ECON 101 PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS
Syllabus: Fall 2014
Instructor: Van Ngo
Hours: TTH 9:30 am-10:45 am; room: AH-3177
Email: vanjngo@gmail.com
Office hours: M: 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, W: 3:00 pm - 5:30 pm, F: 1:00
pm-2 pm
I. Learning outcomes:
This course will focus on macroeconomics. Macroeconomics is the
study of the economy as a whole. This course will provide the tools
and knowledge to think critically about the issues in macroeconomics.
These are the topics we will cover in this semester:
-Differentiate between rational and non-rational behavior based on
cost-benefit principles.
-Discuss comparative advantage and trade.
-Understand the effects of changes in demand and supply to the
market price and quantity of a certain good or service.
-Define and calculate GDP and explain how the government can affect
GDP and other measures of economic activity.
-Calculate the unemployment rate and compare different types of
unemployment.
-Discuss the role of a central bank and the banking system.
-Define and calculate inflation/CPI, economic growth.
-Define and calculate the business cycle and exchange rate.
II. Readings
Required Text: Principles of Macroeconomics, Lee Coppock and Dirk
Mateer.
III. Grading
Your grade in this course will depend on the following distribution:
Participation: 10%
Homework: 30%
Quizzes: 20%
Exams 40%
IV. Homework
There will be homework assigned each week on Thursday and due at
9pm on Sunday. There will be 14 assignments. I will drop the lowest
score. I will be using the online homework program that comes with
the book from Norton Smartwork. It is very important that you get the
online access code with the book. You will be able to attempt each
assignment twice.
V. Quizzes
There will be five quizzes through out the semester. I will drop the
lowest score.
VI. Exams
There will be three exams, two midterms and one final. The final is
optional, if you did well on the first two exams and decide not to take
the final, your score will be calculated by the two midterms. If you
take all three exams, I will drop the lowest score. I will not do make
up exams.
VII. Attendance
Attendance is not mandatory but it is highly recommended. I will not
take attendance. I will divide the class into groups, and each week I
will ask a critical thinking question and collect the answer. The answer
should reflect the knowledge of the previous chapters. This will count
as part of the participation points. Regular attendance is also needed
to get a good grade on participation.
VIII. Blackboard
I will regularly post homework assignments, practice exams, and class
announcements to the site so you should check it frequently.
If you have any questions, please use email to contact me; I usually
check my email every hour until 8pm.
IX. Academic Integrity
I consider academic dishonesty to be a serious offense, and follow a
zero tolerance policy in this regard. Cheating is not worth it!
Please refer to the school policy on academic dishonesty:
http://studentaffairs.sdsu.edu/SRR/academics1.html
Please arrive to class promptly and turn off your cell phones. If you
must leave early, please tell me beforehand.
X. Accommodating Disabilities
If you have or acquire any sort of disability that may require
accommodation, feel free to discuss with me at your convenience.
Contact Student Disability Services for more information.
http://go.sdsu.edu/student_affairs/sds/
Course Outline *** Subject to Change***
Date
Topic
-Introduction
-Chapter 1
Note
-Chapter 3: Supply and Demand
-Chapter 6: Introduction to
Macroeconomics and Gross Domestic
Production.
-Chapter 7: Unemployment
-Quiz1
(09/16)
-Chapter 8: The Price Level and Inflation
-Chapter 9: Savings, Interest Rates, and
the Market for Loanable Funds.
-Review
-Chapter 10: Financial Markets and
-Quiz 2
(09/30)
-Exam 1
Securities
(10/07)
-Chapter 11: Economic Growth and the
Wealth of Nations
-Chapter 12: Growth Theory
-Chapter 13: The Aggregate DemandAggregate Supply Model
-Quiz 3
(10/20)
-Chapter 14: The Great Recession, the
Great Depression, and Great
Macroeconomic Debates
-Chapter 15: Federal Budgets
-Chapter 16: Fiscal Policy
-Chapter 17: Money and the Federal
Reserve
-Review
-Quiz 4
(11/18)
-Exam 2
(11/13)
-Chapter 18: Monetary Policy
-Chapter 2: Model Building and Gains
from Trade
-Chapter 19: International Trade
-Chapter 20: International Finance
-Quiz 5
(12/02)
-Review
-Final Exam
(12/11)
from 8am –
10am