Honors Economics 211

Principles of Macroeconomics

Fall  2009

 

Instructor:      Gay Garesché

 

Office:             05-106                    Phone:             623-845-3701

 

E-mail:             gay.garesche@gcmail.maricopa.edu

 

Website:          http://web.gccaz.edu/~ggaresch

 

Office Hours:   11:00-12:00 MWF; 8:30-10:00 TR

 

Purpose: This course represents an introduction to macroeconomics. It is intended to cover topics including national income accounting, inflation, unemployment, fiscal and monetary policy and the federal deficit or surplus and national debt.

 

Attendance Policy: Students are expected to attend class.  Students who miss a number of classes equal to the number of times the class meets per week may be dropped at the discretion of the instructor.  I take roll at the beginning of class.  Those students who miss roll will be considered absent.  If students desire to drop the course, they must carry out the necessary administrative process of filling out and submitting a drop form or requesting that I drop them.  Please be aware that the last day to drop with a guaranteed grade of “W” is Friday, October 2nd.

 

Required Text:  Foundations of Macroeconomics, 1st or 2nd custom GCC ed. or 1st, 2nd or 3rd edition, Robin Bade and Michael Parkin, Addison Wesley, 2004 or 2008.

 

Course Outline: 2nd GCC edition

Introduction: Chapter 1 plus Appendix, Chapter 2, Chapter 9 pp. 215-219, Chapter 16

p. 406.

Production Possibility Frontiers: Chapter 3, Chapter 10, and handout.

International Trade: Chapter 19.

Markets: Chapter 4, Chapter 20 pp. 519-529.

Measuring the Macroeconomy: Chapter 5, 6, 7 and 9 to p.228, Chapter 20.

Money and Banking: Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13 pp. 337-342, and Chapter 16, pp. 418-425.

The Classical Model: Chapter 8 pp. 192-201, Chapter 13 pp. 333-337, webpage material.

The Keynesian Model: Chapter 15.

The AD/AS Model: Chapter 14.

Fiscal and Monetary Policy: Chapter 16 and Chapter 18.

Phillips Curve and Conclusions: Chapter 17.

 

 

 

 

Exams:        Four exams will be given.  The first exam will be September 23rd.  The second exam will be on October 21st.  The third exam will be on November 18th.  The final exam will be on December 16th. Points are deducted for missing an exam, except for excused absences, which occur only when the student is on college business.   Students may not miss more than one exam during the semester.

 

Grades:       Your course grade will be based on points earned on the four exams, on two assignments or problem sets, on two policy briefs and on a few (possible) pop quizzes. Each exam, including the final, is worth 50 points.  Assignments are worth 5 points each.  Policy briefs are worth 20 points each.  Quizzes are worth two points each.  The course is graded on a 250 point scale.  Quiz points are extra credit points in that they are not included in the overall grading scale. There is a penalty for handing in late assignments. 

 

Course Grading-scale:

A = 200 points

B = 150 points

C = 100 points

D = 80 points

 

Additional Resources:

            Students have found my past exams useful as study guides.  You can access an example of my past macro exams on my website.  Please understand that the exams that you will take will be different.  However, the past exams will give you a good indication of the types of questions I am likely to ask on your exams. 

            I encourage you to form study groups.  In addition, a program called Supplemental Instruction will be available for this course this semester.  The program provides a study group leader, who has previously successfully completed the course, to lead study groups for this course.  More information about the program will be provided, as it becomes available. 

            New copies of the textbook come with a tutorial CD.  This is quite a good program, and students who have practiced with the demand and supply module tend to do well on their exams.

            You are always welcome to come to see me for help, as well.   Also, I would be happy to attend meetings of your study group to answer your questions.

 

 

The college will make reasonable accommodations for persons with documented disabilities.  Students should notify the Disabled Student Resources Office and their instructor of any special needs.

 

Disciplinary standards in this course will be maintained as per the GCC Student Handbook.