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 8901
2. Date:
09/14/2011
3. Requested action:
X New Course
Revision of Active Course
Revision & Unbanking of a Banked Course
Renumbering of an Existing Course from
from
to
#
X
Required
#
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 need in government,
the private sector, and in academia 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
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hazards and regulation of risk, as well as businesses for management and mitigation of
risk.
The assessment process of the Economics Graduate Faculty, based on best practice in
leading economics Ph.D. programs, has recommended a research training workshop in
which PhD students and introduced to current research methodologies, and present
reviews of current research.
6. Course description exactly as it should appear in the next catalog:
8901. Research Workshop (1) May be repeated for a maximum of 6 s.h. P: Consent of
director of graduate studies. Present and discuss research methodologies as well as new
results in the literature.
7. If this is a course revision, briefly describe the requested change:
N/A
8. Course credit:
Lecture Hours
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. Workshop Participation
Total Credit Hours
1
1
s.h.
s.h.
10
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
X
Additional staff is needed (describe needs in the box below):
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).
Specific research resources to support student’s individual research project.
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b. Course objectives for the course (student – centered, behavioral focus)
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

Apply a variety of economics research approaches and methodologies;


Analyze and present economic research results;
Analyze and critique research presentations;
Critique and apply emerging theories, methodologies and models in selected
areas of economics.

c. Course topic outline
Topics will vary depending upon each student’s interests and research focus. Possible
topics may include:
 Behavioral models of risk response;
 Evaluation of risk regulation in the health industry;
 Dynamic analysis of macroeconomic policy;
 Spatial econometrics of environmental dynamics;
 Forecasting in non-Gaussian environments;
 Modeling the optimal response to catastrophic events.
d. List of course assignments, weighting of each assignment, and grading/evaluation system
for determining a grade
Assignments will be developed in consultation with faculty mentors who will guide
development of student’s research interests.
Assignments consist of:
• Attendance and participation in workshops (35%);
• Preparation, presentation, and analysis of current research in selected fields of
economics (65%);
Evaluation System
A
90% to 100%
B
89% to 80%
C
79% to 70%
F
Below 70%
Outstanding Performance
Acceptable Performance
Inadequate Performance
Failure
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