SRES 102 Markets & Prosperity II
Offered in Fall & Spring semesters. A blend of economic ideas and history of economic thought, this course is the second part of a complete introduction to the elements of economics. The course employs natural language texts and non-technical materials to emphasize habits of mind, salutary intuitions, and historical knowledge for success in business and entrepreneurship. With no loss of rigor, the course takes a liberal arts approach to the foundations of economic thought, substituting critical annotation of text for traditional problem solving, and structured class discussion for traditional lectures. Course materials are chosen with a view to helping students "into the seat of Adam Smith," a world of economic inquiry replete with surprise, wonder, and admiration, in pursuit of the causes and consequences of the wealth of nations. Topics covered include: economics of the firm and managerial economics; national economy, GDP, and modern economic growth; business cycles and fluctuations in economic activity; government spending, federal budget, national debt, and taxes; monetary policy under monopoly currency issuance; monetary and financial alternatives; capital markets, interest rates, savings, investment, stocks, bonds and finance; labor markets, wages, productivity, and human capital; special issues in labor markets, including minimum wages, gender pay, and discrimination; global markets, trade, immigration, and currency exchange; markets for education, housing and healthcare; markets and poverty, inequality, and economic mobility; markets and the environment, population and resources; government and markets, democracy and freedom.
Cross Listed Courses
SRES 102 & MMGT 102