hours discussion. (002699)
ECON 481H	Introductory Econometrics - Honors	3.0	FA
Prerequisites: Econ 301, ECON 302, acceptance into the Honors in the Major Program. Use of mathematics and statistics to design and test econometric models. Honors students enrolled in this class are held to more rigorous standards and expectations in both reading and writing assignments than students in ECON 481. 3 hours discussion. (020741)
ECON 483	Economic Forecasting	3.0	SP
Prerequisites: ECON 302; ECON 380 or equivalent; ECON 481. Survey of methods of economic forecasting, including leading indicators, surveys, time series, and regression. 3 hours seminar. (002701)
ECON 495W	Capstone in Economics (W)	3.0	FS	GW W
Prerequisites: Completion of GE Written Communication (A2) requirement, ECON 102, ECON 103, ECON 301, ECON 302, and senior status. Students review selected economic literature and complete written assignments that relate readings to their area of interest in economics. Class meetings provide opportunities for constructive critiques from the instructor, feedback from other students, in-class writing, and oral presentations. The course is also used for program assessment. Honors in the Major students can substitute ECON 499H for ECON 495. 3 hours seminar. This is an approved Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement course; a grade of C- or higher certifies writing proficiency for majors. This is an approved Writing Course. (002704)
ECON 498	Special Topics in Economics	1.0 -3.0	FS
This course is for special topics offered for 1.0-3.0 units. Typically the topic is offered on a one-time-only basis and may vary from term to term and be different for different sections. See the Class Schedule for the specific topic being offered. 3 hours supervision. (002721)
ECON 499	Special Problems	1.0 -3.0	FS
Prerequisites: Faculty permission. This course is an independent study of special problems offered for 1.0-3.0 units. You must register directly with a supervising faculty member. 3 hours supervision. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 6.0 units. Credit/no credit grading. (002722)
ECON 499HW	Honors Independent Study in Economics (W)	3.0	FS	GW W
Prerequisites: Admission to Honors in Economics Program, completion of GE Written Communication (A2) requirement, ECON 301 or ECON 302, permission of instructor. As part of the 400-level economics courses used for admission to the honors program, students undertake a research project on a topic approved by the course and honors instructors. In ECON 499H, students complete the project undertaken in the first semester and meet all course requirements for ECON 499H, including a public presentation of their research. Because ECON 499H is a writing proficiency course, students completing this course with a B or better are not required to take ECON 495. 3 hours supervision. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 6.0 units. This is an approved Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement course; a grade of C- or higher certifies writing proficiency for majors. This is an approved Writing Course. (002723)