Economics 443
Labor Economics
Spring 2013
Syllabus
Dr. Elaina Rose
Associate Professor
erose@u.washington.edu
Savery 342
Class Meetings
Econ443: T Th 1:30-3:30, SMI 105
Course Description
In this class we will use economic theory and current and historical labor market
data to understand labor market outcomes such as labor supply, labor demand,
earnings, occupational choice, human capital investment and unemployment.
Implications of policies measures such as workplace regulation, unemployment
compensation and the minimum wage will be discussed.
Prerequisites
ECON 300 (Intermediate Microeconomics) or the equivalent.
Required Text
Labor Economics , Sixth Edition by George Borjas
Other Required Readings
Brief additional readings will be posted.
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Recommended Text
Microeconomics: Theory and Applications (Fifth Edition) by Jeffrey M. Perloff, to
review material from Intermediate Microeconomics.
Class materials
Class materials are posted on Catalyst
Announcements
Announcements will be sent to your University of Washington email account.
Grading
Your class score will be calculated as:
Midterm 1
Midterm 2
Final Exam
Homework
Project
22 %
23 %
25 %
10%
20 %
A score of 90% is generally the cutoff for an A-, 80% for a B-, etc. Grades are
assigned according to the University of Washington grading system. See
http://www.washington.edu/students/gencat/front/Grading_Sys.html.
Exams
Exams will consist of problems, short essays, and multiple choice questions. The
only electronic device you will be permitted to access during the exam is a 4function calculator. Makeup exams will be given only under extraordinary and
documentable circumstances, e.g., death in family, military service, jury duty.
Exams will not be rescheduled exams to accommodate end of quarter or holiday
travel.
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Homework
Solutions to the homework problems will be posted. I will review problems as
requested.
Contact
Please include Econ443 in the subject of any email to me about the class, and
check your University of Washington email account regularly for announcements.
Please include your student number as well as your name in emails to me. Keep
copies of class emails which may include instructions and class material.
I will notify you by 10 PM the day before class if there is a document you need to
print out and bring to class.
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Exams will be held on the dates specified below
Other assignment dates and topics may change
Class
Date
Topic
Readings and Assignments
1
4/2
(Tue)
Intro
Review Theory of the Consumer
Borjas 2.0-2.2
(Perloff Chapter 4, 5)
2
4/4
(Thu)
Labor Supply 1
Borjas 2.3-2.6
Baseline Labor Supply Model (p. 1-9)
*HW 1 (Review)
3
4/9
(Tue)
Labor Supply II
Regression analysis
Borjas 2.7-2.10
Baseline Labor Supply Model (p. 10-13)
Labor Supply Applications
*Questionnaire
4
4/11
(Thu)
Labor Supply III
Project Meetings
Borjas 2.11-2.13
Household Labor Supply
HW 2 (Labor Supply)
5
4/16
(Tue)
Labor Demand I
(Perloff Ch. 6, 7)
Borjas 3.0-3.3
Labor Demand, p. 1-6
6
4/18
(Thu)
MIDTERM 1
7
4/23
(Tue)
Labor Demand II
Equilibrium I
Borjas 3.4-3.10
Labor Demand, p. 7-11
8
4/25
(Thu)
Equilibrium I
Readings TBA
HW 3 (Labor Demand)
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9
4/30
(Tue)
Equilibrium III
Wage Determination
Readings TBA
10
5/2
(Thu)
Compensating Differentials
Regression
Human Capital I
Readings TBA
HW 4 (Equilibrium)
11
5/7
(Tue)
Human Capital II
Readings TBA
12
5/9
(Thu)
MIDTERM 2
13
5/14
(Tue)
Human Capital II
Readings TBA
HW 5 (Compensating Differentials)
14
5/16
(Thu)
Human Capital III
Discrimination (Race/Gender) I
Readings TBA
15
5/21
(Tue)
Discrimination(Race/Gender) II
Readings TBA
HW 6 (Human Capital)
16
5/23
(Thu)
Unemployment
Readings TBA
17
5/28
(Tue)
Wage Distribution
Readings TBA
HW 7 (Unemployment)
18
5/30
(Thu)
Presentations
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19
6/4
(Tue)
Presentations
20
6/6
(Thu)
Presentations
6/14
FINAL EXAM 2:30-4:20
HW 8 (Wage Distribution)
Key
Required Reading
(Review)
Bring to Class
Assignment Due
* Not for submission
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