Graduate Curriculum Committee Course Proposal Form
for Courses Numbered 6000 and Higher
Note: Before completing this form, please carefully read the accompanying instructions.
Submission guidelines are posted to the GCC Web site: http://www.ecu.edu/cs-acad/gcc/index.cfm
1. Course prefix and number:
ECON 8720
2. Date:
09/13/2011
3. Requested action:
X New Course
Revision of Active Course
Revision & Unbanking of a Banked Course
Renumbering of an Existing Course from
from
to
#
Required
X
#
Elective
4. Method(s) of delivery (check all boxes that apply for both current/proposed and expected
future delivery methods within the next three years):
Current or
Proposed Delivery
Method(s):
X
On-campus (face to face)
Expected
Future Delivery
Method(s):
X
Distance Course (face to face off campus)
Online (delivery of 50% or more of the instruction is offered online)
5. Justification (must cite accreditation and/or assessment by the graduate faculty) for new course
or course revision or course renumbering:
The graduate faculty of the Department of Economics identified a societal need for PhD
graduates with advanced analytic and technical skills necessary for analysis, mitigation,
management and regulation of risk—both environmental and financial. This requires an
understanding of the underlying individual decision maker and firm behavior and their
interaction within market and nonmarket settings. Theoretical modeling and empirical
analysis complete the picture and allow for the identification of effective public policy
and regulation. This doctoral program is unique within the state of North Carolina
because it emphasizes risk modeling and analysis over a broad scope of applications that
range from financial markets to natural hazards. Students with training from this
program will be well equipped to qualify for high level positions within Federal and State
Agencies that deal with natural hazards and regulation of risk, as well as businesses for
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management and mitigation of risk.
The assessment process of the Economics Graduate Faculty has determined that this is an
appropriate course to develop applications of microeconomic theory to topics relevant to
the overall focus of the program on risk and the structure of industries subject to risk and
regulation.
6. Course description exactly as it should appear in the next catalog:
8720. Industrial Organization (3) P: ECON 8112. Combines the latest theories with
empirical evidence about the organization of firms and industries.
7. If this is a course revision, briefly describe the requested change:
N/A
8. Course credit:
Lecture Hours
3
3
Weekly
OR
Per Term
Credit Hours
s.h.
Lab
Weekly
OR
Per Term
Credit Hours
s.h.
Studio
Weekly
OR
Per Term
Credit Hours
s.h.
Practicum
Weekly
OR
Per Term
Credit Hours
s.h.
Internship
Weekly
OR
Per Term
Credit Hours
s.h.
Other (e.g., independent study) Please explain.
s.h.
3
Total Credit Hours
s.h.
8
9. Anticipated annual student enrollment:
10. Changes in degree hours of your programs:
Degree(s)/Program(s)
Changes in Degree Hours
PhD in Economics
N/A
11. Affected degrees or academic programs, other than your programs:
Degree(s)/Program(s)
Changes in Degree Hours
12. Overlapping or duplication with affected units or programs:
X Not applicable
Documentation of notification to the affected academic degree programs is
attached.
13. Council for Teacher Education (CTE) approval (for courses affecting teacher education):
X Not applicable
Applicable and CTE has given their approval.
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14. University Service-Learning Committee (USLC) approval:
X Not applicable
Applicable and USLC has given their approval.
15. Statements of support:
a. Staff
Current staff is adequate
Additional staff is needed (describe needs in the box below):
X
Specialist in industrial organization and empirical
analysis.
b. Facilities
X Current facilities are adequate
Additional facilities are needed (describe needs in the box below):
c. Library
X
Initial library resources are adequate
Initial resources are needed (in the box below, give a brief explanation and an
estimate for the cost of acquisition of required initial resources):
d. Unit computer resources
X
Unit computer resources are adequate
Additional unit computer resources are needed (in the box below, give a brief
explanation and an estimate for the cost of acquisition):
e. ITCS resources
X
ITCS resources are not needed
The following ITCS resources are needed (put a check beside each need):
Mainframe computer system
Statistical services
Network connections
Computer lab for students
Software MATLAB
Approval from the Director of ITCS attached
16. Course information (see: Graduate Curriculum and Program Development Manual for
instructions):
a. Textbook(s) and/or readings: author(s), name, publication date, publisher, and
city/state/country. Include ISBN (when applicable).
Required:
Tirole, J. (1988). The Theory of Industrial Organization. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA.
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ISBN: 978-0262200714
Carlton, D. and J. Perloff (2005). Modern Industrial Organization. Pearson Addison
Wesley, Boston, MA. ISBN: 978-0321180230
and Readings selected from recently published journal articles.
b. Course objectives for the course (student – centered, behavioral focus)
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:



Compare and contrast theoretical models of firm behavior under different
assumptions and market conditions.
Evaluate the structure, conduct, and performance paradigm.
Utilize the latest advances in microeconomic theory, including game theory,
contestability, and information theory to examine firm behavior and resultant
market efficiency .
c. Course topic outline
I.
The Firm and Costs
A. Firm Objective
B. Mergers and Acquisitions
C. Cost concepts
II.
Market Structure
A. Perfect Competition
B. Monopoly
C. Oligopoly
D. Monopolistic Competition
III Applications and Policy Responses to Risks Market failure Risks in Specific
Industries
A. Pharmaceuticals
B. Tobacco
C. Petroleum
D. Airlines
E. Beer
F. Automotive
IV. Business Practices: Strategies and Conduct
A. Topics in Pricing
B. Strategic Behavior
C. Information and Advertising
D. Regulation and Deregulation
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d. List of course assignments, weighting of each assignment, and grading/evaluation system
for determining a grade
Problem Sets:
Course Paper:
Midterm Examination:
Final Examination:
Evaluation System
A
90% to 100%
B
89% to 80%
C
79% to 70%
F
Below 70%
25%
25%
25%
25%
Outstanding Performance
Acceptable Performance
Inadequate Performance
Failure
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