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Economics

Catalog pages 295-306

Subject abbreviation: ECON College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences

Marcelle Chauvet, Ph.D., Chair Department Office, 4133 Sproul

  • (951) 827-1470; economics.ucr.edu

Professors

Richard Arnott, Ph.D., Distinguished

Professor (in memoriam) Marcelle Chauvet, Ph.D. Anil B. Deolalikar, Ph.D. Ozkan Eren, Ph.D. Gloria González-Rivera, Ph.D. Jang-Ting Guo, Ph.D. Steven M. Helfand, Ph.D. Tae-Hwy Lee, Ph.D. Siyang Xiong, Ph.D.

Professors Emeriti

Taradas Bandyopadhyay, Ph.D. Susan B. Carter, Ph.D. Ronald H. Chilcote, Ph.D. Gary A. Dymski, Ph.D. David H. Fairris, Ph.D. Keith B. Griffin, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor Azizur R. Khan, Ph.D. Victor D. Lippit, Ph.D. David Malueg, Ph.D. Prasanta K. Pattanaik, Ph.D. Roger L. Ransom, Ph.D. Distinguished

Professor of History (Cooperating Faculty) R. Robert Russell, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor Howard J. Sherman, Ph.D., Jur.D. Aman Ullah, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor

Associate Professors

Urmee Khan, Ph.D. Dongwon Lee, Ph.D. Hiroki Nishimura, Ph.D. Victor Ortego-Marti, Ph.D. Ugo Antonio Troiano, Ph.D. Yang Xie, Ph.D.

Assistant Professors

Michael D. Bates, Ph.D. Joseph Cummins, Ph.D. Sarojini Hirshleifer, Ph.D. Ruoyao Shi, Ph.D.

Professors of Teaching

Bree J. Lang, Ph.D. Matthew D. Lang, Ph.D

Associate Professor of Teaching

Joab N. Corey , Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Teaching

Veronica T. Sovero, Ph.D.

Cooperating Faculty

Kenneth A. Baerenklau, Ph.D.

(Environmental Sciences) Ariel Dinar, Ph.D. (Environmental Sciences) Kurt A. Schwabe, Ph.D.

(Environmental Sciences)

Majors

Economics studies the production and distribution of goods and services, as well as the way in which productive activity helps shape social existence. Economists are concerned with the factors determining national income, inflation, unemployment, output, growth and inequality (macroeconomics), as well as the behavior of individual decision-making units such as households and firms (microeconomics). Economists are also concerned with the role of markets, money and interest rates, the forces affecting international trade, and many other problems of production and distribution.

Economics is the basis for many careers, some of which require only a B.A. degree while others require more advanced work. Possible careers include, but are not limited to, business, government, education and law.

Students in the Economics Department can choose from four degree programs. The B.A. is the most general degree offered. It is appropriate background for a wide variety of purposes, including graduate study and professional schools. However, those planning to attend a graduate program in economics may need more quantitative training than the B.A. requires. Students who are considering attending a graduate program in economics should consult with their undergraduate advisor. The department offers the B.A. degree in a joint program with Administrative Studies for students that would like to partner their economics training with courses in general business fields. The department also offers the B.A. degree in a joint program with Law & Society for students who would like to prepare to attend law school or work in the public sector. The Business Economics B.A. degree guides students to take economic courses that will provide more specific preparation for careers in business administration or management or for graduate work in business.

Transfer Admissions Students transferring as juniors or seniors to UCR into any of the Economics majors must have completed a calculus course equivalent to UCR’s Math 9A.

University Requirements

See Undergraduate Studies section.

College Requirements

See College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, Colleges and Programs section.

MATH 009A and MATH 009B may also be used to meet breadth requirements.

Major Requirements

The Economics Department offers B.A. degrees in Economics, Business Economics, Economics/ Administrative Studies, and Economics/Law and Society. Change of Major Criteria for ECON and BSEC: Students must be in good academic standing at the time the Change of Major Petition is filed. AP/IB units are excluded from the maximum unit calculation. All courses listed below must be completed with grades of C- or better.

0 – 45 earned units: MATH 006A or higher

45 – 89 earned units: ECON 002 or ECON 003 and MATH 006B or MATH 005A or higher

90+ earned units: ECON 002, ECON 003, and MATH 009A or equivalent

Change of Major Criteria for ECAT: Students must be in good academic standing at the time the Change of Major Petition is filed. AP/IB units are excluded from the maximum unit calculation.

