Macroeconomics studies aggregate economic behavior. The course begins by presenting the production possibilities model. This is followed by a discussion of basic macroeconomic concepts including inflation, unemployment, and economic growth and fluctuations. The next topic is national income accounting, which is the measurement of macroeconomic variables. The latter part of the course focuses on the development of one or more macroeconomic models, a discussion of the role of money in the macroeconomy, the aggregate supply-aggregate demand framework, and other topics the individual instructor may choose.

This course first surveys the sources of comparative advantage. It then analyzes commercial policy and analyzes the welfare economics of trade between countries. Some attention is paid to the institutional aspects of the world trading system. Finally, the course introduces the student to some salient notions in international finance such as national income accounting, the balance of payments, and exchange rates.

This course is focused on understanding economic problems in a global perspective. The students will study the impact of globalization on economic growth and income disparity among countries. Global economic issues such as poverty, hunger, refugees, and transnational terrorism will be studied. We will also discuss global efforts to attain progress such as the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. The course work will emphasize the analysis of international economic data.

This course guides the student through preparation of the Capstone Proposal that is required for the applied final course of his/her MS in professional studies degree - the Capstone Project. Student will determine a Capstone Project concept, and articulate the methods for implementing the Capstone Project. The course concludes with a paper describing the Capstone Project, including background and description, methodology, anticipated outcomes, and probable Capstone Adviser. Student will meet regularly with the course facilitator. Upon successful completion of this course, student will be registered for the Capstone Project. (Pre-requisites: PROF-705 and core coursework; course restricted to MS in professional studies students)

The research and thesis course unfolds over two semesters. Students will receive instruction in standard research methods, as well as the best practices for writing and presenting project findings. The remainder of the course is devoted to students working individually with a faculty supervisor on the research, organization, analysis, and eventual presentation of their project findings. To complete the thesis course, students must successfully defend their work before a committee consisting of a representative sample of the program faculty, the student’s supervisor, and the program director. The committee is responsible for determining the student’s final grade for the thesis. The course is graded on the (R, U, or I) basis with a successful defense of the completed thesis being the deciding factor. Department approval required for enrollment.