Course Syllabus
ECON 102: Introductory Microeconomic Analysis and Policy
Course Overview
| CATEGORY | INFORMATION |
|---|---|
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Credits: |
3 |
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Prerequisites: |
None |
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Delivery: |
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Dates: |
See the Calendar tab in Canvas. |
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Instructor: |
See the Orientation page in Canvas. |
Description
Economics is the study of how people satisfy their wants in the face of limited resources. One way to think about economics is that it is a consistent set of methods and tools that can be very valuable when analyzing certain types of problems related to decision - making, resource allocation, and the production and distribution of goods and services. There are two main branches of economics: microeconomics and macroeconomics. Macroeconomics is concerned with economy - wide factors such as inflation, unemployment, and overall economic growth. Microeconomics — the topic of this course — deals with the behavior of individual households and firms and how those behaviors are coordinated through markets and to a lesser extent by government actions.
More specifically, ECON 102 is an introduction to microeconomic analysis and policy. The principal objective of the course is to enable students to analyze major microeconomic issues clearly and critically. Students will be introduced to the methods and tools of economic analysis, and these analytical tools will be applied to questions of current policy interest. Learning these methods and tools and applying them to interesting policy questions and issues is sometimes called "thinking like an economist." An important goal of this course is to take each student as far down the road of "thinking like an economist" as possible.
Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Understand the methods and tools of economic analysis
- Apply these tools to current microeconomic issues
- Think like an economist!
Organization
This course is made up of 12 lessons.
For each lesson, you will complete the following activities and assignments:
- Explore online course content.
- Read a few assigned readings.
- Answer practice questions.
- Take a quiz based on lesson content
- Complete a problem set based on the lesson content
In addition, you will complete two midterm exams and one final exam. The grade breakdown for these assignments is provided in the Assignments section of this syllabus.
Online Learning & Attendance
This course has been developed to promote asynchronous learning. The instructor and students do NOT meet on a designated day and time each week. For each lesson, there is a timeframe to complete all activities and assignments, and you may work at your own pace within that timeframe. However, you must adhere to the deadlines outlined on the calendar. (Click the Calendar tab in Canvas. Or check the Orientation page under the Modules tab.) You should log into the course daily to check for updates, review lessons, and participate in activities.
Texts & Other Materials
The required textbook for this course is:
- Hubbard, G. & O'Brien, A.P. (2024). Microeconomics. 9th edition. Pearson. ISBN: 9780138206512
Library Services
Penn State Libraries provides a wide variety of services and resources. To learn how to take advantage, refer to the Online Student Library Guide. This guide serves as your starting point for access to all that Penn State Libraries can offer you as an online student. Use this guide if you have questions on library services offered to you, how the library can help you, how to use the library, or what resources you can access via the library! The guide will connect you to important pages and resources within Penn State Libraries and save time from you searching for the information you need.
Tutor.com
Tutor.com is a 24/7 tutoring service that provides students with assistance in coursework, test preparation, research, writing, and more for various subjects. The tutors are subject-matter experts, and each student will have personalized one-on-one sessions with them. Students can schedule their own tutoring appointments to engage in interactive sessions that include a whiteboard and chat feature. The service can be utilized on any device that has Internet access. Students are encouraged to use the service throughout the semester.
Getting Started with Tutor.com:
- Launch Tutor.com
- Select the Tutor.com link in the Course Navigation Menu.
- Complete the pre-session questionnaire
- Fill in the questionnaire and select SUBMIT.
- Get matched with a tutor
- You’ll be paired with the first available tutor best qualified to assist you and then enter a virtual classroom.
- Interact in the virtual classroom
- Use text or voice chat to communicate with your tutor and the interactive whiteboard to share work and ideas.
- Upload assignment files
- Share files related to your assignments, including spreadsheets, presentation slides, screenshots, images, and more.
- Provide feedback
- After your session, please fill out the post-session survey to offer feedback on your experience.
For additional information about Tutor.com, please visit the Tutoring page in the World Campus Student Center.
Grading
Final letter grades will be assigned based on the scale below.
|
Grade |
Percent |
|---|---|
|
A |
93-100 |
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A- |
90-92.99 |
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B+ |
87-89.99 |
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B |
83-86.99 |
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B- |
80-82.99 |
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C+ |
77-79.99 |
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C |
70-76.99 |
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D |
60-69.99 |
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F |
0-59.99 |
Due Dates
Please be aware that Canvas follows the Eastern Time (EST) time zone. Assignment due dates adhere to this time zone, and it is your responsibility to submit them accordingly. If you are outside of the EST time zone, you can set your Canvas account to sync to it. Refer to the Set a Time Zone article in the Canvas Guide.
All assignments are due by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the date indicated on the Calendar. (Due dates can be also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.) Assignments will be available for submission until 4:00 AM Eastern Time the following day, but any submissions made between 11:59 PM and 4:00 AM will be marked late and points may be deducted at the instructor's discretion, up to and including all points, resulting in a zero. As a general rule, you will NOT be able to go back and make up missed assignments. It is your responsibility to keep up with your assignments. Students with an excused absence (e.g., hospitalization, jury duty, family emergency, or military service) may be asked to produce proper documentation in order to make up graded work. All make-up work is at the discretion of the instructor.
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or spouses with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, disabilities, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.
Notes
- To Do List: Some assignments may not appear in the To Do list under the Home tab. Use the Calendar or Syllabus to ensure that you are fully aware of assignment due dates.
