Economics
Office: 129 Blodgett Hall, Website: irving.vassar.edu,
Phone: (845) 437–7395, e–mail: economics@vassar.edu
Professors: Geoffrey A. Jehle, David A. Kennett, Alexander M.
Thompson III (Dean of Studies); Associate Professors: Lawrence
A. Herbstab, Shirley B. Johnson–Lans, Paul A. Johnson
(Chair), William E. Lunt; Assistant Professors: Christopher P.
Kilby, Patricia A. Jonesb, Alan C. Marco, Jonathan C. Rork;
Adjunct Lecturer: Frederick Van Tassell III.
Requirements for Concentration: at least 11.5 units of graded
economics credit normally composed of Economics 100, 101, 200, 201,
209, and 6.5 other graded units (excluding Economics 120) at least three
of which must be at the 300–level and must include either Economics
301 or 305a–306b. Credit for Economics 305 cannot be used to satisfy
the requirements for the concentration unless Economics 306 is also
taken. At least 6 units must be taken at Vassar including 2 at the 300–level.
Students must also complete at least 1 unit of college level calculus
such as Mathematics 101, 121, or equivalent. Students are strongly encouraged
to complete this requirement early in their college careers. All exceptions
to the normal program require special permission from the department
chair.
Requirements for Departmental Honors: To be eligible for departmental
honors, students must take the Senior Seminar in Economics, and must
perform work of a high standard in the seminar and in their other courses.
It is strongly recommended that all students intending to spend junior
year abroad take Economics 200, 201, and 209 by the end of their sophomore
year.
Economics and Your Career–A Guide to Designing Programs of
Study in Economics at Vassar recommends sequences of study for students
planning to work right after graduation, and for those planning to attend
graduate or professional schools. It is available in the department
office.
Senior–Year Requirement: Economics 301 or Economics 305a–306b.
Advisers: The department.
Correlate Sequence: The economics department offers a correlate
sequence which designates coherent groups of courses intended to complement
the curricula of students majoring in other departmental, interdepartmental,
and multidisciplinary prograMs. Four options are currently available
within the correlate sequence in economics:
International Economics, coordinated by Mr. Kennett.
Political Economy, coordinated by Mr. Lunt
Public Policy, coordinated by Ms. Johnson–Lans
Quantitative Economics, coordinated by Mr. Lunt.
Courses within each option should be chosen in consultation with the
coordinator of that sequence. Students pursuing the correlate sequence
in economics are required to complete a minimum of six courses in the
department, including at least one at the 300–level and at least
two from the following three courses: Economics 100, Economics 101,
Economics 102. Additional requirements for each of the options are detailed
in Correlate Sequences in Economics, available in the department
office.
I. Introductory
100a or b. Introduction to Macroeconomics (1)
An introduction to economic concepts, emphasizing the broad outlines
of national and international economic probleMs. Students learn
the causes and consequences of variations in gross national product,
unemployment, interest rates, inflation, the budget deficit, and the
trade deficit. The course also covers key government policy–making
institutions, such as the Federal Reserve and the Congress, and the
controversy surrounding the proper role of government in stabilizing
the economy. The department.
101a or b. Introduction to Microeconomics (1)
An introduction to economic concepts emphasizing the behavior of firms,
households, and the government. Students learn how to recognize and
analyze the different market structures of pure competition, oligopoly,
and monopoly. The course also covers theories of how wages, interest,
and profits are determined. Additional topics include the role of government
in regulating markets, determinants of income distribution, and the
environment. The department.
102b. Introduction to Marxian Economics (1)
The course is an analytical and critical introduction to Marx's analysis
of capitalism. Readings include selections from the works of Marx and
Engels and from the works of contemporary Marxian writers and critics
of Marx. There is a special emphasis on Volume I of Capital.
Topics include: the labor theory of value; commodity fetishism; alienation;
the production of surplus value; Marx's theory of money; Marx's theory
of capital accumulation. The relevance of Marx's analysis to contemporary
capitalism is explored. Mr. Thompson.
Open to all classes.
120a. Principles of Accounting (1)
Accounting theory and practice, including preparation and interpretation
of financial statements. Mr. Van Tassell.