0 – 45 earned units: MATH 006A or higher with a grade of C- or better

45 – 89 earned units: ECON 002 or ECON 003 and MATH 006B or MATH 005 or higher with grades of C- or better

90+ earned units: ECON 002 and ECON 003 with grades of C- or better, and MATH 009A or equivalent

Change of Major Criteria for ECLW: Students must be in good academic standing at the time the Change of Major Petition is filed.

ECON 002 and ECON 003 with grades of C- or better, MATH 009A or equivalent, and LWSO 100 with a grade of “C” or better

Economics Major

The major requirements for the B.A. degree in Economics are as follows:

  • 1. Lower-division requirements (4 courses

[at least 18 units])

ECON 003H with grades of C- or better

MATH 009B or MATH 09HB

  • 2. Upper-division requirements (12 courses

[at least 54 units])

prerequisite.

  • e) Five additional upper-division courses

in Economics worth 4 or 5 units each, including at least three that have either ECON 104A or ECON 105A or ECON 107 as a prerequisite. ECON 102, 103, and 190 cannot be used to meet this requirement.

Note: Up to 4 units of internship credit may be counted toward the upper-division electives in Economics.

Business Economics Major

The major requirements for a B.A. degree in Business Economics are as follows:

  • 1. Lower-division requirements (five courses

[at least 22 units])

ECON 003H with grades of C- or better

MATH 009B or MATH 09HB

  • 2. Upper-division requirements (12 courses

[at least 54 units])

  • d) Five additional upper-division courses

in Economics worth 4 or 5 units each, including at least two courses from ECON 108, ECON 130, ECON 135, BUS 153/ ECON 153, BUS 160/ECON 160, BUS 162/ECON 162, ECON 163. ECON 102, 103, and 190 cannot be used to meet this requirement.

PSYC 142, SOC 151

Note: Up to 4 units of internship credit may be counted toward the upper-division electives in Business Economics.

Economics/Administrative Studies Major

In order to receive a B.A. degree in Economics/ Administrative Studies students must fulfill the following requirements:

Economics requirements (12 courses, 55 units)

ECON 003H with grades of C- or better

  • 3. Four additional upper-division courses

in Economics worth 4 or 5 units each, including at least two that have either ECON 104A or ECON 105A or ECON 107 as a prerequisite. ECON 102, 103, and 190 cannot be used to meet this requirement.

equivalent

Note: Up to 4 units of internship credit may be counted toward the upper-division electives in Economics.

Administrative Studies requirements (37 units)

  • 1. Lower-division courses (17 units)
  • b) STAT 008 or equivalent (may be used to

satisfy breadth requirements)

  • c) CS 008 (may be used to satisfy breadth

requirements)

  • 2. Upper-division requirements (20 units)
  • a) Two courses (8 units) from the list

below:

ECON 130 or ECON 162/BUS 162

POSC 183 or POSC 186

These two courses must be outside the discipline of Economics and cannot be courses included as part of the three-course Business Administration track or their cross-listed equivalents.

  • b) A three-course track (12 units) in Busi

ness Administration courses from one of the following:

  • (1) Organizations (General): BUS 100

or BUS 100W, BUS 107, BUS 158/ ANTH 105, BUS 176/SOC 176, SOC 150, SOC 151

  • (2) Human Resources Management/

Labor Relations: BUS 100 or BUS 100W, BUS 107, BUS 121, BUS 144, BUS 145, BUS 153/ECON 153, BUS 155, BUS 156, BUS 157, PSYC 142

  • (3) Business and Society: BUS 100 or

BUS 100W, BUS 102, BUS 107, PHIL 116, POSC 182, POSC 186

  • (4) Marketing: BUS 103, and two from

BUS 111, BUS 112, BUS 113, BUS 114, BUS 115, BUS 116, BUS 117, BUS 118, BUS 119, BUS 124, BUS 126, BUS 151, BUS 152, BUS 159, BUS 164

  • (5) Managerial Accounting/Taxation:

BUS 108, and two from BUS 166, BUS 168A, BUS 168B

from BUS 131, BUS 132, BUS 134, BUS 135, BUS 136, BUS 137, BUS 138, BUS 139 BUS 140E, BUS 141, BUS 147

  • (8) Management Information Systems:

BUS 101, BUS 110, BUS 125, BUS 128, BUS 171, BUS 172, BUS 173, BUS 174, BUS 175, BUS 179

  • (9) Production Management: BUS 104/

STAT 104, and two from BUS 105, BUS 122, BUS 127/STAT 127

Note: In filling the dual requirements of the major students may not count more than two courses toward both parts of their total requirements. (This limitation applies to specified Economics requirements and specified Administrative Studies requirements, but does not apply to the required Mathematics and Statistics courses.)

