EC-Economics Courses

EC 110. Economics and Society. 3 Hours.

Economic principles and development of economic analysis. Combines key elements of EC 210 and EC 211. Primarily intended for majors in School of Education seeking to meet certification requirements; also open to students outside School of Business who wish to survey economics in one course. Not open to entering freshmen; not open to majors in School of Business or economics majors in the College of Arts and Sciences.

EC 210. Principles of Microeconomics. 3 Hours.

This course is an introduction to the tools of microeconomic analysis and how they are used to explain, predict, and improve the world around us. Learners will understand the economic principles of optimization and equilibrium and how they provide a unifying framework for interpreting human behavior. Successful completion of this course will result in skills for more effective problem solving. This course meets Blazer Core Curriculum Humans and their Societies.

EC 211. Principles of Macroeconomics. 3 Hours.

An introduction to the principles and tools used to understand the economy as a whole. Topics include economy-wide phenomena like the growth rate of national economic output, rates of inflation and unemployment, and how monetary and fiscal policy affects households, organizations, and markets simultaneously. This course meets the Blazer Core Curriculum Humans and their Societies.

EC 220. Economic Impacts, Equity and History of Birmingham. 3 Hours.

Ever wondered what makes the "Magic City" so magical? Where did Birmingham come from and where is it going? This course examines the unique economic history of Birmingham, the economic and social impacts of the ongoing effort for racial equity, and studies, initiatives and policies aimed for growth, as well as the challenges inherent in managing sustainable growth. This course meets Blazer Core Curriculum City as a Classroom with a flag in Undergraduate Research.

EC 300. Economic History of the U.S.. 3 Hours.

This course spans the economic history of the U.S. from colonial times to present. Topics covered include the U.S. Constitution, national economy, wars, ethnicity, race, gender, distribution of wealth and power, social conflict and reform, entrepreneurs, workers, workplace, popular culture, and foreign affairs.

EC 301. Money and Banking. 3 Hours.

Explore the interplay between money, financial markets, financial institutions, and The Federal Reserve and examine their collective impact on the economy. Understand how central banks manipulate the money supply to trigger interest rate movements and ultimately affect macro goals of inflation stability, economic growth, low unemployment, and stable foreign exchange rates.
Prerequisites: EC 210 [Min Grade: C] and EC 211 [Min Grade: C]

EC 303. Labor Economics. 3 Hours.

Explore the wide range of practical applications where labor economics plays a crucial role. Learners discover the economic implications of labor supply, labor demand, wages, unemployment, unionism, labor-management relations, and social security, and the influence of psychological and institutional factors.
Prerequisites: EC 210 [Min Grade: C] and EC 211 [Min Grade: C]

EC 304. Intermediate Microeconomics. 3 Hours.

Take a deep look at the principles of microeconomics underlying production, competition, pricing, market structure, and consumer behavior. Learners explore how individuals make choices based on preferences and constraints and uncover the secrets behind firms’ production decisions. Connect the dots across markets to understand how individual decisions ripple through the entire economy.
Prerequisites: EC 210 [Min Grade: C]

EC 305. Intermediate Macroeconomics. 3 Hours.

Examine forces that contribute to long-term economic growth, with specific reference to the United States and other industrialized countries. Discuss the effects of government spending, taxation, and budget deficits on the economy. Investigate the causes of business cycles (recessions and expansions) and the role of productivity in shaping a nation’s standard of living.
Prerequisites: EC 211 [Min Grade: C]

EC 306. Health Care Economics. 3 Hours.

Apply economic analysis to issues in health care. Learners will review and use the tools of economic analysis to understand and discuss evolving trends and institutional features in the health care industry. Topics for consideration include supply and demand for healthcare, hospitals, insurance, managed care, chronic disease, health labor markets, prescription drugs, and government policy.
Prerequisites: EC 210 [Min Grade: C]

EC 308. Economics of Environment. 3 Hours.

Using the tools of economic analysis, students examine issues such as scarcity, market efficiency, pollution, renewable and nonrenewable resource management, and sustainability. Specific topics of concern from an economic viewpoint include the social costs and benefits of economic growth, interactions between private business and public welfare, and socioeconomic systems and goals. Learners will develop an ability to think about and discuss pressing environmental and resource challenges in economic terms.
Prerequisites: EC 210 [Min Grade: C]

EC 310. Managerial Economics. 3 Hours.

Bridging theory and practice, this course delves into the intersection of economics and organizational decision-making. Gain practical tools for understanding market dynamics, pricing and quantity determination, game theory, competition, and the various market structures. Learners will also explore how incremental changes impact decision-making.
Prerequisites: EC 211 [Min Grade: C] and EC 210 [Min Grade: C]

EC 314. Natural Resource Economics. 3 Hours.

An introduction to the foundational tools of economic analysis applied to the problems facing our environment. Learners from all academic majors will gain confidence in applying fact-based knowledge to critique/discuss environmental and natural resource issues like non-renewable resources extraction, pollution control, non-market valuation and sustainability development. No prerequisite knowledge needed.

EC 320. Behavioral Economics. 3 Hours.

