• ECON 110: Principles of Macroeconomics

    This course gives students a foundation in the general principles of economics as a basis for effective citizenship and, when combined with 111, as a preparation for all advanced study in economics. Topics include analysis of the measurement, level, and distribution of national income; the concepts of inflation and depression; the role and structure of the banking system; fiscal and monetary stabilization techniques; implications of and limits to economic growth; and international economic relations.

     Prerequisites:

    Not open to students who have completed any of the following exams: AP Macroeconomics exam with a score of 5 or IB Economics exam with a score of 6 or better. Students who plan to take upper-level economics courses must review additional material in lieu of ECON 110. If you would like to waive your AP or IB test score in order to take ECON 110, please contact the Registrar's Office for options.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry; offered Fall 2026, Winter 2027, Spring 2027 · Victor Almeida, Diego Ascarza-Mendoza, Emily Martell, Yingtong Xie

  • ECON 111: Principles of Microeconomics

    This course gives the students a foundation in the general principles of economics as a basis for effective citizenship and, when combined with 110, as a preparation for all advanced study in economics. Topics include consumer choice theory; the formation of prices under competition, monopoly, and other market structures; the determination of wages, profits, and income from capital; the distribution of income; and an analysis of policy directed towards problems of public finance, pollution, natural resources, and public goods.

     Prerequisites:

    Not open to students who have completed any of the following exams: AP Microeconomics exam with a score of 5 or IB Economics exam with a score of 6 or better. Students who plan to take upper-level economics courses must review additional material in lieu of ECON 111. If you would like to waive your AP or IB test score in order to take ECON 111, please contact the Registrar's Office for options.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry; offered Fall 2026, Winter 2027, Spring 2027 · Nathan Grawe, Prathi Seneviratne, Jonathan Lafky, Faress Bhuiyan

  • ECON 201: Microeconomic Development in Bangladesh: Analysis of Microeconomic Development Models

    This course is the second part of a two-term winter break course sequence beginning with Economics 240. This course will focus on critically analyzing the appropriateness of modern microeconomic development models in the context of Bangladesh. Students exposed to various on-site visits and lectures in Bangladesh during the winter break will be required to research, write, and present their views on the reliability of different model assumptions and implications they studied in Economics 240. Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 111 with a grade of C- or better or received a score of 5 on the Microeconomics AP exam or received an ECON 111 requisite equivalency or received a score of 6 or better on the Economics IB exam AND ECON 240 with a grade of C- or better AND acceptance in the Carleton OCS Microeconomic Development in Bangladesh Winter Break program.

     6 credits; IS, International Studies, QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry, WR2, Writing Rich 2; offered Winter 2027 · Faress Bhuiyan

  • ECON 240: Microeconomic Development in Bangladesh: Microeconomics of Development

    This course explores household behavior in developing countries. We will cover areas including fertility decisions, health and mortality, investment in education, the intra-household allocation of resources, household structure, and the marriage market. We will also look at the characteristics of land, labor, and credit markets, particularly technology adoption; land tenure and tenancy arrangements; the role of agrarian institutions in the development process; and the impacts of alternative politics and strategies in developing countries. The course complements Economics 241.

     Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 111 with a grade of C- or better or has received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or has received a score of 5 on the AP Microeconomics test or has received a score of 6 or better on the IB Economics test or has received an ECON 111 requisite equivalency AND has been accepted in the Carleton OCS Microeconomic Development in Bangladesh Winter Break program.

     6 credits; IS, International Studies, QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry; offered Fall 2026 · Faress Bhuiyan

  • ECON 241: Macroeconomic Growth and Development

    Why are some countries rich and others poor? What causes countries to grow over time? This course documents different patterns of macroeconomic development across the world and how economic theory explains those patterns. We will draw on both cross-country evidence and individual case studies to understand the role of formal and informal institutions, culture, geography, policy, and other fundamental causes of differences in long run macroeconomic outcomes.

     Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 110 with grade of C- or better or has received a scored of 5 on the Macroeconomics AP exam or has received a scored of 6 or better on the Economics IB exam or has received a Carleton Economics 110 Requisite Equivalency.