Open to all classes.
185a. Markets, Institutions, and the State (1)
What role should the state play in the market–coordinated economy?
Are formal and informal institutions crucial to the functioning of markets?
Is the state simply a policeman or is it necessarily the "grand
entrepreneur"? To answer these questions, we need to identify different
issues: Does the market promote efficiency? Does it generate a fair
distribution of income? Is it crisis–prone? Does it necessarily
enhance economic growth and prosperity? If not, can the state correct
the problems; or would the intervention of the state create even bigger
problems? What light do the current experiences of economic restructuring
in the Soviet block countries shed on these questions? To explore these
fundamental issues we examine the original texts by Adam Smith, Karl
Marx, John Commons, Joseph Schumpeter, John Maynard Keynes, John Kenneth
Galbraith, Milton Friedman, Friedrich vonHayek, and James Buchanan.
Instructor to be announced.
Open to freshmen only.
II. Intermediate
200a or b. Macroeconomic Theory (1)
A structured analysis of the behavior of the national and international
economies. Alternative theories explaining the determination of the
levels of GDP, unemployment, the interest rate, the rate of inflation,
exchange rates, and trade and budget deficits are considered.
These theories provide the basis for discussion of current economic
policy controversies. The department.
Prerequisites: Economics 100.
201a or b. Microeconomic Theory (1)
Economics is about choice, and microeconomic theory begins with how
consumers and producers make choices. Economic agents interact in markets,
so we carefully examine the role markets play in allocating resources.
Theories of perfect and imperfect competition are studied, emphasizing
the relationship between market structure and market performance. General
equilibrium analysis is introduced, and efficiency and optimality of
the economic system are examined. Causes and consequences of market
failure are also considered. The department.
Prerequisites: Economics 100, 101.
[202b. Topics in Political Economy] (1)
In this course economics is presented in its full context as competing
visions of the "Good Society" including classical liberalism,
modern liberalism, market socialism, and communism. Lectures and readings
are based on a close examination of classic arguments and texts.
Prerequisite: One economics course.
Not offered in 2001/02.
204a. The Economics of Gender (1)
An analysis of gender differences in income, earnings, and employment
and of gender as a determinant of the division of labor in the United States
and elsewhere. Topics include occupational segregation, discrimination,
and the role of "protective legislation"; the economics of
marriage, divorce, and property rights; and controversies over sex and
reproduction as market goods. Ms. Johnson–Lans.
Prerequisite: Economics 101.
209a or b. Probability and Statistics (1)
This course is an introduction to statistical analysis and its application
in economics. The objective is to provide a solid, practical, and intuitive
understanding of statistical analysis with emphasis on estimation, hypothesis
testing, and linear regression. Additional topics include descriptive
statistics, probability theory, random variables, sampling theory, statistical
distributions, and an introduction to violations of the classical assumptions
underlying the least–squares model. Students are introduced to
the use of computers in statistical analysis. No prior experience with
computers is assumed. Mr. Lunt.
Prerequisites: Economics 100, 101 or permission of instructor.
210a. Econometrics (1)
This course equips students with the skills required for empirical
economic research in industry, government, and academia. Topics covered
include simple and multiple regression, maximum likelihood estimation,
multicollinearity, heteroskedasticity, autocorrelation, distributed
lags, simultaneous equations, instrumental variables, and time series
analysis. Extensive use is made of the computer, although no prior experience
with computers is assumed. Mr. Lunt.
Prerequisites: Economics 209 or an equivalent statistics course. Recommended:
Economics 100, 101.
215b. The Science of Strategy (1)
Strategic behavior occurs in war, in business, in our personal lives,
and even in nature. Game theory is the study of strategy, offering rigorous
methods to analyze and predict behavior in strategic situations. This
course introduces students to game theory and its application in a wide
range of situations. Students learn how to model conflict and cooperation
as abstract games, and develop skills in the fine art of solving games.
Applications are stressed, and these are drawn from many branches of
economics, as well as from a variety of other fields. Mr. Jehle.
Prerequisites: 100 or 101.
