This is an introductory course in economics. We will cover both microeconomics (investigating decisions by individuals and firms) and macroeconomics (examining the economy as a whole). The primary goal is to develop and then build on your understanding of the analytical tools and approaches used by economists. This will help you to interpret economic news and economic data at a much deeper level while also forming your own opinions on economic issues. The course will also provide a strong foundation for those of you who want to continue on with intermediate microeconomics and/or intermediate macroeconomics and possibly beyond.
Courses
ECON 1 Principles of Economics
Econ 242 Graduate Public Finance
This is the second course this academic year in the graduate public economics sequence at Stanford. We will explore the rationale for and economic effects of social insurance programs including but not limited to social security, unemployment insurance, disability insurance, and public health insurance. The course will also include four lectures on behavioral public economics. The focus of these lectures will be on developing a framework for conducting welfare analysis in settings with behavioral consumers, and then on applying that framework to issues in public economics, starting with optimal commodity taxation (including “sin taxes”), followed by policies affecting personal saving, as well as the taxation of earnings (including implications for social insurance). Additional topics that will be covered in the course will include crime, economic stimulus, and government procurement. Course will cover both theoretical and empirical evidence and prerequisites are ECON 202-204 and ECON 270-272 or similar with permission of instructor.
