Courses designed to permit students and a professor to pursue a specialized interest in an area of economics not extensively treated in the offerings of the School.

Risky health behaviors such as smoking, alcohol use, drug use, risky sex, poor diet, and physical inactivity are responsible for thousands of preventable illnesses and deaths. They also impose billions of dollars in medical care costs each year in the United States. This course explores the economic theories and empirical evidence related to risky health behaviors. Topics include the demand and supply of goods and services that induce these behaviors, the impacts of health risks on individuals, firms, and society, and the role of government regulation and interventions in modifying these behaviors.