Professor Van Scyoc                          
Economics 36-331 
Spring 2004
                                             Office: Swart 227                            
Office phone: 424-7153
E-Mail: vanscyoc@uwosh.edu
Office hours: MTWRF 9:-10 am.  or by appointment 



                INTERMEDIATE MACROECONOMIC THEORY
                         Economics 36-331



Description: This class attempts to impart the theoretical
background for understanding macroeconomic problems and policy
options.  Topics include the IS-LM and AS-AD general equilibrium
systems, money, unemployment, inflation, and interest rates. We
will be emphasizing the historical context of our tools as well
as highlighting real world applications of them.


Prerequisites: Principles of Economics-Micro (36-206) and
Principles of Economics-Macro (36-207) with a grade of "C" or
higher and completion of Economics or Business Administration
math requirement.  You may with to review the appropriate
sections of an introductory economics text to 'brush up' on those
skills.


Format: Class will follow a lecture format three days per week. 
I will expect you to have completed the reading assignment prior
to the lecture so that we can communicate using the appropriate
vocabulary.  You are always welcome to ask clarifying questions
or bring up for discussion current events as they pertain to the
subject at hand.  If your question is causing the class to stray
too far from the assigned material or is not of general interest,
I reserve the right to finish the discussion in my office. 
     I also ask that you be courteous in your conduct and follow
some general behavioral guidelines.  If you absolutely must
arrive late, or leave early, sit near the door and try to keep
class disturbance to a minimum. If you sleep and snore, I reserve
the right to awaken you.  I also reserve the right not to awaken
you if you sleep quietly.  At all times, I reserve the right to
ask you to leave should I deem your behavior inappropriate.


Requirements and Grading: There will be 2 midterms.  The first is
scheduled on Monday, March 1. The second exam is scheduled on
Wednesday, April 7.  There will also be various homework
assignments, and a comprehensive final, scheduled on the last day
of class Friday, May 14.  The midterm dates are non-negotiable; I
do not give make up exams.  The dates and grade breakdowns are as
follows:

     Homework                       10 pts. each
     Midterms                      100 pts. each
     Final                         100 pts.                 
                              
No additional assignments will be given to make up for poor
performance.

Texts: There is only 1 required text for this course. It is
Macroeconomics, by Colander and Gamber (abbreviated as TEXT in
the outline).  
     I have not burdened you with excessive reading for this
course, so I expect you to complete the assigned material. 
Please read the material before class.  Handouts may occasionally
be distributed.
     I also highly recommend that you peruse a reputable
newspaper for relevant news.  Among those that are most suitable
for this purpose are The Wall Street Journal, and/or The New York
Times.

          "The man whose whole life is spent performing a few simple
     operations, of which the effects too are, perhaps always the
     same, or very nearly the same, has no occasion to exert his
     understanding, or exercise his invention in finding out
     expedients for removing difficulties which never occur.  He
     naturally loses, therefore, the habit of such exertion, and
     generally becomes as stupid and ignorant as it is possible
     for a human creature to become."
                    Adam Smith    
                    Wealth of Nations   
                    Bk. V, Ch. 1, Pt. 3 p. 734.

     





     Capitalists can do nothing without laborers, nor
     the laborers without capital.
     
     - John Stuart Mill
       (1806-1873)
       Principles of Political Economy, ed. Ashley, Bk. 
       II, Ch. II, 1, p. 219.
     
     
     
               General Course Outline and Readings
                  (All readings are approximate)
WEEK
 1. Introduction
       TEXT Chs. 1 and 2

 2. Measurement of Macroeconomic Variables 
      TEXT Chs. 2 and 3
      
 3. General Framework 
      TEXT Ch. 4

 4. Long Run Growth 
      TEXT Ch. 5

 5. Long Run Growth
      TEXT Ch. 6

*********************Exam I (Monday, March 1)********************

 6. Money and inflation
      TEXT Ch. 7
  
 7. Sources of Disturbance and IS/LM Model
        Text Ch. 8

 8. Policy with the IS/LM model
      TEXT Ch. 9

 9. AS/AD Model
      TEXT Ch. 11

*******************Exam II (Wednesday, April 7)*****************

10. Micro - Consumption and Investment Functions
      TEXT Ch. 12
  
11. Monetary Policy
      TEXT Ch. 13

12.  Fiscal Policy 
      TEXT Ch. 14

13.  Macro Policy
      TEXT Ch. 15

14  Review

*************Cumulative Last Exam (Friday, May 14)*************











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Owner of this document is Lee Van Scyoc

This document was last updated Jan. 20, 2004

Send questions or comments to vanscyoc@uwosh.edu