     6 credits; IS, International Studies, QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry; not offered 2026–2027

  • ECON 246: Welfare Economics and Mechanism Design

    This course presents economic theory on how society as a whole ranks and chooses between different alternatives. It delves into the realm of normative economics analyzing objectives society may want to pursue, mechanisms designed to reach those objectives, and the resulting welfare of individuals affected by the choices made. The theoretical tools discussed will be used to study different mechanisms of voting, redistributing income, government intervention, auctions, and trade. Among other things, students will be exposed to the Pareto criterion, Arrow’s impossibility theorem, the Vickrey-Clarke-Grove mechanism, the Coase theorem, utilitarianism, Rawlsian ethics, and welfare theorems. Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 111 with a grade of C- or better or has received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or has received a score of 5 on the AP Microeconomics test or has received a score of 6 or better on the IB Economics test or has received an ECON 111 requisite equivalency.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry; not offered 2026–2027

  • ECON 257: Economics of Gender

    This course examines the role of gender in determining key socio-economic outcomes. Topics include education, marriage, divorce, domestic violence, sex, fertility, work, earnings, occupation, and discrimination. We develop economic tools to examine patterns in gender differentials across time, across societies, and within socio-economic groups. We also evaluate the impact of policies, such as paid versus unpaid parental leave, on gender-based outcomes.

     Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 111 with a grade of C- or better or has received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or has received a score of 5 on the AP Microeconomics test or has received a score of 6 or better on the IB Economics test or has received an ECON 111 requisite equivalency.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry; offered Spring 2027 · Prathi Seneviratne

  • ECON 262: The Economics of Sports

    In recent years, the sports business in the United States has grown into a multibillion-dollar industry. Understanding the sports business from an economic viewpoint is the subject of this course. Topics will include player compensation, revenue-sharing, salary caps, free agency, tournaments, salary discrimination, professional franchise valuation, league competitiveness, college athletics, and the economics of sports stadiums and arenas. Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 110 with a grade of C- or better or received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or received a score of 5 on the Macroeconomics AP exam or received an ECON 110 requisite equivalency AND ECON 111 with a grade of C- or better or received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or received a score of 5 on the Microeconomics AP exam or received ECON 111 requisite equivalency OR has received a score of 6 or better on the Economics IB exam.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry; not offered 2026–2027

  • ECON 263: Economics of Entrepreneurship

    The rise of Silicon Valley has drawn attention to the role of the entrepreneur in a modern economy. This course examines connections between start-ups and macroeconomic forces of growth, the business cycle, and inequality. In addition, we will survey microeconomic determinants of entrepreneurial activity: government policy, social networks, culture, demographics, and more. A series of class visits by alumni will undergird discussion of the connections between lessons in the academic literature and the experience of active entrepreneurs.

     Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 110 with a grade of C- or better or received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or received a score of 5 on the Macroeconomics AP exam or received an ECON 110 requisite equivalency AND ECON 111 with a grade of C- or better or received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or received a score of 5 on the Microeconomics AP exam or received ECON 111 requisite equivalency OR has received a score of 6 or better on the Economics IB exam.

     6 credits; SI, Social Inquiry; not offered 2026–2027

  • ECON 264: Healthcare Economics

    Healthcare deserves a course of its own because it accounts for one-sixth of US economic activity. This course studies the provision of healthcare and insurance. We explore alternative policy models of healthcare distribution, focusing on the tradeoffs between access, cost, and quality. These choices are complicated by economic incentives that lead healthy people to opt out of insurance and insured people to take on excess risk.

     Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 111 with a grade of C- or better or has received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or has received a score of 5 on the AP Microeconomics test or has received a score of 6 or better on the IB Economics test or has received an ECON 111 requisite equivalency.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry; not offered 2026–2027

  • ECON 265: Game Theory and Economic Applications

    Game theory is the study of decision making in strategic situations. In this course we will develop tools to help us to analyze a wide variety of settings in which two or more people make choices that jointly affect one another’s well-being. We will discuss many different applications, including negotiations, charitable giving, the division of labor on shared projects, armed conflicts, and the role of education in the job market. Topics covered include pure and mixed-strategy Nash equilibrium, rationalizability, backward induction, repeated games, Bayesian games and level-k reasoning.

     Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 111 with a grade of C- or better or has received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or has received a score of 5 on the AP Microeconomics test or has received a score of 6 or better on the IB Economics test or has received an ECON 111 requisite equivalency.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry; offered Spring 2027 · Jonathan Lafky

  • ECON 267: Behavioral Economics

    This course introduces behavioral economics as a complementary approach to traditional economic models of decision making. We will study situations in which the predictions of traditional models can appear to be inconsistent with the choices people actually make, and then ask whether we can improve those models by introducing psychologically plausible assumptions. We will discuss a broad range of behavioral topics, including biases in decision making, risk and time preferences, prospect theory, other-regarding preferences, and the design of experiments.

     Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 110 with a grade of C- or better or received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or received a score of 5 on the Macroeconomics AP exam or received an ECON 110 requisite equivalency AND ECON 111 with a grade of C- or better or received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or received a score of 5 on the Microeconomics AP exam or received ECON 111 requisite equivalency OR has received a score of 6 or better on the Economics IB exam.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry; offered Fall 2026 · Jonathan Lafky

  • ECON 269: Economics of Climate Change

    This course studies the relationship between climate change, government policy, and global markets. It explores the historical relationship between economic growth and greenhouse gasses, the cost-benefit analysis of policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and the potential for adaptation to climate change. Through readings, discussions, and case studies, students will gain a deep understanding of the economic implications of climate change and the policies that can be used to mitigate its effects. By the end of the course, students will have developed a critical understanding of the complex relationship between economics and climate change and will be equipped to engage in meaningful discussions and analysis of this pressing global issue. Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 110 with a grade of C- or better or received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or received a score of 5 on the Macroeconomics AP exam or received an ECON 110 requisite equivalency AND ECON 111 with a grade of C- or better or received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or received a score of 5 on the Microeconomics AP exam or received ECON 111 requisite equivalency OR has received a score of 6 or better on the Economics IB exam.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry; not offered 2026–2027

  • ECON 270: Economics of the Public Sector

    This course provides a theoretical and empirical examination of the government’s role in the U.S. economy. Emphasis is placed on policy analysis using the criteria of efficiency and equity. Topics include rationales for government intervention; analysis of alternative public expenditure programs from a partial and/or general equilibrium framework; the incidence of various types of taxes; models of collective choice; cost-benefit analysis; intergovernmental fiscal relations. Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 110 with a grade of C- or better or received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or received a score of 5 on the Macroeconomics AP exam or received an ECON 110 requisite equivalency AND ECON 111 with a grade of C- or better or received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or received a score of 5 on the Microeconomics AP exam or received ECON 111 requisite equivalency OR has received a score of 6 or better on the Economics IB exam.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry; offered Winter 2027 · Aaron Swoboda

  • ECON 271: Economics of Natural Resources and the Environment

    How do we address increasingly urgent problems of environmental degradation and depletion of natural resources?  This course develops the economic approach to addressing a wide variety of related issues, while also considering how issues of law and political economy affect resource allocations and the desirability and feasibility of various policies.  Topics covered include climate change, energy production, air quality regulation policies, wildlife management, endangered species protection, water resource management, and valuation of the environment.

     Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 111 with a grade of C- or better or has received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or has received a score of 5 on the AP Microeconomics test or has received a score of 6 or better on the IB Economics test or has received an ECON 111 requisite equivalency.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry; offered Winter 2027 · Mark Kanazawa

  • ECON 273: Water and Western Economic Development

    This course examines scarce water resources as a legal/political/economic factor in the economic development of the western United States, using and combining insights from environmental economics, law and economics, institutional economics, and economic history. Topics include the economic growth of the western economy, surface- and groundwater management, water markets, western water law, Indian water rights, surface- and groundwater pollution, and instream flow protection. Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 111 with a grade of C- or better or has received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or has received a score of 5 on the AP Microeconomics test or has received a score of 6 or better on the IB Economics test or has received an ECON 111 requisite equivalency.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry; not offered 2026–2027

  • ECON 274: Labor Economics

    Why do some people choose to work and others do not? Why are some people paid higher wages than others? What are the economic benefits of education for the individual and for society? How do government policies, such as subsidized child care, the Earned Income Tax Credit and the income tax influence whether people work and the number of hours they choose to work? These are some of the questions examined in labor economics. This course will focus on the labor supply and human capital decisions of individuals and households. Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 110 with a grade of C- or better or received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or received a score of 5 on the Macroeconomics AP exam or received an ECON 110 requisite equivalency AND ECON 111 with a grade of C- or better or received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or received a score of 5 on the Microeconomics AP exam or received ECON 111 requisite equivalency OR has received a score of 6 or better on the Economics IB exam.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry; not offered 2026–2027

