This principles of economics course is intended to introduce students to concepts that will enable them to understand and analyze structure and performance of the market economy.
By the end of the course, students will understand:
- How markets work,
- How consumers and firms make decisions,
- How different market structures affect outcomes, and
- How government policies influence efficiency and equity.
Students will also:
- Use basic graphical and mathematical tools to represent and solve microeconomic problems.
- Apply microeconomic reasoning to real-world issues, interpreting news articles, policy debates, and everyday economic decisions.
The required textbook for this course is the “Microeconomics: Principles for a Changing World” by Eric Chiang, 6th Edition.
During this course, to complete most assignments, students will be required to access a website Achieve dedicated to students and professors of economics. To access the website, you need to register for an account with Achieve.com. [higher education].
Copies of the textbook bundled with Achieve.com access code are available at the B&N GaTech bookstore.
Assignments
- Home assignments: 25% of final grade
- Exams: 66% of final grade
- Participation: 9% of final grade
Grading Policy:
A: 90-100
Exceptionally good performance - demonstrating a superior understanding of the subject matter, a foundation of extensive knowledge, and a skillful use of concepts and/or materials.
B: 80-89
Good performance - demonstrating capacity to use the appropriate concepts, a good understanding of the subject matter, and an ability to skillfully handle the problems and materials encountered in the subject.
C: 70-79
Adequate performance - demonstrating an adequate understanding of the subject matter, an ability to handle relatively simple problems.
D: 60-69
Minimally acceptable performance - demonstrating at least partial familiarity with the subject matter and some capacity to deal with relatively simple problems but also demonstrating serious deficiencies.
F: 0-59
Unacceptable performance. Has not demonstrated familiarity with the subject matter, nor the capacity to deal with simple problems in a manner recognizable to the consensus of mainstream academic practitioners within the field.
Attendance and participation are essential to your success in this course. You are expected to attend class in person and actively engage in class. Not attending a scheduled class session in-person results in an absence.
There may be times when you cannot or should not attend class, such as if you are not feeling well, have an interview, or have family responsibilities. Therefore, this course allows a specified number of absences without penalty, regardless of reason. After that, penalties accrue. Exceptions are allowed for Institute-approved absences (for example, those documented by the Registrar) and situations such as being sick, hospitalization or family emergencies (documented by the Office of the Dean of Students).
Your instructor can communicate with you about how to access materials or make-up work you may have missed during your absence or suggest ways to participate in class asynchronously. Students may miss a total of three (3) classes over the course of the semester without penalty. Each additional absence after the allotted number deducts 2% from a student’s final grade.
Students are expected to adhere strictly to the honor code. Copying, cheating and plagiarism (copying sections of a text and passing it as your own work) are unacceptable. Discussion of projects and homework is acceptable and even encouraged, but answers to the problems should be completed individually. If you engage in plagiarism or any other form of academic misconduct, you will fail the assignment in which you have engaged in academic misconduct and be referred to the Office of Student Integrity, as required by Georgia Tech policy. We strongly urge you to be familiar with these Georgia Tech sites:
- Honor Challenge — https://osi.gatech.edu/students/honor-code
- Office of Student Integrity — http://www.osi.gatech.edu/index.php
This is a Core IMPACTS course that is part of the Social Sciences area.
Core IMPACTS refers to the core curriculum, which provides students with essential knowledge in foundational academic areas. This course will help students master course content, and support students’ broad academic and career goals.
This course should direct students toward a broad Orienting Question:
- How do I understand human experiences and connections?
Completion of this course should enable students to meet the following Learning Outcome:
- Students will effectively analyze the complexity of human behavior, and how historical, economic, political, social, or geographic relationships develop, persist, or change.
Course content, activities and exercises in this course should help students develop the following Career-Ready Competencies:
- Intercultural Competence
- Perspective-Taking
- Persuasion