Economics/Law and Society Major

The Law and Society major is open to undergraduate students with junior standing who have completed LWSO 100 with a grade of “C” or higher. The major requirements for the B.A. degree in Economics/Law and Society are as follows:

  • 1. Economics requirements (11 courses [at

least 49 units])

ECON 003 or ECON 003H with grades of C- or better

  • d) Five additional upper-division courses

in Economics worth 4 or 5 units each, including at least two that have either ECON 104A or ECON 105A or ECON 107 as a prerequisite. ECON 107 may be chosen as an advanced elective. ECON 102, 103, and 190 cannot be used to meet this requirement.

Note: Up to 4 units of internship credit may be counted toward the upper-division elective courses in Economics.

  • 2. Law and Society requirements (36 units)

better)

PSYC 012, SOC 004 (or equivalent course in research methods)

ECON 119, HISE 153, PHIL 165, POSC 167, PSYC 175, SOC 159

HISA 120B, HISE 123, LWSO 175 (E-Z), PHIL 164, POSC 111, POSC 166, POSC 168, POSC 186, SOC 147, SOC 149, SOC 180

Note: For sections 2.d) and 2.e) combined, not more than two courses may be taken from the same department. In filling the dual requirements of the major, students may not count more than two courses toward both parts of their total requirements. (This limitation applies to specified Economics requirements and Law and Society requirements.)

Minor

The minor in Economics provides a background in this discipline. Students take basic microeconomic and macroeconomic theory courses, and then are given freedom of choice in pursuing upper-division courses of great interest.

All candidates for the minor in Economics must take

  • 1. Lower-division requirements (14 units):

or ECON 003H with grades of C- or better

or equivalent

  • 2. Upper-division requirements

(at least 26 units):

ECON 105A

  • b) Four additional upper-division courses

(at least 16 units) in Economics

See Minors under the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences in the Colleges and Programs section of this catalog for additional information on minors.

Graduate Program

The Department of Economics offers the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Economics. The graduate Economics program is designed to prepare students for research and teaching in academic institutions as well as for positions in government, international agencies, and the private sector.

Admission Students are normally admitted only in the fall quarter. Applicants should apply electronically, at graduate.ucr.edu. Students submit the completed application, GRE scores, three letters of recommendation (from persons familiar with the student’s academic work), and transcripts in duplicate of previous academic work.

Master’s Program There are two tracks to the M.A. degree. Track I (applied economics) has a capstone project requirement. Track II (economic theory) has a cumulative examination requirement. Students interested in Track I (applied economics) should apply for admission to the M.A. degree program. Students should have at least two courses in calculus, a course in statistics, and some upper- division economics courses, but exceptions will be considered for students whose applications have offsetting strengths. Admission to the Master of Arts degree program does not guarantee later admission to the Ph.D. program. Those interested in Track II (economic theory) should apply for admission to Ph.D. program.

Doctoral Program The department encourages applicants from a variety of backgrounds, but a good understanding of intermediate microeconomics, intermediate macroeconomics, multivariate calculus, and elementary linear algebra is necessary to begin taking the core requirements, described below. In addition, two courses in basic probability and statistics or econometrics are required before beginning the core econometrics sequence. Students who do not satisfy the requirements, or who have been out of school for several years, should consider enrolling in the one-year M.A. program.

Master of Arts Degree

Master of Arts, Track I: Applied Economics The M.A. with a concentration in applied economics is a one-year program designed primarily for students who intend to work as economists immediately after receiving the degree. It requires 42 quarter units of graduate (200-level) or upper- division undergraduate coursework, which includes a capstone project, as detailed below, with an overall GPA of 3.0.

Core Requirements Students must complete at least five of the following six 4-unit courses: ECON 214A, 214B (Applied Microeconomics), ECON 215A, 215B (Applied Macroeconomics), ECON 216A, 216B (Applied Econometrics).

Professional Development Requirements (2 units) Students must complete ECON 217 (Professional Development).

Capstone Project (4 units) Students must complete a capstone project, taken as two courses ECON 218A, 218B (Capstone 1 and 2). Field Requirements Students must complete at least three 4-unit field courses from any of the fields, with at least two from ECON, from among the following:

  • 1. Business and Finance:

and one from

  • b) MGT 202 (Financial Management) or
  • c) MGT 227 (Fixed-Income Securities

and Markets)

  • 2. Applied Econometrics and Data Analysis:

Finance, and Business)

Mining Methods)

Systems (GIS) For Public Policy)

  • 3. Economics and Public Policy:

Economics)

  • e) ECON 228 (Behavioral and Experimental

Economics)

  • f) PBPL 224 (Global-Local Policy Connections:

Case Studies in Poverty, Water, and Sustainable Development)

Analyses)

  • 4. Mathematical Economics:

and one from

  • d) MATH 144 (Introduction to Set Theory)
  • 5. Development Economics:

Theory, Applications, and Policy)

in Development Policy)

Students who complete two courses within one of the five fields may choose to add the corresponding concentration to their degree in addition to the concentration in Applied Economics. Students who wish to devote more time to the capstone project may substitute ECON 297 (Directed Research) for one of the field courses.

