ECON 322: LABOR ECONOMICS
PROF. PATS NEELAKANTAN
420 Normal Street
Tel: 3002
E-mail:pats@po-box.esu.edu
OBJECTIVE: To familiarize students with the issues affecting today's labor market, both within and outside U.S.
TEXT: "Contemporary Labor Economics," by Campbell R. McConnel, Stanley L. Brue, and David A. Macpherson (2010),
9th edition, McGraw-Hill Irwin Publishers.
COURSE OUTLINE: The instructor plans to cover the following chapters; 1-9, 14, 16-18.
Homework will consist of the following;
(1) Summarize in a paragraph or two “World of Work” applications in each chapter.
(2) Complete the selected “Questions and Study Suggestions” to be assigned for each chapter.
(3) Do the “Internet Exercise” as assigned for each chapter.
All these must be done neatly in a separate binder/notebook and submitted at the time of the final exam. The homework
carries 20 points.
Any additional work beyond the assigned HW will be treated as extra credit work and may help at the margin (please
separate extra credit work).
The instructor has a copy of the Instructor Manual (which has solutions to some of the HW problems) in his office for
student reference. Though you are welcome to refer to the manual, you are NOT supposed to copy the solutions but only
use them as a learning tool. Any semblance of copying will result in zero points for the homework.
All students are expected to read the material in advance, and participate in class discussion.
GRADING POLICY: There will be two mid-term exams and a final exam during the finals week, each covering roughly
roughly 4 chapters, and carry 25, 25 and 30 points respectively.
Exams will consist of roughly 10 objective type questions, 1 problem (similar to HW), and 1 short essay.
.Exam Dates:
Exam 1:
Exam 2:
Final Exam TBA
Grading Scale:
90 – 100 = A
80 - 84 = B+
65 - 69 = C+
50 - 54 = D
less than 50 = E
85 - 89 = A75 - 79 = B
60 - 64 = C
70 - 74 = B55 - 59 = C-
(No Incompletes given)
Grades are based on performance only and not based on student needs.
Attendance will be taken daily, and is extremely important. If a student is absent for more than three days in the semester,
the instructor reserves the right to FAIL or lower his/her final grade as appropriate. Students are not allowed to enter the
classroom once the class begins. Also, students must inform the instructor before the start of class if they plan to leave in
the middle for personal reasons and must sit in the first row. Otherwise, they will be marked absent for that day.
OFFICE HOURS: Vary by Semester