| Final Grade | Average Problem Grade |
|---|---|
| 100% | 91–100% |
| 90% | 86-90% |
| 85% | 80-85% |
| 75% | 71-79% |
| 70% | 61-70% |
| 0% | 0-60% |
Syllabus
Instructor
Course details
- M, W
- 2:40pm - 3:55pm
- Duke 201
Course overview
Welcome! This course is an extension and further exploration of the macroeconomics topics covered in Principles of Economics (Econ 101). The main focus of the course is on building a model of the macroeconomy and examining some empirical realities. By the end of this course, the successful student will have a mathematical and intuitive model of the macroeconomy to critically appreciate current events and conduct future research.
What causes unemployment? Where is all this inflation coming from? What is the proper role of the government? How do financial markets relate to the “real” economy? We will discuss all this and more!
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
Interpret Macroeconomic Data: Analyze and interpret macroeconomic data, including national income, inflation rates, and unemployment figures, to extract meaningful insights about the state of the economy.
Analyze Causal Connections: Identify and explain causal connections between macroeconomic aggregates such as GDP, consumption, and investment, demonstrating a clear understanding of how various models and narratives propose changes in one variable affect others.
Evaluate Macroeconomic Policy: Critically assess the impact and limitations of fiscal and monetary policies on key macroeconomic indicators, considering trade-offs and potential unintended consequences.
Engage with Economic News: Understand content from the financial press, identifying both explicit and implicit causal narratives. Develop the skill to critically evaluate these narratives, considering their underlying assumptions, potential biases, and implications for macroeconomic understanding.
Course materials
This course will rely on lecture notes, publicly available readings, and reserve readings on our Teams site. This means there is no textbook.
In the past, I have used:
Blanchard, O. (2020). Macroeconomics (8th ed.). Pearson.
Although this book no longer matches the course exactly it still may be a good reference, and can be had for relatively cheap (used). It is not required though.
Course schedule
Our course schedule can be found on the schedule page. Almost all sessions will have two parts: (1) before-class readings, videos, etc…, and (2) after-class assignments.
The idea is to work through the content page () for each session before class, and the assignment for each session () after we’ve discussed the content in class.
Course policies
Accomodations
If you are a student with a disability that qualifies for academic accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, contact Academic Success and Accessibility (ASA). ASA is located on the ground floor of the Armacost Library, down the hall from the Jones Computer Center (past the restrooms). You can reach the office at 909-748-8069 or asa@redlands.edu and online here.
Late work and make-up exams
Late work will be accepted within 48 hours of its due date, however it will receive a maximum grade of 85/%.
Exam dates are posted on the schedule and can be rescheduled only with advance notice and with sufficient documented emergency.
Academic honesty
The University of Redlands Academic Catalog has a complete statement of our policy on Academic Honesty. I strongly suggest you familiarize yourself with it.If you are ever unsure whether you are “borrowing” or “plagiarizing” please ask me. Cases of plagiarism if submitted without question will be reported to the college, will result in a failing grade for the course, and probably won’t do you much good on the type of assignments I give anyway.
Devices in the classroom
You will not need a laptop or smartphone to participate in this class. Since we do not have a textbook, taking accurate notes during class time is absolutely essential to your success in this course. If you believe that taking notes on a laptop will help you take accurate notes, you may use one in class. If the laptop will be distracting for you, I advise you do not use it. If laptop use becomes a problem for you or others around you in class, I will invite you to my office to discuss this.
Emotional Well Being
Counseling Center
The Counseling Center provides free and confidential mental health services, including short-term individual therapy, group therapy, single session therapy, consultations, and urgent appointments to all students with in-person or virtual options. Our Counseling Center is committed to inclusivity and to providing a supportive space for everyone. Please call 909-748-8108 to schedule an appointment or email counseling_center@redlands.edu If a student is in crisis, please call 909-748-8960 for the 24/7 mental health crisis line. For more information on our resources, go here. Another option for individual therapy for all students is TimelyCare, which provides virtual therapy immediately (Talk Now) or up to 12 scheduled virtual therapy sessions per year. Students can choose their therapist from a list of providers for the scheduled therapy option.
Conflict Resolution Center
Experiencing a conflict? Whether it’s with a friend, roommate, another member of a student organization, or faculty or staff member, conflicts happen. Learning to navigate conflicts is important to success in virtually any field, and a vital step in being a part of a community and having healthy, meaningful relationships with others. See here for more information.