Learn how people truly make decisions. Explore the relationship between psychology and other social sciences, and economics. Learners will be introduced to cognitive biases that influence decision-making, how people evaluate potential gains and losses, and how behavioral insights are used to drive policies and organizational decisions. Applications span various fields, including industrial organization, healthcare, marketing, and negotiation.
Prerequisites: (EC 210 [Min Grade: C])

EC 330. Game Theory. 3 Hours.

Develop strategic intuition and understand how and why results in experimental and real-world scenarios like political campaigns, market competition, and conflict among nations often differ from those predicted by the underlying theory. Topics include finding Nash equilibria in sequential and simultaneous-move games, auctions, manipulating information, bargaining, voting and incentives. Gain the essential tools to understand and predict behavior.
Prerequisites: (EC 210 [Min Grade: C])

EC 402. Law and Economics. 3 Hours.

Practicing the tools of economic analysis, learners will dive into the study of laws pertaining to property, contracts, torts, and criminal law. Economic tools are used both to understand the basic structure of the law and to suggest how the law might be made more efficient. This course is recommended for students planning graduate study in law or who are interested in how the law impacts behavior and economic outcomes.

EC 403. Monetary Economics. 3 Hours.

Current theories of monetary policy and management, historical development of theory and practice, contemporary policies employed by monetary authorities, institutions concerned, evaluation of policies and reform, and interrelations between monetary factors and economic processes.
Prerequisites: (EC 304 [Min Grade: C] and EC 301 [Min Grade: C] or EC 305 [Min Grade: C])

EC 405. Economic Development and Growth. 3 Hours.

Problems of economic development; growth of less developed economies compared with those of advanced economies. Theories of economic development. Policy measures to promote development of growth, with emphasis on measures to accelerate development of countries.
Prerequisites: (EC 304 [Min Grade: C])

EC 407. International Economics. 3 Hours.

Why and what do countries trade and how does open trade impact the location of production, industries, occupations, and innovation? Analyze the theoretical principles impacting international trade and investment, and international monetary relations. Gain a deep understanding of global economic interactions, trade dynamics and the impact of policy choices on individuals, countries, and the world economy.
Prerequisites: (EC 210 [Min Grade: C] and EC 211 [Min Grade: C])

EC 409. Econometrics. 3 Hours.

This course is an introduction to micro-econometric empirical methods. Students will learn how to specify and estimate regression equations, various econometric models and the appropriate situations for using them, the implications of estimated parameters, and the conditions under which causal effects are identified. The focus is on application, i.e. conceptualization, interpretation and hands-on data analysis.
Prerequisites: EC 210 [Min Grade: C] and QM 214 [Min Grade: C]

EC 411. Public Finance. 3 Hours.

Principles of taxation, government expenditures, borrowing, and fiscal administration.
Prerequisites: (EC 304 [Min Grade: C])

EC 413. Urban Economics. 3 Hours.

Economic issues and structure of metropolitan areas. Economic growth and decay of urban regions. Specific topics: housing, education, employment, political economy, and public safety.
Prerequisites: EC 210 [Min Grade: C] and EC 211 [Min Grade: C]

EC 414. Industrial Organization. 3 Hours.

Structure and performance of monopolistic and oligopolistic industries, emphasizing efficiency, pricing policies, and investment decisions. Extent and nature of concentration in economy as whole.
Prerequisites: (EC 304 [Min Grade: C])

EC 415. Sports Economics. 3 Hours.

The study of the economics of sports allows the student to see how various tools and theories can actually be applied to solving problems the student may see presented frequently in the mainstream news. By studying the economics of sports it is hoped that the student can approach economics in the context of a subject the student already finds interesting. Furthermore, In the end this class is not only designed to be interesting, but also a rigorous introduction to the application of economic theory.
Prerequisites: EC 210 [Min Grade: C]

EC 420. Applied Forecasting. 3 Hours.

Practical use of various forecasting techniques on business and economic data. Topics include dynamic regression models, exponential smoothing, forecast criteria, moving averages, seasonality, and univariate Box Jenkins ARIMA modeling.
Prerequisites: (EC 210 [Min Grade: C])

EC 425. Applied Regression Analysis. 3 Hours.

Simple, multilinear, and polynomial regression analysis. Model selection, inferential procedures, and application with computer.
Prerequisites: (QM 215 [Min Grade: C])

EC 440. Economics for Educators. 3 Hours.

Students will gain an understanding of both basic economic principles and entrepreneurship and learn innovative methods of transferring economic knowledge to elementary and secondary students. Students will also become well-versed in the National and Alabama State standards of learning. Only open to education majors and certified teachers in K-12. This class is not open to economics or business majors.

EC 460. Economics Internship. 1-3 Hour.

Bridge the gap between academic theory and practical application with hands-on experience in the dynamic field of economics. Interns work closely with experienced professionals, actively participating and gaining insights into economic analysis, policy-making, and market research while building connections with industry leaders, alumni, and peers.
Prerequisites: EC 304 [Min Grade: C] and EC 305 [Min Grade: C] and EC 210 [Min Grade: C] and EC 211 [Min Grade: C] and BUS 305 [Min Grade: C] or BUS 306 [Min Grade: C]

EC 490. Advanced Topics in Economics. 3 Hours.

Selected topics in economics.

EC 499. Directed Readings in Economics. 1-3 Hour.

Investigation of specific areas in economics.