COLLIN COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
DIVISION OF BUSINESS AND COMPUTER SCIENCE
COURSE SYLLABUS
Spring 2015
Course Number: ECON 1301
Course Title:
INTRODUCTION TO
ECONOMICS
Course Description: A survey of microeconomic
and macroeconomic principles for non-business
majors. Microeconomic topics will include supply
and demand, consumer behavior, price and output
decisions by firms under various market structures,
factor markets, market failures, international trade,
and exchange rates. Macroeconomic topics will
include national income, unemployment, inflation,
business cycles, aggregate supply and demand,
monetary and fiscal policy, and economic growth.
This course does not satisfy most four-year
institution’s economics requirement. However, it will
transfer as an elective or social science requirement.
Course Credit Hours: 3
Lecture Hours: 3
Instructor's Information:
Instructor: Mike Cohick, PhD
Office: SCC L263
Office Hours: MW 9.00 – 12.00, or by
appointment
Office Phone: 972 881 5840
E-mail: mcohick@collin.edu (preferred
method of contact)
Class Information:
Sections: S02 and S03
Meeting times: S02 (TR 8.30 – 9.45) and
S03 (TR 10.00 – 11.15)
Room: SCC BB232
Course Resources: Required textbook is Cohick and
Richards, Economics for Smart Citizenship, 2nd
Edition. Do not buy the first edition. If you buy a
used book, make sure the homework pages are not
torn out. Or, you can buy an eBook for $9.99 at
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/350001.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, students
will:
1. Explain the scarcity/choice problem
existing throughout the world.
2. Describe the economic system of the
United States.
3. Utilize the basic demand and supply
model to predict the effects of different
market forces on equilibrium price and
quantity.
4. Identify the four market structures and
their effects on firm behavior.
5. Explain the concept of market failure
and the alternatives to market processes
in resource allocations.
6. Define and calculate gross domestic
product, inflation rate, and
unemployment rate.
7. Use aggregate supply and aggregate
demand to predict the effects of fiscal
and monetary policy actions on output,
unemployment, and inflation.
8. Explain the benefits and costs of
international trade and the role of
international trade in the U.S. economy.
Withdrawal Policy: Students are advised to
withdraw from the course if they have not completed
the required work by the "Last Day to Withdraw."
Students who do not complete all of the required
work by the end of the course will receive a letter
grade based on the work completed. There will be no
grades of "incomplete" given. Note that the professor
cannot withdraw you from class. You must complete
a drop form with Admissions and Records to
formally withdraw. The last day to withdraw this
semester is March 20, 2014.
Collin College Academic Policies: Any situation in
which cheating or other unethical activity is
suspected will be brought to the attention of the Dean
of Students for adjudication and disposition. Do your
own work. The penalty for scholastic dishonesty is
normally a grade of zero on the work in question.
See the current Collin Student Handbook 7-2.2 for
additional information.
Americans with Disabilities Act: Collin College
will adhere to all applicable federal, state and local
laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to
providing reasonable accommodations as required to
afford equal opportunity. It is the student’s
responsibility to contact the ACCESS office, SCCD140 or 972.881.5898 (V/TTD: 972.881.5950) to
arrange for appropriate accommodations. See the
current Collin Student Handbook for additional
information.
Tutoring: If you need or want tutoring (free), go to
SCC Room D140 or go to www.collin.edu and under
“Student Resources,” click “Tutoring,” then click
“Tutor request form.”
Attendance Policy:
1. I expect you to come to every class, and
participate in all class activities. I do not
require written excuses for absences. If
you are absent, check with another
student to find out what you missed and
make it up.
2. You have the responsibility to complete all
work assigned.
3. Religious Holy Days: please refer to the current
Collin Student Handbook
4. All officially enrolled after the last day to
withdraw (March 20) will receive a letter grade
based on the grading scale above.
Electronic Devices:
Put away all electronic devices – cell
phones, laptop computers, music players,
and other devices that may have been
invented since I wrote this syllabus. None
may be used in my classroom without
obtaining consent from me prior to each
class. Cell phones and pagers must be
made silent during class. If you receive a
“vibe” and need to take the call, quickly
and quietly leave the classroom.
Method of Evaluation:
Three Exams, each 100 points, total: 300 points
Twelve Homework Sets, total: 120 points
Seven take-home writing exercises, total: 105 points.
Divisor: 500 points.
… as you can see, there are 25 points “extra credit”
built in.
With no curve, you need 90% for an A; 80% for a B;
70% for a C; and 60% for a D.
Exams 1, 2 and 3: Each exam has a mix of fill-inthe-blank and short answer essay questions. All of
the questions will be taken from the chapter
summaries and homework sets.
(1) Exam 1 covers Chapters 1, 2, 3 and 4.
(2) Exam 2 covers Chapters 5, 6, 7 and 8.
(3) Exam 3 covers Chapter 9, 10, 11, and 12.
Missed Exam: If you miss exam 1 or exam 2, you
must take a make-up exam during the last week of
classes to replace it. You cannot miss both exam 1
and 2; that guarantees you get a zero in one of them.
There is no provision for missing exam 3; you will
receive a zero if you do not take it at the appointed
time.
Homework Sets: When you finish reading each
chapter, carefully remove the Homework Set from
your textbook and neatly complete only the matching
(side one).
(1) These pages are perforated, but use a
pointed object to “score” the perforation
before you remove the page. If you use an
eBook, print out the homework pages to turn
in.
(2) A completed homework set is due at the
beginning of the next class following
completion of the chapter.
(3) Grading criteria: Correct/incorrect or
incomplete (up to 10 points), neat/sloppy or
ragged (deduct 1 or 2 points), late (deduct 1
point for each class late). Maximum 10
points on each homework set.
Writing Exercises: There will be 7 take home
writing exercises handed out during the term. Each is
worth a maximum of 15 points. Each will be due at
the next class meeting. Grading will be based on
correct/incorrect and complete/incomplete, plus a late
penalty.
Course Calendar:
Mar 30
Mar 9 – Mar 15
Last day to withdraw
Spring Break
Jan 20 – Jan 27
Jan 29 – Feb 3
Feb 5 – Feb 12
Feb 17 – Feb 19
Feb 24
Chapter 1The Basic Ideas of Economics
Chapter 2 How the Market System Works
Chapter 3 The Economics of Consumers
Chapter 4 The Economics of Business Firms
EXAM 1
Feb 26 – Mar 3
Mar 5 – Mar 17
Mar 19 – Mar 24
Mar 26 – Apr 2
Apr 7
Chapter 5 The Economics of Government
Chapter 6 The Economics of International Markets
Chapter 7 The Economics of Resource Markets
Chapter 8 Macroeconomic Measurements
EXAM 2
Apr 9 – Apr 14
Apr 16 – Apr 21
Apr 23 – Apr 28
Apr 30 – May 7
May 12
May 14
Chapter 9 Money and Banking
Chapter 10 Production Possibilities in the Macro Economy
Chapter 11 Problems in the Macro Economy
Chapter 12 Macroeconomic Policies
EXAM 3 (TR 10.00 – 11.15)
EXAM 3 (TR 8.30 – 9.45)