Master of Arts, Track II: Economic Theory The M.A. with a concentration in economic theory is awarded to students who have made sufficient progress towards meeting the core coursework and cumulative examination requirements of the Ph.D. program. It is awarded only to students admitted to the Ph.D. program. It requires 42 quarter units of coursework, 28 of which must be at the graduate (200 level), as detailed below, with an overall GPA of 3.0 and at least a master's level pass on a Ph.D. cumulative examination in either microeconomic theory or macroeconomic theory. Core Requirements Students must complete the following six courses:

Students who plan to take the Ph.D. cumulative examination in microeconomic theory must first take ECON 200C (microeconomic theory). Those who plan to take the Ph.D. cumulative examination in macroeconomic theory must first take ECON 201C (macroeconomic theory)

Professional Development Requirements (6 units) Students must enroll in at least one offering of ECON 289A (Colloquium in Economics) each quarter of their first year.

Cumulative Examination Requirement A master's level pass on either a microeconomics or a macroeconomics cumulative examination.

Field Requirement Students who complete two courses within a field may choose to add the corresponding concentration to their degree in addition to the concentration in Economic Theory.

  • 1. Econometrics:

Methods)

Econometrics)

  • 2. Macroeconomic Theory:

of Macroeconomics)

Macroeconomic Theory)

  • 3. Microeconomic Theory:

Aggregation in Economics)

in Microeconomic Theory)

and Information Economics)

  • 4. Development Economics:

Economic Development)

Development Strategies)

  • c) ECON 262 (Investment, Productivity, and

Organizations in Developing Countries)

Capital in Developing Countries)

Economic Development)

and Rural Development)

  • 5. International Trade Theory/

International Finance:

  • a) ECON 234 (International Trade Theory)

International Trade Theory)

of International Finance)

International Finance)

  • 6. Labor Economics:
  • e) ECON 244 (Empirical Research Methods)
  • 7. Money, Credit and Business Cycles:

and the Macroeconomy)

Credit, and Business Cycles)

  • 8. Resource and Environmental Economics:
  • b) ECON 208 (Natural Resource Economics)

and Environmental Policy)

Environmental Economics)

  • 9. Public Economics:

to Public Economics)

  • b) ECON 247 (Topics in Public Economics)

Comparative, and Institutional Economics)

Doctoral Degree

The Ph.D. is designed for students who aim to pursue research careers in academic institutions, government, international agencies, and the private sector. Students first complete a core curriculum in economic theory and quantitative methods. These courses provide training in the fundamental concepts and research methods of the discipline. Following demonstration of professional competence in the core areas, students specialize in theoretical or applied areas of economics. This leads to the development of independent research and the writing of the Ph.D. dissertation.

Core Requirements

  • 1. Economic Theory

Students must complete the following:

(Microeconomic Theory)

(Macroeconomic Theory) All students must pass two cumulative examinations: one in microeconomic theory (covering topics encompassed in the course sequence ECON 200A, ECON 200B, and ECON 200C) and one in macroeconomic theory (covering the topics in ECON 201A, ECON 201B, ECON 201C). Both examinations are given at the end of the first year, and at the beginning of the fall quarter. After completing the sequence of courses, students must sit for each examination at each offering until they have passed the requirement. An unexcused failure to sit for a required examination will be regarded as a failure. All students can have two attempts. Only students who pass at least one of the exams in the first or second attempts can have a third attempt in the other failed exam. No student will be given more than three attempts to achieve a satisfactory grade on each one of the two examinations.

  • 2. Quantitative Methods

Students must complete the following: ECON 205A, ECON 205B, ECON 205C (Econometric Methods I, II, III). To satisfy these course requirements, students must attain a “B” average in the sequences.

Core courses may be waived, based on equivalent graduate work completed elsewhere. The cumulative examinations, however, may not be waived.

Colloquium and Paper Requirement Students must enroll in at least one offering of ECON 289A (Colloquium in Economics) each quarter of their first year and at least one offering of ECON 289B each quarter of their formal residence from the second year on. In addition, students must write a well-rounded research paper before the beginning of their fourth year. The research paper will be evaluated by members of the oral qualifying examination committee or members of the dissertation committee, if already formed. Students must give a presentation on their thesis research by the end of Spring of their fourth year. Students must also present their job market paper in the Fall or Winter of their fifth year.

