Current Elective Offerings

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SPRING 2026 ELECTIVES

ECON 205 Economics of Business Organizations

This course is designed for first year students who have completed ECON-100, particularly those students who have received transfer or AP credit for ECON-100. In our introduction to economics course, students develop a theory of the firm. This framework is often called the "black box" theory of the firm because the model does not consider the inner workings of a business organizations. In this course we enter the black box seeking to understand why firms arise, how a firm designs incentives, allocates decision rights and evaluates employees recognizing that individuals are self-interested. Using the tools we develop, students will be able to consider the epic failures of firms like Arthur Anderson and Enron thereby providing them with tools that will aid in avoiding such outcomes. Prerequisite: ECON-100.

ECON 211 Introduction to Finance

The course serves as an introduction to the field of finance and lays down the foundations for corporate finance and investment. It covers the core aspects necessary for a solid and preliminary understanding of the discipline. Emphasis will be placed on real-world applications, as the knowledge obtained will be helpful beyond the course itself (such as helping students make more informed financial decisions in both professional and personal contexts). The course will use the Bloomberg Finance Lab to apply theoretical concepts to concrete problems. Students are expected to complete the Bloomberg Market Concepts by the end of the course. Prerequisite: ECON-100

ECON 311 Money and Banking

JUNIORS OR SENIORS ONLY This course explores the roles of money, banks and government policy in promoting economic growth and stability in a modern economy. In particular, the course investigates the operational principles of modern banks and the Federal Reserve System and compares their strengths and weaknesses to other historical and theoretical banking systems. The course focuses on the effects of monetary institutions and policy on macroeconomic stability, including inflation and business cycles. Other topics may include the history of American banking, current issues in bank regulation, electronic money, the role of financial markets and international monetary economics. Prerequisite: ECON 252.

ECON 312 Corporate

Finance A study of the fundamentals of finance, with emphasis on firms' financial and investment decisions. Topics include investment decision rules, risk analysis, capital budgeting, interest rates and bond valuation, capital structure, leasing, long-term finance and planning, debt management, payout policy, cash management, options and corporate finance, and mergers and acquisitions. Prerequisite 1: ECON-251 Prerequisite 2: ECON-252 Prerequisite 3: ECON-200 or STAT-213

ECON 313 Investments

JUNIORS OR SENIORS ONLY This course is a standard course in investments. Among the subjects to be covered are the role of financial intermediaries and financial instruments, the time value of money, bond valuation, stock valuation, risk and return, market efficiency and investment companies. Special attention is devoted to hedge funds, options and futures. Prerequisites: ECON-251 and ECON-252.

ECON 322 International Economics

JUNIORS OR SENIORS ONLY This course focuses on the theory of international trade and finance and its application to current policy problems such as protection, intervention in foreign exchange markets, international debt and foreign investment. Prerequisites: Economics 251 and 252 or permission of instructor.

ECON 333 Austrian Economics

JUNIORS AND SENIORS ONLY An introduction to the body of ideas known as the Austrian School of economics, which is associated with the work of Ludwig von Mises and F. A. Hayek. The course explores the history of the school and how its approach to economics compares with the neoclassical orthodoxy, covering topics such as: the nature of human action, the role of knowledge in the market, the process of economic calculation, competition as a discovery process, the Austrian theory of the business cycle, the problems of socialism and regulation, and the Hayekian critique of social justice. Offered every other year. Prerequisites: Economics 251 and 252.

ECON 342 Econometrics

JUNIORS OR SENIORS ONLY Statistical techniques economists have found useful in analyzing economic data, estimating relationships among economic variables and testing economic theories. Topics include multiple regression, probit and logit analysis, heteroscedasticity, autocorrelation and simultaneous equations models. Prerequisites: ECON-200 or STAT-213, ECON-251 and ECON-252.

ECON 344 Mathematical Economics

A systematic study of the mathematical structure of economic theory, with emphasis on the application of calculus and linear algebra to economic analysis. Topics include optimization theory, comparative statics analysis of market and macroeconomic models, general equilibrium analysis and game theory. Prerequisites: Economics 251, 252, Mathematics 205 and 217.

ECON 361 Crypto Currencies

JUNIORS OR SENIORS ONLY The decentralized blockchain technology behind bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies has the potential to be the most disruptive (not necessarily in a bad way) innovation to impact the world economy since at least the industrial revolution. This course will examine the changes to our concepts of money, value and trade that have been introduced by bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, as well as the broader impacts of the shift toward decentralization on the way our economy functions.

ECON 4016 History of Finance

CURRENT SOPHOMORES/RISING JUNIORS OR CURRENT JUNIORS/RISING SENIORS ONLY. 300 Level Special Topics. Prerequisites: ECON-200 or STAT 213 and ECON 251 and ECON 252.
The aim of this course is to provide a historical and institutional account of the development and evolution of finance. In particular, we will study how certain financial theories and instruments came out, focusing on the major episodes of crises that have occurred around the world. The course is divided in three main parts. The first part covers early episodes of financial crises and speculative bubbles, starting from the "Tulip Mania" up until the late 19th century. The second part focuses on "The Great Depression" and its aftermath, up until the 1970s. The third parts deals with post-WWII financial capitalism, focusing on currency crises, banking crises, stock market crashes, as well as the main crises episodes of the XXI century ("The Great Recession" and the Eurozone Crisis). Prerequisites: Economics 251 and 252.

ECON 4024 Urban Economics

JUNIORS OR SENIORS ONLY. 300 Level Special Topics. Urban economics studies the location choices of utility-maximizing households and profit-maximizing firms which determine the formation of cities of different size and shape. Using microeconomic concepts, this course studies topics including the existence, location, growth, and internal structure of cities; urban land use and housing markets; urban transportation; and urban problems such as crime, congestion, and pollution and various public policies for mitigating these problems. Prerequisites: ECON-200 and ECON-251.