Principles of Macroeconomics
Syllabus for ECON 1202, Fall 2008

(formerly ECON 111)

 

NOTE: CONTINUALLY UPDATED!!!

 

Instructor:

Steven R. Cunningham

Lecture Hours:

Mondays and Wednesdays, 9 - 9:50 AM, CLAS 108

Discussion sections on Friday according to section

Office Hours:

Mondays and Wednesdays, 10:00 am – 11:30 AM

Office:

418 Monteith Building

Telephone:

Instructor (860) 486-3550, Fax (860) 486-4463

Instructor’s Email:

Steven.R.Cunningham@uconn.edu

Course Website:

http://econ1202.com

Textbook Website:

MyEconLab.com 

 

Required Texts

 

Summary

This course provides a broad-based survey of the field of macroeconomics. The course material covers aggregate supply and demand, theories promoted by various schools of economic thought, money and the financial system, the role of government in the marketplace, and macroeconomic policy. Included are discussions of pressing domestic policy issues. The student should leave the course with an understanding of current and recent theories of macroeconomic structure and policy.

 

Organization and Grading

Two lectures per week, one discussion session. Grades are based upon two mid-term exams (30% each), a final exam (30%), and  quizzes and homework assignments from discussion sections (10%). 

 

MyEconLab, the online support system for the textbook, is essentially an online, interactive study guide. I urge students to take full advantage of MyEconLab to gain confidence with the material in the course. Exam questions will be similar to those given in MyEconLab. MyEconLab also links directly to the textbook. 

 

 

Discussion Sections

Section

Day-Time

Classroom

Instructor

001D

Friday, 9-9:50am

MONT 217

Parag Waknis

002D

Friday, 10-10:50am

MONT 101

Parag Waknis

003D

Friday, 11-11:50am

MONT 217

Parag Waknis

004D

Friday, 12-12:50pm

ARJ 405

Matthiew Burnside

005D

Friday, 1-1:50pm

ARJ 413

Matthiew Burnside

006D

Friday, 2-2:50pm

ARJ 405

Matthiew Burnside 

007D

Friday, 9-9:50am

ARJ 243

Can Bekargolu

008D

Friday, 10-10:50am

KOONS 301

Can Bekargolu

009D

Friday, 11-11:50am

GAMPEL 215

Amy.Druckenmiller

010D

Friday, 12-12:50pm

MONT 217

Amy Druckenmiller

TA Contact Information

Instructor Office Office Telephone
Can Bekargolu Monteith 300 NA486-3012
Matthiew Burnside Monteith 328 NA
Amy Druckenmiller Monteith 300 NA486-3012
Parag Waknis Monteith 330 486-9313

 


Lecture & Exam Schedule

Note: This is the planned schedule, and may have to be modified at any time.

 

 

(1) August 25 & 27, 2008

Lecture: 

    Chapter 1: Economics: Foundations and Models
Friday Discussion: 

    No Discussion Sections this Friday!
Slides for Chapter 1

 

(2) September 1 & 3, 2008

September 1 is Labor Day--no classes.
Lecture: 
    Chapter 2:
Trade-offs, Comparative
        Advantage,
and the Market System
Friday Discussion: 
    Chapter 1: Inside Look: Nightmare Scenarios

    Chapter 2: Comparative Advantage
Slides for Chapter 2

 

(3) September 8 & 10, 2008

Lecture: 
   
Chapter 3: Where Prices Come From: 
        The Interaction of Supply and Demand
Friday Discussion: 
    Chapter 3: Inside Look: Apple Coup
    Shifts of S & D Curves
Slides for Chapter 3


(4) September 15 & 17, 2008

Lecture: 
    Chapter 5: Firms, the Stock Market, 
        and Corporate Governance 
    Friday Discussion: 
    Review for Exam
Slides for Chapter 5

(5) September 22 & 24, 2008

EXAM: Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 5 (Monday)

Lecture: 

    Chapter 7: GDP: Measuring Total Production and Income
   
Friday Discussion:
    Chapter 6: Comparative Advantage and 
        the Gains from International Trade
Slides for Chapter 7

 

(6) September 29 & October 1, 2008

October 3 (Friday)--Mid-semester grade reports due
Lecture: 
   
Chapter 8: Unemployment and Inflation
    Chapter 9: Economic Growth, the Financial System,
        and Business Cycles
Friday Discussion:
   
Chapter 6: Comparative Advantage and 
        the Gains from International Trade
Slides for Chapter 8
Slides for Chapter 9

 

(7) October 6 & 8, 2008

Lecture:
   
Chapter 10: Long-Run Economic Growth: Sources and Policies
Friday Discussion:
    Chapter 10: Inside Look: European Economy
Slides for Chapter 10

 

 

(8) October 13 & 15, 2008
Lecture: 
    Chapter 11: Output and Expenditure in the Short Run
Friday Discussion:
    Review for Exam
Slides for Chapter 11

 

(9) October 20 & 22, 2008

EXAM: Chapters 6-11 (Monday)
Lecture:

    Chapter 12: Aggregate Demand and 

        Aggregate Supply Analysis
Friday Discussion:
    Shifts of Aggregate Expenditure
    Inside Look: Consumer Spending
Slides for Chapter 12 

 

(10) October 27 & 29, 2008

October 27 (Monday)--last day to drop a course
Lecture: 
   
Appendix: Macroeconomic Schools of Thought
   
Chapter 13: Money, Banks, and 
        the Federal Reserve System
Friday Discussion:
    T-Accounts Analysis?
Slides for Chapter 13

 

(11) November 3 & 5, 2008
Lecture:
   
Chapter 14: Monetary Policy
Friday Discussion:
    Chapter 13: Inside Look: China Lifts Bank Reserves
Slides for Chapter 14

 

(12) November 10 & 12, 2008

Lecture:
   
Chapter 15: Fiscal Policy
Friday Discussion:
    Chapter 16: Inside Look: Rethinking Inflation's Roots
Slides for Chapter 15

 

(13) November 17 & 19, 2008

Lecture:
    Chapter 16: Inflation, Unemployment, and
        Federal Reserve Policy
Slides for Chapter 16

(14) November 24 & 26, 2008

Thanksgiving Break--No Classes!

 

(15) December 1 & 3, 2008

Friday, December 5 is last day of Fall Semester
Lecture:
   
Chapter 17: Macroeconomics in an Open Economy
    Chapter 18: The International Financial System
Friday Discussion:
    Review for Final Exam
Slides for Chapter 17
Slides for Chapter 18

We will probably not get through both chapters. 
  If we do not, the exam be only on the content that we cover.

 

FINAL EXAM: December 8-13, Final Exam Week*
Chapters 12 – 18

 

*Subject to change. This is according to the University's Preliminary Exam Schedule.