  • ECON 275: Law and Economics

    Legal rules and institutions influence people’s behavior. By setting acceptable levels of pollution, structuring guidelines for contract negotiations, deciding who should pay for the costs of an accident, and determining punishment for crimes, courts and legislatures create incentives. How do economic considerations factor into legal rules, and how do laws affect economic output and distribution? In this class, we use court cases, experiments, and current legal controversies to explore such issues. Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 111 with a grade of C- or better or has received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or has received a score of 5 on the AP Microeconomics test or has received a score of 6 or better on the IB Economics test or has received an ECON 111 requisite equivalency.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry, WR2, Writing Rich 2; offered Fall 2026 · Jenny Bourne

  • ECON 276: Money and Banking

    This course examines the role of money and monetary institutions in determination of income, employment, and prices in the domestic and world economies. It also examines the role of commercial banking and financial markets in a market-based economy. Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 110 with a grade of C- or better or received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or received a score of 5 on the Macroeconomics AP exam or received an ECON 110 requisite equivalency AND ECON 111 with a grade of C- or better or received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or received a score of 5 on the Microeconomics AP exam or received ECON 111 requisite equivalency OR has received a score of 6 or better on the Economics IB exam.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry; offered Winter 2027 · Emily Martell

  • ECON 277: History and Theory of Financial Crises

    This course explores the history of financial crises and what we can learn from their patterns over time. You'll also learn about the economic ideas behind these crises, such as how debt, risky behavior, and the lack of coordination among individuals can create problems. We'll discuss tools that governments and institutions use to manage risks and prevent crises, including deposit insurance and foreign currency reserves.

     Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 110 with a grade of C- or better or received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or received a score of 5 on the Macroeconomics AP exam or received an ECON 110 requisite equivalency AND ECON 111 with a grade of C- or better or received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or received a score of 5 on the Microeconomics AP exam or received ECON 111 requisite equivalency OR has received a score of 6 or better on the Economics IB exam.

     6 credits; IS, International Studies, SI, Social Inquiry; offered Spring 2027 · Victor Almeida

  • ECON 278: Non-Competitive Pricing and Strategy

    Firms that free themselves from competition may leverage market power for profit. This course studies strategies that monopolies and oligopolies use to establish or defend their own market power while protecting themselves from the market power of both suppliers and distributors. We also explore how market power influences related choices like advertising, innovation, and product quality.

     Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 111 with a grade of C- or better or has received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or has received a score of 5 on the AP Microeconomics test or has received a score of 6 or better on the IB Economics test or has received an ECON 111 requisite equivalency.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry; not offered 2026–2027

  • ECON 279: Macroeconomics of the Labor Market

    This course examines the U.S. labor market from a macroeconomic perspective, focusing on two central issues: wage inequality and unemployment. It explores why wage inequality has risen so dramatically in recent decades, why unemployment exists, and why it fluctuates over the business cycle. The course also analyzes how public policies, such as minimum wage laws and unemployment insurance, affect inequality and unemployment. Throughout, students examine key measures and empirical patterns and learn theoretical frameworks used to analyze these issues and their policy implications.

     Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 110 with a grade of C- or better or received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or received a score of 5 on the Macroeconomics AP exam or received an ECON 110 requisite equivalency AND ECON 111 with a grade of C- or better or received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or received a score of 5 on the Microeconomics AP exam or received ECON 111 requisite equivalency OR has received a score of 6 or better on the Economics IB exam.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry; offered Spring 2027 · Diego Ascarza-Mendoza

  • ECON 280: International Trade

    Do countries benefit from trading with each other? Why do some individuals embrace free trade while others oppose it? This course develops economic models that explain why countries choose to or choose not to trade. We examine the roots of political conflict surrounding trade policy and discuss recent trade-related controversies. We also evaluate the myriad policy tools governments deploy to manipulate trading relationships, and quantify their benefits and costs.

     Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 111 with a grade of C- or better or has received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or has received a score of 5 on the AP Microeconomics test or has received a score of 6 or better on the IB Economics test or has received an ECON 111 requisite equivalency.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry; offered Winter 2027 · Prathi Seneviratne

  • ECON 281: International Finance

    This course studies theories of the multi-faceted interaction between the balance of international payments and foreign exchange market and the general levels of domestic prices, employment and economic activity. Topics include the balance of payments, foreign exchange markets, adjustment mechanisms in international payments, macroeconomic policies for internal and external balance, and international monetary systems. Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 110 with grade of C- or better or has received a scored of 5 on the Macroeconomics AP exam or has received a scored of 6 or better on the Economics IB exam or has received a Carleton Economics 110 Requisite Equivalency.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry; not offered 2026–2027

  • ECON 282: The Theory of Investment Finance

    This course provides an introduction to the broad range of financial instruments that are used to fund economic activities. We will explore major asset classes in financial markets, look at how investors make choices when allocating their portfolios, and learn how to price a typical security within each asset class. Topics in this course include asset classification, portfolio theory, debt and equity securities valuation, and derivatives valuation. Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 110 with a grade of C- or better or received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or received a score of 5 on the Macroeconomics AP exam or received an ECON 110 requisite equivalency AND ECON 111 with a grade of C- or better or received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or received a score of 5 on the Microeconomics AP exam or received ECON 111 requisite equivalency OR has received a score of 6 or better on the Economics IB exam.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry; offered Spring 2027 · Yingtong Xie

  • ECON 283: Corporate Finance

    This course introduces you to the financial decision-making process of corporations and other institutions. We will analyze financial statements, understand cash flows and how firms choose investment projects, as well as how to raise funding for these investment projects, the related costs of capital, and the trade-off between debt and equity financing. Students will be asked to conduct a real-world business case study in this course. Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 110 with a grade of C- or better or received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or received a score of 5 on the Macroeconomics AP exam or received an ECON 110 requisite equivalency AND ECON 111 with a grade of C- or better or received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or received a score of 5 on the Microeconomics AP exam or received ECON 111 requisite equivalency OR has received a score of 6 or better on the Economics IB exam.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry; not offered 2026–2027

  • ECON 284: Power, Electricity, Environment, and Policy

    Surging demand for electricity from data centers, electric vehicles, and industrial electrification is reshaping energy markets, grid planning, and land use decisions in communities across the country. Meeting that demand requires new generation capacity, transmission infrastructure, and difficult decisions about what to build and where — decisions with profound consequences for the communities that host this infrastructure. This course examines how electricity markets work, who bears the costs of expansion, and how policymakers navigate competing claims. Students will analyze electricity market design and pricing, the environmental impacts of different energy sources, and the justice dimensions of siting decisions that concentrate burdens in some communities while distributing benefits broadly.

    ECON 284 is cross listed with ENTS 284.

     Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 111 with a grade of C- or better or has received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or has received a score of 5 on the AP Microeconomics test or has received a score of 6 or better on the IB Economics test or has received an ECON 111 requisite equivalency.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry; offered Spring 2027 · Aaron Swoboda

  • ECON 285: Computational Economics

    This course is an introduction to the use of computational methods for the analysis of economic models. After becoming familiar with the programming environment, we will explore the application of computational methods to constrained optimization, econometric estimation, and calibrating, solving, and simulating static and dynamic economic models. Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 110 with a grade of C- or better or received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or received a score of 5 on the Macroeconomics AP exam or received an ECON 110 requisite equivalency AND ECON 111 with a grade of C- or better or received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or received a score of 5 on the Microeconomics AP exam or received ECON 111 requisite equivalency OR has received a score of 6 or better on the Economics IB exam.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry; offered Winter 2027 · Victor Almeida

  • ECON 286: Economic Beliefs, Political Beliefs, and Identity

    How people form and express their beliefs about ‘objective’ economic and political facts is a central question for social science.  We will explore the literature on how people form beliefs about political and economic data from a multidisciplinary approach and learn how to apply methods from economics and political science to understand the causes and consequences of disagreement about social facts.


    Recommended Preparation: POSC 122. 


    ECON 286 is cross listed with POSC 286.

     Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 110 or ECON 111 with a grade of C- or better or received a score of 5 on the Macroeconomics AP exam or received a score of 5 on the Microeconomics AP exam or a score of 6 or better on the Economics IB exam or received an ECON 110 requisite equivalency or received an ECON 111 requisite equivalency.