218b. Urban Economics (1)
(Same as Urban Studies 218) The focus is on the city, in determining
its costs and benefits as well as location and land use. We explore
policy issues specific to local governments in urban areas, including:
zoning, housing and segregation, poverty, homelessness, transportation,
education and crime. Mr. Rork.
Prerequisite: Economics 101
220b. The Political Economy of Health Care (1)
Economic models are applied to the contemporary problems of financing
and providing health care in a climate of increasing demand and rising
costs. Topics include the role of health care insurance, both public
and private; and the effects of changes in medical technology; the age
distribution of the population; and market structure in the health care
industry. A comparative study of several other countries' health care
systems are included. Ms. Johnson–Lans.
Prerequisite: Economics 101 or permission of instructor.
225b. Financial Markets and Investments (1)
This course provides an overview of the structure and operation of
financial markets, and the instruments traded in those markets. Particular
emphasis is placed on portfolio choice, including asset allocation across
risky investments and efficient diversification. Theoretical foundations
of asset–pricing theories are developed, and empirical tests of
these theories are reviewed. The course introduces valuation models
for fixed–income securities, equities, and derivative instruments
such as futures and options. Throughout the course, students apply investment
theories by managing a simulated asset portfolio. Additional topics
include financial statement analysis and performance evaluation measures.
Prerequisites: Economics 100 and 101. Students with strong quantitative
backgrounds can enroll with instructor permission.
Recommended: Economics 201 and Economics 209
238b. Law and Economics (1)
Economic analysis of legal rules and institutions. Topics are selected
from among the following: environmental law, property rights, antitrust
policy, mergers and acquisitions, regulation, administrative law, discrimination,
malpractice, liability, and criminal law. There are references to the
common law of property, torts, and contracts. Mr. Marco.
Prerequisite: 101
248a. International Trade and the World Financial System (1)
A policy–oriented introduction to the theory of international
trade and finance. The course introduces basic models of trade adjustment,
exchange rate determination and macroeconomics adjustment, assuming
a background of introductory economics. These are applied to the principle
issues and problems of the international economy. Topics include the
changing pattern of trade, fixed and floating exchange rates, protectionism,
foreign investment, the Euro–dollar market, the role of the GATT,
the IMF and World Bank, the European Community, the debt crisis, the
North–South debate, and foreign aid. Mr. Kennett.
Prerequisites: Economics 100 and 101. Not open to students who have
completed Economics 345 or 346.
260b. The Economics of Imperialism (1)
A study in economic history and economic thought related to the rise
of European imperialism and its aftermath. Attention is given to the
impact on both the colonized nation and the colonizer, and to the relationship
between economic thought and policy. Topics covered include the Spanish
and Portuguese empires, systematic colonization, the late Victorian
division of Africa, U.S. expansionism, and Japanese imperialism. Marxian
and competing models are examined in historical context. The course
concludes with a discussion of the postwar decolonization and the changing
nature of twentieth–century dependency. Mr. Kennett.
Prerequisites: Economics 100 and 101 or 102.
[267a. Environmental and Natural Resource Economics] (1)
(Same as Science, Technology, and Society 267) This course examines
environmental and natural resource issues from an economic perspective.
Environmental problems and controversies are introduced and detailed,
and then various possible policies and solutions to the problems are
analyzed. Economic analyses will determine the effectiveness of potential
policies and also determine the people and entities which benefit from
(and are hurt by) these policies. The goal is for students to develop
a framework for understanding environmental problems and then to learn
how to analyze policy actions within that framework. Topics include
water pollution, air pollution, species protection, externalities, the
energy situation, and natural resource extraction. The department.
Prerequisite: Economics 101 or permission of instructor.
Not offered in 2001/02.
268a. Economic Development in Less Developed Countries (1)
Analysis of the central issues in economic development including growth,
structural transformation, inequality, and the standard of living. The
course begins with a survey of current conditions (per–capita income,
productivity, inequality, poverty, health, and education) in less developed
countries. The history of development theory from the 1940s to the present
and the evolution of development theory from "big push" to
"export–led growth" are reviewed with examples from the
three focus countries. This sets the stage for exploring current topics
including household decision–making in agriculture, migration,
fertility, and the role of the state, politics, and international aid.
Ms. Jones.
