ECON 2030
 Survey of Economics
3 Credit Hours

Course Information
Course Description: This course is a survey of economics. It is designed as a beginning economics class. The course covers how modern economics evolved, supply and demand, national income accounting, money and banking, market structures and contemporary economic issues.  Both macroeconomic and microeconomic principles are covered.
Course Objectives: This survey course encompasses the full body of economics, both macroeconomic and microeconomics principles. Starting with "big picture" macro approach, an examination of the national economy will focus on the following issues:
A. Basic interaction of supply and demand
B. Formulation of the GDP
C. Goals of full employment
D. Control of inflation
E. The American banking system
F. The Federal Reserve System operations
G. International monetary flows

In focusing on the goals of microeconomics, which examines the behavior of a firm within its market, the following concepts will be examined:
A. Consumer's utility and satisfaction
B. Price elasticity of demand
C. Cost and pricing theory of the firm
D. Major market structures

1. Perfect Competition
2. Monopolistic competition
3. Oligopoly
4. Monopoly

E. Resource Markets
F. Labor and antitrust activities
Prerequisites and Corequisites: DSPM 0700 (Basic Math), DSPR 0800 (Developmental Reading), DSPW 0800 (Developmental Reading)
Course Topics:
  • Economic Thinking: Choice& Opportunity Cost Chapter
  • Market System
  • Productivity & Growth/Unemployment & Inflation
  • Gross Domestic Product & National Income Acct.
  • Aggregate Demand & Supply Analysis
  • Fiscal Policy & The Financial System
  • Federal Reserve & Operations & The Money Supply
  • Price Elasticity & Consumer Choice
  • Measuring Cost to the Firm
  • Perfect Competition
  • Monopoly
  • Monopolistic Competition & Oligopoly
  • Resource Markets
  • Labor & Economic Regulation
Specific Course Requirements: None
Textbooks, Supplementary Materials, Hardware and Software Requirements
Required Textbooks:

Please visit the Virtual Bookstore to obtain textbook information for this course:

 http://rodp.bkstr.com
Supplementary Materials: (OPTIONAL) CD-Rom that accompanies your text, Study Guide Study Guide  is FREE with a new text.
Hardware Requirements: See RODP Minimum Requirements
Software Requirements: See RODP Minimum Requirements:
  • Minimum RODP Requirements
  • Macromedia Shockwave/Flash
  • RealPlayer
  • Media Player
  • PowerPoint Viewer or full PowerPoint program
  • Word Processing Software
Assessment and Grading
Testing Procedures: There will be two exams given for this course: a midterm and a final.  Both will be delivered online.  No proctor is necessary.
Grading Procedure: Preliminary Analysis (due at the end of 2nd week) 50
Test # 1 (due at end of 6th week) 100
Economic Analysis (Federal Reserve) 50
Test # 2 (due at end of 12th week) 100
Economic Analysis (Company Analysis) 50
Weekly Quizzes (10 @ 10pts) 100
Discussion (10 @ 5pts) 50
Total 500pts
Grading Scale: 90% & Above A
80% to 89% B
70% to 79% C
65% to 69% D
Below 65% F

To determine your percentage divide the total points accumulated by the total possible points.
Assignments and Participation
Assignments and Projects: There will be three written assignments for this course: two short Economic Analysis papers and one short Preliminary Analysis. There are also ten lesson quizzes associated with your weekly readings. The discussion questions will come from your text and will be posted as a thread in the Discussion room. Please do not start a new thread for these questions. You will not receive credit for answers posted in this manner.
Class Participation: Students must participate in all interactive aspects of the course.  Discussion questions are required and are not meant to be a regurgitation of the text.  If another student has already given the answer you had in mind, reply to that student and explain why you agree or disagree.
Punctuality: All assignments are due on the specified dates.  Failure to submit an assignment on the date specified will result in the loss of the assignment  grade.  Please note that if there is server downtime, this will not apply.
Course Ground Rules
Participation is required.  You are expected to learn how to navigate in WebCT, keep abreast of course announcements , use the assigned college or university e-mail address as opposed a personal e-mail address, address technical problems immediately, and observe course netiquette at all times. No exceptions will be made.
Guidelines for Communications
Email:
  • Always include a subject line with your course mane and number included!
  • Remember without facial expressions some comments may be taken the wrong way. Be careful in wording your emails. Use of emoticons might be helpful in some cases.
  • Use standard fonts.
  • Do not send large attachments without permission.
  • Special formatting such as centering, audio messages, tables, html, etc. should be avoided unless necessary to complete an assignment or other communication.
  • Respect the privacy of other class members.
Discussion Groups: A discussion question is posted on the Bulletin Board for each week. The question is based on one of the readings for the week. You have until midnight on Sunday of each week to respond to the week's question. You may respond both to the original question and other student's responses to the question. Both count toward your discussion grade. Grades are based on the quality of your response. Failure to respond to discussion questions for three weeks will result in a grade of W/F for the course.

Here are a few ground rules:

  • Review the discussion threads thoroughly before entering the discussion. Be a lurker then a discussant.
  • Maintain threads by using the "Reply" button rather starting a new topic.  New threads will be deleted and you will not receive any credit .
  • Do not make insulting or inflammatory statements to other members of the discussion group. Be respectful of other's ideas.
  • Be patient and read the comments of other group members thoroughly before entering your remarks.
  • Be cooperative with group leaders in completing assigned tasks.
  • Be positive and constructive in group discussions.
  • Respond in a thoughtful and timely manner.
  • SPELL CHECK!
Web Resources: Textbook web site: http://www.swcollege.com/bef/mceachern/mceachern5.html

Library
The Tennessee Board of Regents Virtual Library is available to all students enrolled in the Regents Degree Program. Links to library materials (such as electronic journals, databases, interlibrary loans, digital reserves, dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps, and librarian support) and Internet resources needed by learners to complete online assignments and as background reading must be included in all courses. 

Students With Disabilities
Qualified students with disabilities will be provided reasonable and necessary academic accommodations if determined eligible by the appropriate disability services staff at their home institution. Prior to granting disability accommodations in this course, the instructor must receive written verification of a student's eligibility for specific accommodations from the disability services staff at the home institution. It is the student's responsibility to initiate contact with their home institution's disability services staff and to follow the established procedures for having the accommodation notice sent to the instructor.

Syllabus Changes
The instructor reserves the right to make changes as necessary to this syllabus. If changes are necessitated during the term of the course, the instructor will immediately notify students of such changes both by individual email communication and posting both notification and nature of change(s) on the course bulletin board.

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