CARE Team
The University CARE Team exists to help provide support and resources to students that are overwhelmed, experiencing significant distress, or possibly present some risk to themselves or others. As a faculty member, I may reach out to students about whom I am concerned to talk individually, and/or refer them to the CARE Team. If you have concerns about a fellow student, consider sharing your concern with the CARE Team via their online form. This is part of who we are as a caring, proactive community where we all look out for one another. Additionally, if you feel that you or someone else needs immediate mental health support, the University has a 24/7 mental health crisis line at 909-748-8960, and the Timely Care app, which offers on-demand emotional care. Both services connect to a live, licensed counselor.
Basic needs and campus resources
The University offers a number of resources for students who may be experiencing financial emergencies or impediments. I’ve compiled a full list of resources here.
Office of Equity and Title IX
In order to provide a safe and equitable learning environment for all students, faculty, and staff, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, sexual misconduct, and sexual harassment (including sexual assault, dating or domestic violence, and stalking) are not tolerated at the University of Redlands. The University prohibits unlawful discrimination or harassment (as defined in the Policy Prohibiting Discrimination, Harassment, Sexual Misconduct, and Retaliation) on the basis of age, color, race, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, pregnancy, status as a complaining party of domestic violence, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, physical or mental disability, genetic information, religion/creed, citizenship status (except to comply with legal requirements for employment), military/veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you or someone you know has experienced or experiences any of these behaviors, know that you are not alone. You can contact the Office of Equity and Title IX for reporting options, supportive measures, and resources to support you.
All faculty and staff at the University of Redlands are considered “Responsible Employees,” which means that if you tell me about a situation involving any of the above, I must report the matter to the Office of Equity and Title IX. Although I make that report, you are in control of how you would like to proceed, including whether or not you wish to pursue a formal complaint. Our goal is to make sure you are aware of the range of reporting options available to you and have access to the support and resources you need.
Reporting
To report an incident directly, you can:
• Contact the Interim Director of Equity & Title IX, Christopher Jones, at 909-748-8289 or titleix@redlands.edu
• Report online at: www.redlands.edu/titleixandequity
You can also report to local law enforcement at 909-798-7681, ext. 1. If you are ever in immediate danger, please call 911 or email/text 911@redlandspolice.org if you cannot call.
To reach Public Safety on campus, call 909-748-8888 or use the Rave Guardian app.
Resources
If you wish to speak to someone confidentially (meaning not connecting with the Office of Equity and Title IX Office), you can contact the following resources:
Campus:
Counseling Center: 909-748-8108 or 24-Hour Crisis Line: 909-748-8960
TimelyCare, 24/7 emotional support; 12 free telehealth counseling sessions
Community:
Partners Against Violence, 24-hour sexual assault crisis line: 909-885-8884
Option House, 24-hour dating/domestic violence crisis line: 909-381-3471
Online:
https://www.rainn.org/ (sexual assault);
https://www.loveisrespect.org/
For more information, visit www.redlands.edu/titleixandequity
Assignments and grades
Assignments can be found on both the schedule page and can be found by using the left hand links on the materials page.
Attendance
As in any in-person course, attendance and participation are important for a mastery of the course material. However, I understand that life circumstances can prevent students from being able to attend every class. Therefore, I have set aside 3 excused absences for all students to use in order to manage personal emergencies, wellness, disability, child care, etc. I don’t expect communication regarding your reason for missing class, as it may be personal in nature.
In our pre-class survey, you can let me know about expected absences due to religious holidays or other personal conflicts with class time. During the first week of class, we will discuss how to access course materials and make up class activities for any absences. In the first week of class I will ask you to form groups for both problem set work and note taking. Thus if you miss a class you should ask your group to share notes.
If your circumstances require you to exceed this number of excused absences, please contact me to discuss whether you are able to effectively meet the learning goals of the course or if you need to consider a reduced course load, a course withdrawal or a medical leave of absence.
Problem Sets
Problem sets will be regularly assigned and will include short answer, mathematical, and data questions. I will ask you to form groups for problem set work, although each problem set will be graded individually. These will be graded by problem, but your final grade for each problem set will be awarded points as follows:
Midterms
Midterms will be held in-class and dates can be found on our course schedule. The second midterm will be focused on material since the first, but will be cumulative in the sense that the definitions covered in the first third of the course are central to understanding the theories covered in the second third.
Final Exam
Our final exam will be held in-class and will have two hours alloted. The date and time can be found on our course schedule. The final exam will be cumulative.
Grading
| Assignment | Weight |
|---|---|
| Attendance | 5% |
| Problem Sets | 25% |
| Midterm 1 | 20% |
| Midterm 2 | 20% |
| Final Exam | 30% |
| Grade | Range | Grade | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 93–100% | C | 73–76% |
| A− | 90–92% | C− | 70–72% |
| B+ | 87–89% | D+ | 67–69% |
| B | 83–86% | D | 63–66% |
| B− | 80–82% | D− | 60–62% |
| C+ | 77–79% | F | < 60% |