I. ASCRC General Education Form
Group
VII Social Science
Dept/Program
Economics
Course Title
Prerequisite
Course #
Introduction to Macroeconomics
ECON 111
Credits
112S
3
II. Endorsement/Approvals
Complete the form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office
Please type / print name Signature
Date
Doug Dalenberg and Others
4406 /
doug.dalenberg@mso.umt.edu
Program Chair
Douglas Dalenberg
Dean
Gerald Fetz
III. Description and purpose of the course: General Education courses must be introductory
and foundational. They must emphasize breadth, context, and connectedness; and relate course
content to students’ future lives: See Preamble:
http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/gened/GEPreamble_final.htm
Instructor
Phone / Email
This course studies the U.S. economy as whole. Students will learn the basic models economists
use to understand the economy and become familiar with the terminology of macroeconomics.
Macroeconomics focuses on growth, unemployment and inflation. Students will learn about
aggregate supply and demand, growth theories, fiscal and monetary policies, the monetary system
and the important policy debates. This course draws on a rich history of historical and current
macroeconomic cases. The issues studied in this class affect everyone’s life.
IV. Criteria: Briefly explain how this course meets the criteria for the group. See:
http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/ASCRCx/Adocuments/GE_Criteria5-1-08.htm
1. systematically study individuals, groups, or
1. Students learn models of
social institutions;
macroeconomies, which are collections of
individuals, groups and social institutions.
2. analyze individuals, groups, or social
2. Students learn about growth, inflation and
problems and structures; and/or
unemployment and the models used to
understand these social problems.
3. give considerable attention to ways in which 3. Competing theories are developed,
conclusions and generalizations are developed
justified and critiqued. Testing competing
and justified as well as the methods of data
models using data analysis and historical
collection and analysis.
case studies is central to the course.
V. Student Learning Goals: Briefly explain how this course will meet the applicable learning
goals. See: http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/ASCRCx/Adocuments/GE_Criteria5-1-08.htm
1. Students taking courses in the Social Sciences Students will describe the nature and structure
Perspective will be able to: Describe the nature, of the US aggregate economy.
structure, and historical development of human
behavior, organizations, social phenomena,
and/or relationships;
2. use theory in explaining these individual,
group, or social phenomena; and/or
Students will demonstrate how various
macroeconomic models explain growth,
unemployment and inflation, which are social
phenomena.
Students will describe historical cases and
data that support or refute the different
macroeconomic models.
3. understand, assess, and evaluate how
conclusions and generalizations are justified
based on data
VII. Syllabus: Paste syllabus below or attach and send digital copy with form. The syllabus
should clearly describe how the above criteria are satisfied. For assistance on syllabus
preparation see: http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/syllabus.html
*Please note: As an instructor of a general education course, you will be expected to provide
sample assessment items and corresponding responses to the Assessment Advisory Committee.
UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA
Economics 112S: Introduction to Macroeconomics
Section 30
Douglas Dalenberg
Office: LA 403 243-4406
Office hours: MTWR 11:30 - 12:30
or by appointment or discovery
Email: doug.dalenberg@mso.umt.edu
Summer 2008 – Session 2
MTWR 9:30-11:20
Classroom: LA 106
3 Credits
CRN: 50224
Text: Taylor, Timothy, Principles of Macroeconomics, version 2.0, Madison, WI: Freeload Press,
2008.
You have two options for obtaining the textbook. You can register and then get the e-book
version for free at www.freeloadpress.com, however this version contains advertising. You can
order a commercial-free bound paperback version for approximately $20 from the same website.
Course Supplement: Aplia. A separate handout will explain how to sign up for Aplia which is an
on-line study aid and homework system. Cost $35.
Prerequisites: ECON 111.
Description: This course is an introduction to macroeconomics. We will study the U.S. economy as
whole, learn the basic models economists use to understand the economy and become familiar
with the terminology of macroeconomics. Macroeconomics focuses on growth, unemployment
and inflation. We will learn about aggregate supply and demand, growth theories, fiscal and
monetary policies, the monetary system and the important policy debates. This course draws on a
rich history of historical and current macroeconomic cases.