Prerequisites: Economics 100 and 101.
269b. Political Economy of Development Aid (1)
The course examines political and economic aspects of international
development assistance. From its origins in the Marshall Plan at the
end of World War II, development aid has undergone a series of transformations
in terms of philosophical orientation, economic justification, and practical
implementation. The course explores this evolution, presenting a range
of topics: the history of aid; the economic and political impact of
aid; multilateral, bilateral and nongovernmental aid institutions; project
aid and project appraisal; structural adjustment lending and the debt
crisis; political and economic motives of aid donors and recipients;
and technological bias in development projects. Mr. Kilby.
Prerequisites: Economics 100 or 101.
III. Advanced Courses
303a. Advanced Topics in Microeconomics (1)
This course introduces students to modern theoretical methods in microeconomics
and their application to advanced topics not typically addressed in
Economics 201. Topics vary from year to year at the discretion of the
instructor, but typically include: modern approaches to consumer and
producer theory, economics of uncertainty, general equilibrium theory,
and welfare analysis. Mr. Jehle.
Prerequisites: Economics 201 and one year of calculus, or permission
of instructor.
[304b. Advanced Topics in Macroeconomics] (1)
This course examines some recent theoretical and applied work in macroeconomics.
Topics vary from year to year but are likely to include consumption,
investment, economic growth, and new–Keynesian models of fluctuations.
The requisite dynamic optimization methods are developed during the
course. Mr Johnson.
Prerequisites: Economics 200, 201, 209, and Mathematics 121 or equivalent,
or permission of instructor. Economics 210 recommended.
310b. Advanced Topics in Econometrics (1)
Analysis of the classical linear regression model and the consequences
of violating its basic assumptions. Topics include maximum likelihood
estimation, asymptotic properties of estimators, simultaneous equations,
instrumental variables, limited dependent variables and an introduction
to time series models. Applications to economic problems are emphasized
throughout the course. Mr. Lunt.
Prerequisites: Economics 210 and one year of calculus. Mathematics
221 recommended.
320a. Labor Economics (1)
An examination of the theory and operation of labor markets. Topics
include demand and supply for labor, a critical analysis of human capital
theory and signaling theory, the determinants of occupational, wage,
and employment level differences both cross–sectionally and over
time, unions, theories of labor market discrimination and segregation,
and public policy issues including welfare reform and the effects of
minimum wages. Ms. Johnson–Lans.
Prerequisites: Economics 101 and 209. Economics 201 strongly recommended.
342b. Public Finance (1)
This course considers the effects that government expenditure, taxation,
and regulation have on people and the economy. Attention is given to
how government policy can correct the many failures of the free market
system. Topics include the effect taxes have on consumption and employment
decisions, the U.S. income tax system, income redistribution, budget
deficits, military spending, environmental policy, health care, education,
voting, social security, and the U.S. "safety net." Mr. Rork.
Prerequisite: Economics 201; 209 recommended.
345a. International Trade Theory and Policy (1)
The course examines classical, neoclassical, and modern theories of
international trade, as well as related empirical evidence. Topics included
are: the relationship between economic growth and international trade;
the theory and practice of commercial policy; the theory of customs
unions; international factor movements; trade between unequal partners;
trade under imperfect competition. Mr. Jehle.
Prerequisite: Economics 201.
346b. International Monetary Theory and Policy (1)
The course is devoted to the problems of balance of payments and adjustment
mechanisMs. Topics include: the balance of payments and the foreign
ex–change market; causes of disturbances and processes of adjustment
in the balance of payments and the foreign exchange market under fixed
and flexible exchange rate regimes; issues in maintaining internal and
external balance; optimum currency areas; the history of the international
monetary system and recent attempts at reform; capital movements and
the international capital market, particularly the Eurodollar market.
The department.
Prerequisite: Economics 200.
[352b. Social Problems of the US Economy] (1)
This course examines selected social problems in the US economy and
evaluates both actual and potential public policy responses to these
probleMs. Some of the topics covered include: social capital, poverty
and inequality, segregation in housing and schooling, racial discrimination,
civil rights and affirmative action, welfare reform, crime, and homelessness.