Valid Excuses
A major advantage of an online course is the flexibility it affords students for doing assignments. All assignments are intended to be accessed and completed within a window of several days duration, and can be done from anywhere in the world. (The necessary technology, even if you are not at home, will frequently be available at internet cafes, copy shops, or libraries.) The dates of these assignments have been provided to you well ahead of time in the course calendar. Given this flexibility, an unexpected event that makes it impossible for a student to complete an assignment on time should be very rare. It is expected that students plan ahead and allocate their time accordingly
In general, there will be no extensions given on the weekly lesson assignments (quizzes and problem sets). This is because the course is already set up to accommodate occasional extenuating circumstances by dropping the lowest two quizzes and problem sets. Early access to exams or extensions on exams will only be given in the case of a valid conflict, and a student must inform the instructor as early as possible if they anticipate being unable to complete the exam within the assigned window. Valid conflicts are items that make it impossible for a student to complete the assignment at the scheduled time, primarily including illness, hospitalization, or family emergencies. Travel plans (except as required by university-sponsored activities) DO NOT constitute a valid conflict. Students should plan to be available online until they finish the assignment. Encountering technical problems at the last minute is not a valid conflict. For more information on valid excuses, please see the Department of Economics policy on valid excuses, which is available at the Department website.
Assignments
Basic information about each assignment group is provided below. For detailed directions about an individual assignment, see the assignment information under the Modules tab.
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Assignment Category |
Weight |
|---|---|
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Problem Sets |
20% |
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Quizzes |
10% |
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Midterm Exam 1 |
20% |
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Midterm Exam 2 |
20% |
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Final Exam |
30% |
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Total |
100% |
Problem Sets (20%)
Each lesson contains a graded problem set (12 problem sets total). The problem sets assess your mathematical understanding and application of the concepts and formulas taught in this course. The two lowest problem sets scores are dropped.
Quizzes (10%)
Each lesson contains a quiz made up of multiple choice questions (12 quizzes total). Each quiz will be based on the topics as covered in the lesson(s) that week. The two lowest quiz scores are dropped.
Midterm Exams (2 x 20% = 40% total)
There are two midterm exams, and each has two parts. Part 1 of these exams is composed of multiple choice questions to assess your conceptual understanding of the lesson topics. Part 2 contains numeric and graph questions to assess your mathematical understanding of the lesson topics. Each exam will be based on the previous lesson topics as shown in the calendar.
Final Exam (30%)
At the end of the session, you will take a cumulative final exam. The final exam will also have two parts, following the same format as the midterm exams. The final exam will cover all lesson topics from the entire semester.
University Policies
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity, an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic sanctions, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes (see G-9: Academic Integrity).
Unless your instructor tells you otherwise:
- Always include an in-text citation that includes the author(s) last name(s) and the year the source was published at the end of any sentence or below any image that includes words, images, or ideas you found in a source, always included quoted text within quotation marks, and always include a reference for any source at the end of your paper (ask your instructor about the format you should use).
- All of your graded coursework must be created by you without help from anyone in the course or otherwise. If you have questions about this, you should ask your instructor before submitting work for evaluation.
- All course materials you receive or access are protected by copyright laws. You may use course materials and make copies for your own use, but unauthorized distribution and/or uploading of materials without the instructor’s express permission is strictly prohibited. Students who engage in the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials may be held in violation of the University’s Code of Conduct and/or liable under Federal and State laws.
Disability Access
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources website provides contact information for every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the Student Disability Resources website.
In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus’s disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Counseling and Psychological Services
Penn State's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) office offers residential and distance-based Penn State students non-emergency mental health services in the form of case management, community resource referrals, supportive listening, care giver support, and much more.
Students may request assistance from CAPS regarding a variety of common mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, and stress. CAPS services are designed to enhance students' ability to fully benefit from the University environment and academic experience. Call CAPS at 814-863-0395 (8 am-5 pm, Monday-Friday EST) or submit an inquiry online to schedule an appointment with a mental health advocate, who can help you address mental health concerns that may interfere with your academic progress or social development. This appointment will include a one-on-one session that can be conducted via telephone, teleconference (Zoom, FaceTime, etc.), or locally at Penn State University Park. For more information on services provided through CAPS, please visit the Penn State CAPS website. Students enrolled at the World Campus are also encouraged to visit its Mental Health Services page.
Reminder: These services are for non-emergencies only. If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis situation, please call your local crisis center or 911.
Nondiscrimination
Penn State is committed to equal access to programs, facilities, admission and employment for all persons. It is the policy of the University to maintain an environment free of harassment and free of discrimination against any person because of age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, physical or mental disability, gender, perceived gender, gender identity, genetic information or political ideas. Discriminatory conduct and harassment, as well as sexual misconduct and relationship violence, violates the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the University's educational mission, and will not be tolerated. For further information, please visit the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access website.
Reporting a Bias Incident
Penn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage.
TEACH Act
The materials on the course website are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course and may not be retained or further disseminated.
University Emergency Procedure
In the event of a University-wide emergency, the course may be subject to changes. Exigent circumstances may require alternative delivery methods, class materials, and interactions with the instructor and/or classmates. In addition, there may be revisions to grading policies and the Calendar, including assignments and their due dates.
In the event of a University-wide emergency, please refer to the Canvas website for specific information related to the course. For more general information about the emergency situation, please refer to the Penn State website or Penn State News.
To register with PSUAlert, a service designed to alert the Penn State community when situations arise that affect the ability of a campus to function normally, please go to the PSU Alert website. Subscribers can receive alerts by text message to cell phones, and also can elect to have alerts sent to an email address.
Syllabus Subject to Change
The class will likely adhere to the information outlined in this Syllabus and the Calendar, but adjustments may be made based on what actually transpires during the semester. Remaining in the course after reading this Syllabus will signal that you accept the possibility of changes and responsibility for being aware of them.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
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