     6 credits; IDS, Intercultural Domestic Studies, QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry; not offered 2026–2027

  • ECON 287: AI: Economic Impacts, Challenges, & Opportunities

    This course explores the intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI), economics, and policy. We examine AI's economic potential impacts on labor markets (job creation/displacement, skills, wages, and implications for policies like minimum wage or Universal Basic Income), productivity, economic growth, market structures, and innovation, using theory and empirical evidence. Real-world AI applications and socio-economic consequences are analyzed through case studies across multiple sectors of the economy. The course also investigates AI's use as a research tool (literature review, data collection, analysis, forecasting) and explores critical ethical challenges (bias, fairness, privacy, transparency, environmental implications), and broader policy/governance issues.

     Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 110 or ECON 111 with a grade of C- or better or received a score of 5 on the Macroeconomics AP exam or received a score of 5 on the Microeconomics AP exam or a score of 6 or better on the Economics IB exam or received an ECON 110 requisite equivalency or received an ECON 111 requisite equivalency.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry; offered Fall 2026 · Aaron Swoboda

  • ECON 297: Analysis and Communication of Learning from External Experience in Economics

    An independent study course intended for students who have completed an external experience related to the economics major (for example, an internship or an externship). The student will choose and read academic material related to the practical experience and will communicate (in both written and oral forms), analyze, and assess their learning in economics gained from that experience. The external experience must be approved by the Director of International Student Life.



     1 credit; S/CR/NC; No Exploration; offered Fall 2026 · Victor Almeida

  • ECON 329: Econometrics

    This course is an introduction to the statistical methods used by economists to test hypotheses and to study and quantify economic relationships. The course emphasizes both econometric theory and practical application through analysis of economic data sets using statistical software. Prior experience with R is strongly encouraged. Topics include two-variable and multiple regression, interval estimation and hypothesis testing, discrete and continuous structural change, parameter restrictions, model construction, experimental design, issues of functional specification, model overfitting and underfitting, heteroscedasticity, autocorrelation, and multicollinearity. Prerequisites:

    Student must have completed any of the following course(s): ECON 110 with a grade of C- or better or received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or received a score of 5 or better on the Macroeconomics AP exam or received an ECON 110 requisite equivalency AND ECON 111 with a grade of C- or better or received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or received a score of 5 or better on the Microeconomics AP exam or received an ECON 111 requisite equivalency or received a score of 6 or better on the Economics IB exam AND MATH 101 or MATH 111 or greater with a grade of C- or better or received a a score of 4 or better on the Calculus AB AP exam or received a score of 4 or better on the Calculus BC AP exam or received a score of 6 or better on the Mathematics IB exam or received a Carleton Math 111 or better Requisite Equivalency AND either STAT 120 or STAT 250 with a grade of C- or better or received a score of 4 or better on the Statistics AP exam or equivalents.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry; offered Fall 2026, Spring 2027 · Mark Kanazawa

  • ECON 330: Intermediate Price Theory

    An analysis of the forces determining relative prices within the framework of production and distribution. This class is normally taken by juniors. Sophomores considering enrolling should speak to the instructor. Prerequisites:

    Student must have completed any of the following course(s): ECON 110 with a grade of C- or better or ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) with a grade of B or better or received a score of 5 or better on the Macroeconomics AP exam or received an ECON 110 requisite equivalency AND ECON 111 with a grade of C- or better or ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) with a grade of B or better or received a score of 5 or better on the Microeconomics AP exam or received a score of 6 or received an ECON 111 requisite equivalency or better on the Economics IB exam AND MATH 101 or MATH 111 with a grade of C- or better or received a score of 4 or better on the Calculus AB AP exam or received a score of 4 or better on the Calculus BC AP exam or received a score of 5 or better on the Calculus IB exam received a Carleton Math 111 or greater Requisite Equivalency or Equivalents.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry; offered Fall 2026, Winter 2027 · Nathan Grawe

  • ECON 331: Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory

    This course focuses on the theoretical analysis of the macroeconomy, with an emphasis on the microeconomic foundations of macroeconomic outcomes. Topics include the analysis of long-run growth, theories of business cycles, and optimal stabilization policy.  This class is normally taken by juniors. Sophomores considering enrolling should speak to the instructor.

