Courses

A one-semester, non-technical course designed to answer questions about the economy. How and why does our market economic system work? Why is there inflation and/or unemployment and what are their remedies? How does the government influence your future economic well-being? Where are we on the business cycle? What are the causes and consequences of our growing national debt? What is the Federal Reserve and how does its monetary policy affect you and the interest rate? How is the emerging global interdependence of countries changing our economy and your life? This course will help you understand the economic environment in which you live, work, and vote. This course is not recommended as a Social Science Elective for students enrolled in A.S. programs in Business Administration or International Business.

Course Learning Outcomes
1. Contrast the elements of Macroeconomics and Microeconomics.
2. Construct a supply and demand curve.
3. Predict various economic outcomes by manipulating supply and demand curves.
4. Differentiate the causes and remedies between the various types of unemployment.
5. Contrast Demand Pull and Cost Push Inflation in terms of their effects on the economy.
6. Describe the impact of Fiscal Policy on the economy.
7. Describe the impact of Monetary Policy on the economy.

A very practical course which teaches you how to create a financial plan to realize goals, such as home ownership and early retirement. By taking this course, you will learn how to avoid credit trouble, save money on automobile purchases, and buy a desirable home. You will also learn how to protect yourself from financial disaster through the purchase of the lowest cost and safest insurance policies. Finally, you will learn how to make your money grow by investing in stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. Using the techniques you learn in this class will allow you to plan, save, and spend wisely so you and your family will enjoy a better way of life.

Course Learning Outcomes
1. Calculate the future cost of a long term financial goal using time-value-of-money.
2. Calculate the annual savings required to reach a financial goal using time-value-of-money.
3. Construct tools, such as personal net worth statements, cash flow statements, or budgets, to assess one’s personal financial condition.
4. Identify strategies to reduce personal income taxes.
5. Calculate the costs of using credit.
6. Identify signs of credit overuse.
7. Describe effective planned-buying strategies used when purchasing major assets, such as autos or homes.
8. Explain how insurance protects personal assets or income.
9. Identify appropriate investment vehicles related to one’s financial goals based on criteria which may include time frame, investment risks, expected return, or various mutual fund characteristics.

This course is about making money. You will learn the "ins" and "outs" of investing in stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. You will simulate investing using current market data to choose the best stock and bond mutual funds. Learn to use tax advantaged methods of investing, such as 401K plans and IRA's to help your money grow. Additional investment choices will be examined, such as real estate, options, and collectibles. Upon completion of the course, you will have an understanding of Wall Street, the Dow Jones, and various financial markets.

Course Learning Outcomes
1. Understand and demonstrate knowledge of the workings of Wall Street, the New York Stock Exchange and buying/selling individual stocks.
2. Develop screens to choose a mutual fund based on individual criteria.
3. Articulate the basics of investing in bonds and bond funds.
4. Calculate the costs of investing in real estate and choosing the best location.
5. Utilize the knowledge of ETF to compare and contrast it with mutual funds.
6. Differentiate the aspects of various retirement accounts including 401K, SEP and IRA's.

This course will help you gain insight and understanding into events that are constantly going on around you. You will learn how to think like an economist by analyzing everything critically, comparing costs and benefits, even in issues normally considered outside the scope of economics. You will use economic reasoning to decide whether you will read your book of economics, whether you will attend class, whom you will marry, and what kind of work you will likely go into after you graduate. The skill you will need to start thinking like an economist will be acquired from topics covered, such as opportunity cost, scarcity and choices, demand, supply, production and costs, the market system, elasticity, market structures, etc.

Prerequisite: MTH 098 with a grade of C or higher OR MCC Level 6 Mathematics placement or higher.

Course Learning Outcomes
1. Analyze economic data using the concept of opportunity cost.
2. Analyze economic data using the concept of the production possibility frontier (PPF).
3. Construct supply and demand curves.
4. Analyze supply and demand to predict economic activity.
5. Define elasticity of demand.
6. Calculate elasticity of demand in order to evaluate economic data.
7. Discuss the cost of production behavior by applying analytics to data.
8. Define the theory of competition.
9. Diagram the theory of competition.
10. Define the theory of monopoly.
11. Diagram the theory of monopoly.
12. Define the theory of imperfect competition.
13. Diagram the theory of imperfect competition

Course focuses on the on-going concerns of the United States economy, unemployment, inflation, and gross domestic product. International economics is woven throughout the course helping to explain the impact of the globalization of our economy and your economic future. To illustrate and aid the student's understanding of these concepts and topics, the course makes extensive use of current events. Students will gain a full view of the current United States economic environment and macroeconomic theory. This course explores macroeconomic models and approaches, such as national income accounting, circular flow, aggregate demand and aggregate supply, and fiscal and monetary policy.

Prerequisite: ECO 111 with a grade of C or higher.

Course Learning Outcomes
1. Compute gross domestic product (GDP) using national income accounting.
2. Discuss GDP’s importance in determining economic policy.
3. Forecast potential change in a constructed business cycle.
4. Measure unemployment.
5. Differentiate between various types of unemployment.
6. Apply remedies to address unemployment.
7. Contrast the two separate causes of inflation.
8. Explain how fiscal policy is used to regulate the economy.
9. Use the Federal Reserve’s three tools to recommend a remedy for an inflation or recession.
10. Contrast Keynesian and classical economic theories.
11. Explain different ways to stimulate the economy using Keynesian economic theory.
12. Explain the classical economic theory of monetarism.
13. Construct aggregate supply and demand models.
14. Manipulate aggregate supply and demand models based on changes in supply or demand. .

See the Department Chairperson.

Check if course is offered:
Fall Semester 2025
Spring Semester 2025
Summer Session 2025