Major
Minor

CHAIR: WILLIAM B. GREEN

FACULTY: Berg, Blackburne, Bumpass, Greenwade, M. Muehsam, V. Muehsam, Samuels, Townsend

The mission of the Department of Economics and International Business is to support the College of Business Administration by developing and implementing educational programs that provide the opportunity for students to acquire the skills necessary to be informed, thoughtful, and productive citizens capable of evaluating issues critically; allowing them to develop successful careers; and providing interested students with the background necessary to pursue advanced studies in business and related fields.

This mission requires a commitment from the faculty to aspire to excellence in instruction, research, and service. To fulfill this mission, the faculty of the department has established meaningful and challenging goals and supporting strategies and methods to assess the attainment of these goals.

The Economics program is intended for students seeking a logical, ordered way of looking at various business problems. The principles, approaches, and conclusions derived from the study of economics form the basis for developing sound policies in business, government, and personal life decisions. The study of economics is an effective way to prepare for several types of careers, including management training programs in corporations and financial institutions of all sizes; federal, state, and local government employment in administrative and staff positions dealing with analysis, planning, and control functions; analyst positions on corporate staffs; and graduate education in law, business, public administration, urban studies, and economics.

*Subject to action by the Board of Regents, The Texas State University System and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

A minor in Economics (18) hours) is available to all bachelor degree programs that permit a minor. The minor in Economics requires ECO 233, 234, 362 or 367, and 9 advanced hours in ECO.

 
 
ECONOMICS COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

ECO 230 INTRODUCTION TO ECONOMICS. [ECON 1301] Combines micro-economic and macro-economic principles in one semester. It is designed for those who are neither majors nor minors in economics, but who would benefit from a one semester introduction to economic principles. Credit 3. (Taught each semester.)

ECO 233 PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS. [ECON 2302] Basic economic principles including price theory, analysis of the firm, competition and monopoly, and the distribution of income. Credit 3. (Taught each semester.)

ECO 234 PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS. [ECON 2301] The economic role of government, public finance and taxation, national income analysis, national income theory, money and banking, economic fluctuations and growth, and international trade and finance. Credit 3. (Taught each semester.)

ECO 331 ECONOMICS OF CONTEMPORARY ISSUES. A non-technical examination of economic philosophies, problems, and policies. The primary objective of the course is to introduce to the student an appreciation for the relevance of economic analysis to contemporary problems. Credit 3. (Taught only in the fall.)

ECO 335 COMPARATIVE ECONOMICS SYSTEMS. Market oriented, free enterprise capitalism, and its development, compared with alternative economic systems. Prerequisite: ECO 230 or 233. Credit 3. (Taught every third long semester.)

ECO 361 LABOR ECONOMICS. Problems of unemployment, wage theory, collective bargaining, labor legislation, and proposals for the solution of labor problems. The recent problems of labor are given special consideration. Prerequisite: ECO 230 or 233. Credit 3. (Taught only in the fall.)

ECO 362 INTERMEDIATE MACROECONOMICS. National income concepts and measurements; analysis of the factors influencing the level of national income, employment, price, and production; and application to current problems. Prerequisite: ECO 230 or 234. Credit 3. (Taught in fall, spring, and SI.)

ECO 363 URBAN AND REGIONAL ECONOMICS. Problems of metropolitan and rural areas, location theory, regional resources, transportation problems, crime, and poverty. Prerequisite: ECO 230 or 233. Credit 3. (Taught only in the spring.)

ECO 367 INTERMEDIATE MICROECONOMICS. Pricing and output policies of firms, factor pricing, and distribution under condition of perfect competition, monopoly, oligopoly, and monopolistic competition Prerequisite: ECO 230 or 233. Credit 3. (Taught in fall, spring, and SI.)

ECO 374 CONTEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL ISSUES IN ECONOMICS. Examination of current literature dealing with international trade and financial issues. Preparation, presentation and discussion of descriptive and analytical papers. Prerequisite: ECO 230, 233, or 234. Credit 3. (Taught every third long semester.)

ECO 430 READINGS IN ECONOMICS. Individual study arranged with a member of the Economics and Business Analysis faculty. Conferences and written reports are typically required. A carefully prepared research paper concludes the course. This course may be taken for Academic Distinction Program Credit and can be used for Internship credit. This course may be repeated. Prerequisite: Consent of the Chair of the Department of Economics and Business Analysis. Credit 1, 2, or 3.

ECO 463 MONETARY ECONOMICS. The role of money in a market economy with special attention given to national and international monetary and banking systems, and to their influence on the levels of income, employment, and prices. Prerequisite: ECO 230 or 234. Credit 3. (Taught only in the fall.)

ECO 467 MANAGERIAL ECONOMICS. An integration of economic tools of analysis with optimization techniques such as calculus, LaGrangian multipliers and linear programming. Additionally, students are exposed to risk analysis and decision-making under uncertainty, inventory control, profitability analysis, and capital budgeting. Prerequisites: ECO 230 or 233, BAN 232, FIN 367. Credit 3. (Taught in fall, spring, SII.)

ECO 468 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. Theoretical explanations and historical factors of economic development and underdevelopment. Policies for accelerating development in third world countries are analyzed. Prerequisite: ECO 230 or 233. Credit 3. (Taught every third long semester.)

ECO 480 INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS. Economic concepts and analytical tools relating to international economics; examine foreign exchange markets and the theory of balance-of-payments adjustment; examine commercial policy as it relates to international trade; examine the role of international financial institutions. Prerequisite: ECO 230 or 233. Credit 3. (Taught only in the spring).

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