Economics (ECO)

ECO 103   Macroeconomics 3 credits

This course will illustrate the dynamic integration of America within the global economy by focusing on macroeconomics policy areas such as trade, exchange rate policy and domestic economic policy. The course will also introduce students to alternative theoretical frameworks such as classical, Keynesian, monetarism, rational expectations, Marxist, and institutionalist perspectives. The course will explore problems facing the less industrialized countries and the newly emerging countries and the United States role in their development.

ECO 104   Microeconomics 3 credits

This course will illustrate the dynamic integration of America within the global economy by focusing on the microeconomics issues such as the role of multinational corporations, antitrust policy, and strategic trade policy. The course will first introduce students to basic microeconomics theory such as market structure (perfect competition, monopoly, monopolistic competition, and oligopoly), factor markets, the role of government in the global economy, welfare reform, environmental policy and trade, and exchange rate policy. The course will then illustrate the global dimensions of domestic microeconomics policy.

ECO 110   Consumer Behavior Theory and Fundamentals 3 credits

This course is designed to provide students with an in-depth understanding of consumer behavior and its impact on marketing and management. The course covers the basic theories for understanding consumer behavior, including fundamental psychological theories that shed invaluable light on how consumers make choices. It delves into the key components of the decision-making process, encompassing influences on acquiring information, forming attitudes, making choices, translating decisions into behavior, and evaluating experiences. It explores cultural influences on consumer behavior, revealing how culture shapes choices and informs marketing strategies. Additionally, it covers diverse factors influencing consumer behavior, spanning social, psychological, and economic aspects. The course also assesses the societal impact of consumer behavior, including environmental and social consequences of consumerism. This course is suitable for students who want to develop an understanding of human behavior to inform strategic business decisions, allowing them to innovate and respond to consumer needs by applying consumer behavior theory to real-world contexts. It is especially useful for those targeting a career in marketing, business management, or consulting. The course will provide students with the skills to describe the key components of the decision-making process, illustrate the influences on how people acquire information, form attitudes, make choices, translate those choices into behavior, and evaluate their experiences, and predict what people will do in various contexts.

ECO 405   Global Economics 3 credits

This course will introduce students to the theories explaining trade and financial (exchange rates, foreign direct investment) markets in the economy. The course will also focus on policy issues in the trade and financial sectors such as the effectiveness of domestic trade and monetary policy, coordination of international exchange rates and the role of institutions such as the Federal Reserve System and the World Trade Organization in the present global economy. The course will also introduce students to national and local ethnic markets. (Prerequisites: ECO 103, FIN 301 or FIN 305).

ECO 498   Internship: 1-16 credits