By the end of the course, students should have a good understanding
of how these social problems have evolved in the US economy, as well
as how economists analyze such probleMs. Ms. Jones.
Prerequisites: Economics 201 and 209.
Not offered in 2001/02.
355a. Industrial Organization (1)
This course examines the external behavior of firms under conditions
of imperfect competition. Asymmetry and heterogeneity among firms are
explicitly recognized. Inefficient, strategic, and illegal behavior
of firms is discussed. Game theory is introduced and applied to study
entry, pricing, output, capacity, and quality choices that firms must
make. The role of information in firm and market performance is also
studied, with particular attention to its implications for advertising
and research and development. Finally, the role of the government in
the supply of information, in regulation, and in antitrust enforcement
is evaluated. Mr. Marco.
Prerequisites: Economics 201.
[356b. Topics in Industrial Organization] (1)
This course extends the analysis begun in Economics 355 by examining
issues in much greater detail. Where the emphasis of 355 is on surveying
the field of Industrial Organization and learning the basic models of
firm behavior, the emphasis of 356 is on applying the understanding
from those models to real world situations through detailed case studies.
Instructor to be announced.
Prerequisites: Economics 355 or permission of instructor. Economics
209 and 210 will be useful for some case studies and are recommended.
Not offered in 2001/02.
367b. Comparative Economics (1)
A study of different economic systems and institutions, beginning with
a comparison of industrialized market economies in the U.S., Asia, and
Europe. Pre–perestroika USSR is studied as an example of a centrally
planned economy and the transition to a market economy is examined,
with additional focus on the Czech Republic and Poland. Alternatives
to both market and planned systemssuch as worker self–management,
market socialism, and social democracyare also explored with emphasis
on the experience of Yugoslavia and Sweden. Mr. Kennett.
Prerequisites: at least 2 units of Economics at or above the 200–level.
368a. American Economic History (1)
This course covers the history of the U.S. economy from colonial times
to the present with a focus on the application of economic analysis
to historical issues. Topics include the economic factors in the drive
for independence, westward expansion, the American growth record and
its determinants, the economics of slavery and regional divergence,
the Great Depression and World War II, and the Modern Era. Mr. Rork.
Prerequisite: at least 2 units of Economics at or above the 200–level,
or permission of the instructor. Economics 209 is strongly recommended.
370b. History of Economic Thought (1)
A systematic study of the development of economic thought from early
times to the present; emphasis is placed on the study of European and
American economists of the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries;
the political, social, and cultural context of the development of economic
thought is highlighted. The department.
Prerequisites: Economics 100, 101, and 2 units of 200–level work
in Economics.
One 2–hour period.
371a. Alternative Economic Theories and Perspectives (1)
This course develops the theoretical foundations of alternative schools
of economic thought (e.g. Marxist, post–Keynesian, Institutionalist,
& Austrian) and applies them to theoretical and policy issues. From
these theoretical perspectives the course then reexamines "structural
adjustment" policies in the Third World, free trade, consumer theory,
the principles of economic growth, the operation of theory of financial
markets, and the contemporary resurgence of "neoliberal" economic
policies both here and abroad. The department.
Prerequisites: Economics 201 or 200.
IV. Senior Courses
301a or b. Senior Exercise in Economics (1/2)
Students enrolled in this course undertake the structured analysis
of an article–length work from the economics literature under the
supervision of a department member. This opportunity for substantive
culminating work in economics is intended to deepen the student's understanding
of their discipline and encourages the student to draw together elements
of four years' education in economics. The department.
Prerequisites: Economics 200, 201, 209.
305a–306b. Senior Seminar in Economics (1/2 or 1)
Students must write an independent research paper on a topic to be
agreed upon with the seminar instructor. These topics should be discussed
with the instructor prior to registration. For any credit for the major,
students must complete both 305a and 306b.
One 2–hour period.
V. Other
290a or b. Field Work (1/2 or 1)
Individual or group field projects or internships. One–half unit
for 60 hours of work. The department.
May be elected during the college year or during the summer.
Prerequisite or corequisite: a course in the department. Permission
required.
Unscheduled.
298a or b. Independent Work (1/2 or 1)
399a or b. Senior Independent Work (1/2 or 1)