DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY

 Fall 2007

Course Syllabus

ECON 191 – Principles of Macroeconomics

Day:     M/W    Lewis 210       3:30-4:45 pm

Dates: 9/5-12-19

 

Instructor:      David Koehler

Phone:             630-207-5814

Fax:                 312-996-3559 (attn: Dave Koehler)

E-Mail:            dkoehler@dom.edu

                       

 

I.          Code/Course                                                  Credits

            ECN 191 – Macroeconomics                                     4

 

II.        Prerequisites – None

 

III.       Course Materials

 

Textbooks required

McConnell, C.R. and Brue, S.L. Economics 17th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill Irwin, 2008.

ISBN 978-0-07-312663-0

 

Other resources: Selected articles from the Wall Street Journal and other sources will be given in class.

 

IV.              Course Description

An examination of general macroeconomics theory with an emphasis on government spending and taxation, national income accounting, economic fluctuations, macroeconomics theory, fiscal policy, monetary policy, the banking system, economic stabilization, international trade, economic growth, and comparative economic systems.

 

V.                 Course Outcomes

 

1.       Be able to recognize and define specialized terminology as it is generally used in macroeconomic analysis.

2.       Be able to distinguish between classical, Keynesian and monetarist theories, and explain how they relate to the federal government's use of macroeconomic policy.

3.       Be able to explain fiscal and monetary policy tools of government, the rationale for their use, and their principal effects.

4.       Be able to identify leading economic indicators, and explain how they may be used in making business and government policy decisions.

5.       Be able to explain macroeconomic measures of aggregate output, income, savings, demand, price levels, employment, money supply, interest, investment, exports and imports, inflation, and the business cycle.

6.       Understand the principal features of the nation's monetary system.

7.       Be able to explain significant relationships between international trade and monetary exchange systems.

8.       Be able to identify the effects of currency appreciation and depreciation upon import and export industries, international travel, international investment, and recent trends in the world trade system.

9.       Be able to explain the relative advantages of free market (vs. socialistic) economic systems.

 

 

VI.              Evaluation Methods and Grading Scale

 

Evaluation methods used in this class are indicated below:

 

            Method                                                           Points Possible                                  

            1          Paper                                                   200                              

            1          Presentation                                         100

            10         Quizzes                                                 100

            3          Exams                                                  300                                                       .                      

5          Articles/ Discussion/Participation            100                                                                              

Total     Points                                                   800

 

 

Grading Scale

Grades are reported as letter grades “A” through “F” with honor points assigned as follows:

                                                                       

LETTER         INTERPRETATION                          PERCENTAGE                     

             A                        Excellent                                                       94-100%

 A-                                                                                            90-93%

             B+                                                                                            87-89%

             B                       Good                                                               84-86%

 B-                                                                                            80-83%

             C+                                                                                           77-79%

             C                          Average                                                      74-76%

             C-                                                                                           70-73%

             D+                                                                                           67-69%

             D                       Unsatisfactory                                                64-66%

             D-                                                                                           60-63%

             F                         Failure                            .                             Below 60%

 

 

IV.              Course Outline and Schedule

 

Students are expected to have read each chapter before class and be prepared for in depth discussions on the topics involved. Current articles pertaining to the principles of Macroeconomics and the economy should be brought in to each class for real world application and discussion.           

 

 

 

               

Principles of Macroeconomics

                                                General Course Outline

 

Week # 1                                  Topics                                                             Chapters

  1                                         Introduction                                                                                                                                                                        

   2                                       Supply and Demand                                               2-4 

 

 3                                        Elasticity                                                                    5-6                                                                                                                                                              

 4                                           Government policy, TEST 1                                1-6

 

5                                         National Income, Inflation                                    10,11

 

 6                                         Production and Growth                                           12                                       

7                                         Savings and Investment                                            13

 

8                                         Unemployment                                                         15

 

9                                        TEST 2,Monetary System                                                                           

10                                         Open Economy                                                   18,19

                                                                                                                                  

11                                    Aggregate Supply and Demand                                  20

                                                                                                                    

12                                  Monetary and Fiscal Policy                                          21

 

13                                  Trade –Offs                                                                   22

                                               

14                                  Macroeconomic Debates                                               23

15                                    Review and Final Exam