     Prerequisites:

    Student must have completed any of the following course(s): ECON 110 with a grade of C- or better or received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or received a score of 5 or better on the Macroeconomics AP exam or received an ECON 110 requisite equivalency AND ECON 111 with a grade of C- or better or received a grade of B or better in ECON AL (Cambridge A Level Economics) or received a score of 5 or better on the Microeconomics AP exam or received an ECON 111 requisite equivalency or received a score of 6 or better on the Economics IB exam AND MATH 101 or MATH 111 or greater with a grade of C- or better or received a a score of 4 or better on the Calculus AB AP exam or received a score of 4 or better on the Calculus BC AP exam or received a score of 6 or better on the Mathematics IB exam or received a Carleton Math 111 or better Requisite Equivalency AND either STAT 120 or STAT 250 with a grade of C- or better or received a score of 4 or better on the Statistics AP exam or equivalents.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry; offered Winter 2027, Spring 2027 · Victor Almeida

  • ECON 395: Advanced Topics in Economics of Sports

    This seminar will explore the economics and business of professional sports, mostly (but by no means necessarily entirely) in the United States. We will examine a variety of topics, including the institutions that govern pro sports and its main interested parties, especially owners, professional athletes, fans, media, and local municipalities. To better understand these institutions, we apply models from various traditional fields in economics including industrial organization, labor economics, public finance, and behavioral economics. The ultimate objectives are to achieve an advanced understanding of the sports industry, to understand how economists use economic models to develop hypotheses testable with sports data, and to learn how economists apply more advanced econometric techniques to analyze sports data.

     Prerequisites:

    Student has completed the following course(s): ECON 329 AND ECON 330 AND ECON 331 with a grade of C- or better.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry, WR2, Writing Rich 2; offered Fall 2026 · Mark Kanazawa

  • ECON 395: Advanced Topics in Economic Development

    Students will be exposed to theoretical models of economic development both from a micro and a macro perspective. Econometric models including probits, logits, instrumental variables, ordered probits, and ordered logits will be applied to micro-level data to study theoretical models dealing with migration, poverty, inequality, nutrition, development program evaluation, and decision making in the context of developing countries. Economic development will also be explored from the perspective of the "growth literature" where macro level panel data will be explored using fixed-effects and random-effects panel regression models.

     Prerequisites:

    Student has completed the following course(s): ECON 329 AND ECON 330 AND ECON 331 with a grade of C- or better.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry, WR2, Writing Rich 2; offered Fall 2026 · Faress Bhuiyan

  • ECON 395: Advanced Topics in Urban Economics

    This seminar uses cities as a laboratory for understanding how economic forces shape where people live, work, and thrive. We will examine a range of topics in urban economics including housing markets and affordability, neighborhood segregation, local labor markets, transportation, and environmental quality. We develop facility with causal inference methods including difference-in-differences, regression discontinuity, and hedonic pricing to empirically analyze these topics. The ultimate objectives are to achieve an advanced understanding of urban economies, to read and evaluate academic research, and to develop a well-specified empirical research proposal — including research question, relevant literature, data sources, and empirical strategy — that students could pursue in subsequent independent work.

     Prerequisites:

    Student has completed the following course(s): ECON 329 AND ECON 330 AND ECON 331 with a grade of C- or better.

     6 credits; QRE, Quantitative Reasoning, SI, Social Inquiry, WR2, Writing Rich 2; offered Fall 2026 · Aaron Swoboda

  • ECON 398: Advanced Research in Economics

    This course is designed to support majors in developing advanced skills in economic research and communication. Through a combination of class discussion, small group work, and/or one-on-one interactions with the professor, majors learn the process of constructing strong, theoretically-grounded arguments through primary research, secondary research, or both. Students will also learn and practice strategies for engaging critically with contemporary scholarship and effective techniques of peer review and the oral presentation of research. Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 395 with a grade of C- or better.

     6 credits; S/CR/NC; No Exploration; offered Winter 2027, Spring 2027 · Mark Kanazawa, Aaron Swoboda, Faress Bhuiyan

  • ECON 400: Integrative Exercise

    Required of all senior Economics majors. Students complete either the research paper or the policy paper developed in ECON 395. Students writing the research paper must enroll concurrently in ECON 398.

     Prerequisites:

    Student has completed any of the following course(s): ECON 395 with a grade of C- or better AND the student is an Economics major AND has Senior Priority.

     3 credits; S/NC; No Exploration; offered Fall 2026, Winter 2027, Spring 2027 · Mark Kanazawa, Aaron Swoboda, Faress Bhuiyan, Victor Almeida