Objectives: Students should be able to define, explain and use the standard terminology found in
macroeconomics. Student should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the basic facts and
institutions of the US macro economy. Students should be able to explain and apply the basic
models used in macroeconomics and use those models to explain economic history and to help
summarize the debates involving macroeconomic issues.
Grading: The course grade will be based upon the student's performance on the following
components. The weights for the course grade are:
Best 6 of 8 Homework
33%
Best 8 of 9 Quizzes
33%
Final Exam
34% Thurs. July 24
I will not use plus/minus grading so: 100-90=A, 89-80=B, 79-70=C, 69-60=D, 59 and below=F.
Policies:
1. If you miss an exam or quiz and you have a legitimate excuse and you contact me prior to or
immediately after the exam or quiz, then I will either adjust the percentages on future exams or
quizzes or give you a make-up exam or quiz. The decision regarding these two options will be
mine. With Aplia, all homework deadlines are firm and I have no ability to allow exceptions.
2. Academic dishonesty will result in a score of zero for the assignment or exam in question.
University policy requires that I include the following statement: “All students must practice
academic honesty. Academic misconduct is subject to an academic penalty by the course
instructor and/or a disciplinary sanction by the University. All students need to be familiar with
the Student Conduct Code. The Code is available for review online at
http://life.umt.edu/VPSA/name/StudentConductCode.”
3. The last day to add the course is June 27. The last day to drop the class is June 30.
4. University policy now states “A CR is given for work deserving credit (A through D-) and an
NCR for work of failing quality (F). CR and NCR grades do not affect grade point average.”
5. As a courtesy to your classmates, please set your cell phones on vibrate rather than ring and
please leave the classroom to talk on a phone.
Advice:
1. Be active – learning is not a spectator sport.
2. Summer session is very compressed so it is hard to catch up, therefore you must work hard
to stay on top of the work. In order to stay caught up, I suggest that you plan to spend time
every weekday on the class:
Monday after class: Read book, review notes, study for quiz.
Tuesday after class: Read book, review notes, do Aplia homework.
Wednesday after class: Read book, review notes, study for quiz.
Thursday after class: Read book, review notes, do Aplia homework.
Friday: Review notes from the week, finish Aplia homework, finish any reading, catch up.
3. If my office hours conflict with your schedule, see me for an appointment.
4. The class has a rhythm to it:
Mondays and Wednesdays will start with lecture and end in a computer lab using the computer.
Tuesdays and Thursdays will start with a quiz and end with lecture and discussion.
Course Schedule:
EC 112
Summer 2008
Date
23-Jun
24-Jun
25-Jun
26-Jun
30-Jun
1-Jul
2-Jul
3-Jul
7-Jul
8-Jul
9-Jul
10-Jul
14-Jul
15-Jul
16-Jul
17-Jul
21-Jul
22-Jul
23-Jul
24-Jul
Day
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Class #
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Topic
Review Supply and Demand
GDP
Growth
Unemployment
Inflation
Balance of Trade
AS – AD
AS – AD
Keynesian Model
Keynesian Model
Neoclassical Model
Money and Banking
Monetary Policy
Exchange Rates and Capital Flows
Exchange Rates and Capital Flows
Fiscal Policy
Government Borrowing
Policy
Catch-up / Review
Review / Final Exam
Before class
have read
ch 21
ch22
ch 23
ch 24
ch 25
ch 26 part 1
ch 26 part 2
ch 27 part 1
ch 27 part 2
ch 28
ch 29
ch 30
ch 31
ch 31
ch 32
ch 33
ch 34
Quizzes
Homework
Quiz 1
Quiz 2
Hmk 1 due Fri at 11:45 PM
Quiz 3
Hmk 2 due Tue at 11:45 PM
Quiz 4
Hmk 3 due Fri at 11:45 PM
Quiz 5
Hmk 4 due Tue at 11:45 PM
Quiz 6
Hmk 5 due Fri at 11:45 PM
Quiz 7
Hmk 6 due Tue at 11:45 PM
Quiz 8
Hmk 7 due Fri at 11:45 PM
Quiz 9
Hmk 8 due Tue at 11:45 PM
Exam