Field Requirements By the end of the second year of the program, All students must:

  • i. complete course work in a major field

consisting of three courses.

and

ii. take six additional field courses in any of

the fields.

Students must pass a comprehensive examination in their field. Comprehensive examinations in each major field are given twice a year. After completing the major field courses, students must take the next scheduled examination. The exams are given by the end of Summer and if necessary, at the end of Fall quarter. All students can have a maximum of two attempts in a given field, and can take field exams in no more than two fields, after completing their respective field courses.

  • 1. Advanced Econometrics

Students must complete the courses a) and

  • b) and one of the courses from c), d), e), or f)

listed below.

Methods)

Econometrics)

  • 2. Advanced Macroeconomic Theory

Students must complete the following:

ECON 282E (Foundations of Macroeconomics)

ECON 282F (Advanced Monetary Theory)

ECON 282G (Special Topics in Macroeconomic Theory)

  • 3. Advanced Microeconomic Theory

Students must complete three of the following with at most one from ECON 246, 247, and 248:

ECON 246 (Introduction to Public Economics)

ECON 247 (Topics in Public Economics)

ECON 248 (Topics in Political, Comparative, and Institutional Economics)

ECON 283E (Rational Choice Theory)

ECON 283F (Measurement and Aggregation in Economics)

ECON 283G (General Equilibrium)

ECON 283I (Social Choice and Welfare)

ECON 283J (Uncertainty and Information)

ECON 283K (Special Topics in Microeconomic Theory)

ECON 283N (Application of Games and Information Economics)

  • 4. Development Economics

Students must complete three of the following:

ECON 260 (Theories of Economic Development)

ECON 261 (Contemporary Development Strategies)

ECON 262 (Investment, Productivity, and Organizations in Developing Countries)

ECON 263 (Health, Labor and Human Capital in Developing Countries)

ECON 264 (Topics in Economic Development)

ECON 265 (Agricultural and Rural Development)

  • 5. International Trade Theory/International

Finance

Students must complete three of the following:

ECON 234 (International Trade Theory)

ECON 235 (Topics in International Trade Theory)

ECON 236/POSC 215 (Political Economy of International Finance)

ECON 237 (Topics in International Finance)

  • 6. Labor Economics

Students must complete the following two courses:

ECON 240 (Labor Demand)

ECON 241 (Labor Supply)

And one of the following:

ECON 242 (Labor Market Equilibrium)

ECON 243 (Topics in Labor)

ECON 244 (Empirical Research Methods)

  • 7. Money, Credit, and Business Cycles

Students must complete three of the following:

ECON 250 (Money, Credit, and the Macroeconomy)

ECON 251 (Business Cycle Theory)

ECON 254 (Topics in Money, Credit, and Business Cycles)

  • 8. Resource and Environmental Economics

Students must complete three of the following:

ECON 207 (Environmental Economics)

ECON 208 (Models of Nonrenewable Resource Management)

ECON 209 (Models of Renewable Resource Management)

ECON 210 (Topics in Environmental Economics)

  • 9. Public Economics

Students must complete either the following three courses:

ECON 246 (Introduction to Public Economics)

ECON 247 (Topics in Public Economics)

ECON 248 (Topics in Political, Comparative, and Institutional Economics)

or two of the above and any one of the following courses:

ECON 283E (Rational Choice Theory)

ECON 283F (Measurement and Aggregation in Economics)

ECON 283G (General Equilibrium)

ECON 283I (Social Choice and Welfare)

ECON 283J (Uncertainty and Information)

ECON 283K (Special Topics in Microeconomic Theory)

ECON 283N (Applications of Games and

Information Economics)

Not all of these fields and courses are offered every year; offerings depend primarily on student demand.

As the department faculty expands, other fields may be added. Oral Qualifying Examination Students must pass an oral qualifying examination, which covers a dissertation prospectus and subject matter related to the student’s major field and other field courses. It is given by a committee of five faculty members, at least one of whom is not a Department of Economics faculty member. Students are required to take the examination by the end of the third year.

Dissertation and Final Examination The final requirement is the completion of a dissertation, under the direction of a dissertation committee, and passing a final examination defending the dissertation. The dissertation committee is normally composed of three Department of Economics faculty members (including cooperating faculty), usually chosen from the oral qualifying examination committee. Students who enter the program fully prepared normally complete the dissertation by the end of the fifth year. Students are encouraged to present a dissertation prospectus to a meeting of ECON 289 in their third year.

Courses