COLLIN COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
DIVISION OF BUSINESS AND COMPUTER SCIENCE
WEB-BASED 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
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. 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,
2015.
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, SCC-D140 or
972.881.5898 (V/TTD: 972.881.5950) to arrange for appropriate accommodations. See the current Collin
Student Handbook for additional information.
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: WW1, WW2, and WW3
Meeting times: On-line Web Course
Course Resources:
The required textbook is Cohick and Richards, Economics for Smart Citizenship,
2nd Edition. Do not buy the first edition. The book is available in the bookstore. It is also available as an
eBook for $9.99 at http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/350001.
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. You take this class on-line. I expect you to budget your time so that you can meet each deadline.
2. You have the responsibility to complete all work assigned.
3. Religious Holy Days: please refer to the current Collin Student Handbook
4. All who are officially enrolled after the last day to withdraw (March 20) will receive a letter grade
based on the grading scale above.
Method of Evaluation: Your course grade will be based on the following:
1. The course is divided into three parts, each ending with an exam, which you take on-line.
2. Part 1 covers chapters 1 through 4, one chapter each week. There is an on-line chapter exercise
(quiz) for each chapter. You may take the chapter exercise twice and your higher score will be
counted. In week 5, you take exam 1. You have one hour to take the 40-question multiple choice
exam.
3. Part 2 covers chapters 5 through 8, one chapter each week. Procedures are identical as for Part 1.
In week 10, you take exam 2.
4. Part 3 covers chapters 9 through 13. Procedures are identical as for Part 1. In week 16, you take
exam 3. There is no separate final exam.
5. Each exam is worth 100 points. Each exercise (quiz) is worth 10 points. The divisor is 400, 300
for exams and 100 for exercises (quizzes). Thus there are 30 points “extra credit” available.
6. Deadlines: Check the calendar below. If you delay taking the exercises and exams beyond the
designated week, you may lose ten points from an exam and one point from each exercise. You,
of course, may take any exam or exercise earlier than the deadline week. Important: Exam 3
deadlines on Thursday, not Sunday. Make sure you complete it before its deadline or else you get
a zero.
7. Discussions: Please partake in the interactive discussions. You will find the topics (one for each
chapter) relevant to daily activity and also you will interact with your fellow students.
Class Information:
1. Everything is done on Blackboard. Go onto the Cougarweb site. Click My Courses.
2. There are several things available on Blackboard. Use them all.
3. Review the Orientation.
4. Watch the Narrated Lectures.
5. After you do the chapter exercise, participate in the discussions.
6. Take the exams.
7. You will be able to follow your grades on Blackboard.
8. If you have any difficulties, do not hesitate to contact me (email is preferred) and I will see
what I can do to resolve the difficulty.
COURSE CALENDAR:
Jan 19 – Jan 25
Week 1: Chapter 1The Basic Ideas of Economics
Jan 26 – Feb 1
Week 2: Chapter 2 How the Market System Works
Feb 2 – Feb 8
Week 3: Chapter 3 The Economics of Consumers
Feb 9 – Feb 15
Week 4: Chapter 4 The Economics of Business Firms
Feb 16 – Feb 22
Week 5: EXAM 1 (points may be lost after Feb 22, 23.59pm)
Feb 23 – Mar 1
Week 6: Chapter 5 The Economics of Government
Mar 2 – Mar 8
Week 7: Chapter 6 The Economics of International Markets
Mar 9 – Mar 15
Spring Break
Mar 16 – Mar 22
Week 8: Chapter 7 The Economics of Resource Markets
Mar 23 – Mar 29
Week 9: Chapter 8 Macroeconomic Measurements
Mar 30 – Apr 5
Week 10: EXAM 2 (points may be lost after Apr 5, 23.59pm)
Apr 6 – Apr 12
Week 11: Chapter 9 Money and Banking
Apr 13 – Apr 19
Week 12: Chapter 10 Production Possibilities in the Macro Economy
Apr 20 – Apr 26
Week 13: Chapter 11 Problems in the Macro Economy
Apr 27 – May 3
Week 14: Chapter 12 Macroeconomic Policies
May 4 – May 10
Week 15: Chapter 13 Economic Growth and Productivity
May 11 – May 14
Week 16: EXAM 3 (deadline is Thursday, May 14 at 23.59pm)