Undergraduate Courses
The Division of Economics and Business offers a major, minor, and area of special interest. See Academic Programs section for descriptions of the requirements.
Below is a list and description of all the courses that the division offers at the undergraduate level.
EBGN201 Principles of Economics
EBGN301 Intermediate Microeconomics
EBGN302 Intermediate Macroeconomics
EBGN303 Econometrics
EBGN304 Personal Finance
EBGN305 Financial Accounting
EBGN310 Environmental and Resource Economics
EBGN315 Business Strategy
EBGN320 Economics and Technology
EBGN321 Engineering Economics
EBGN330 Energy Economics
EBGN340 Energy and Environmental Policy
EBGN345 Principles of Corporate Finance
EBGN346 Investments
EBGN360 Introduction to Entrepreneurship
EBGN401 Advanced Topics in Economics
EBGN403 Field Session
EBGN409 Mathematical Economics
EBGN425 Business Analytics
EBGN430 Advanced Energy Economics
EBGN434 Property Rights and Natural Resources
EBGN437 Regional Economics
EBGN441 International Economics
EBGN443 Public Economics
EBGN455 Linear Programming
EBGN459 Supply Chain Management
EBGN460 Business Model Development
EBGN461 Stochastic Models in Management and Science
EBGN470 Environmental Economics
EBGN485 Business Strategy
EBGN495 Economic Forecasting
EBGNX98 Special Topics in Economics and Business
EBGNx99 Independent Study
Key:
F = Fall Semester, S = Spring Semester, SS = Summer Session
* = Offered every other year
Freshman Through Senior Year (EBGN course number depends upon current academic level)
EBGNX98: SPECIAL TOPICS IN ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS (F,S)
Pilot course or special topics course. Topics chosen from special interests of instructor(s) and student(s). Usually the course is offered only once.
Prerequisite: Instructor consent. Variable credit: 1 to 6 credit hours.
Business Smart EBGN298: Spring 2020 Syllabus
EBGNX99: INDEPENDENT STUDY (F,S)
Individual research or special problem projects supervised by a faculty member. A student and instructor agree on a subject matter, content, and credit hours. Prerequisite: “Independent Study” form must be completed and submitted to the Registrar. Independent Study can be taken in your freshman, sophomore, junior or senior year. The EBGN number will vary depending upon your undergraduate status.
Prerequisites: None. Variable credit: 1 to 6 credit hours
EBGN201: PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS (F,S,SS)
Introduction to microeconomics and macroeconomics. This course focuses on applying the economic way of thinking and basic tools of economic analysis. Economic effects of public policies. Analysis of markets for goods, services and resources. Tools of cost-benefit analysis. Measures of overall economic activity. Determinants of economic growth. Monetary and fiscal policy.
Prerequisites: None. 3 hours lecture; 3 semester hours.
Spring 2024 Syllabus
EBGN301: INTERMEDIATE MICROECONOMICS (F,S,SS)
This course introduces the theoretical and analytical foundations of microeconomics and applies these models to the decisions and interactions of consumers, producers and governments. Develops and applies models of consumer choice and production with a focus on general equilibrium results for competitive markets. Examines the effects of market power and market failures on prices, allocation of resources and social welfare.
Prerequisites: EBGN201 and MATH213. 3 hours lecture; 3 semester hours.
Spring 2024 Syllabus
EBGN302: INTERMEDIATE MACROECONOMICS (F,S)
Intermediate macroeconomics provides a foundation for analyzing both short-run and long-run economic performance across countries and over time. The course discusses macroeconomic data analysis (including national income and balance of payments accounting), economic fluctuations and the potentially stabilizing roles of monetary, fiscal and exchange rates policies, the role of expectations and intertemporal considerations, and the determinants of long-run growth. The effects of external and internal shocks (such as oil price shocks, resource booms and busts) are analyzed.
Prerequisites: EBGN201 and MATH213. 3 hours lecture; 3 semester hours.
Spring 2024 Syllabus
EBGN303: ECONOMETRICS (S)
Introduction to econometrics, including ordinary least-squares and single-equation models; two-stage least-squares and multiple-equation models; specification error, serial correlation, heteroskedasticity, and other problems; distributive-lag models and other extensions, hypothesis testing and forecasting applications.
Prerequisites: EBGN201 and MATH323. 3 hours lecture; 3 semester hours.
Spring 2024 Syllabus
EBGN304: PERSONAL FINANCE (SS)
The management of household and personal finances. Overview of financial concepts with special emphasis on their application to issues faced by individuals and households: budget management, taxes, savings, housing and other major acquisitions, borrowing, insurance, investments, meeting retirement goals, and estate planning. Survey of principles and techniques for the management of a household’s assets and liabilities. Study of financial institutions and their relationship to households, along with a discussion of financial instruments commonly held by individuals and families.
Prerequisites: None. 3 hours lecture; 3 semester hours.
Summer 2018 Syllabus
EBGN305: Financial Accounting (F)
Survey and evaluation of balance sheets and income and expense statements, origin and purpose. Evaluation of depreciation, depletion, and reserve methods for tax and internal management purposes. Cash flow analysis in relation to planning and -decision making. Inventory methods and cost controls related to dynamics of production and processing. Prerequisite: EBGN201.
Fall 2023 Syllabus
EBGN310: ENVIRONMENTAL AND RESOURCE ECONOMICS (F,S)
Application of microeconomic theory to topics in environmental and resource economics. Topics include analysis of pollution control, benefit/cost analysis in decision-making and the associated problems of measuring benefits and costs, non-renewable resource extraction, measures of resource scarcity, renewable resource management, environmental justice, sustainability, and the analysis of environmental regulations and resource policies.
Prerequisite: EBGN201. 3 hours lecture; 3 semester hours.
Fall 2022 Syllabus
EBGN315: THE ECONOMICS OF STRATEGY
An introduction to game theory and industrial organization (IO) principles at a practical and applied level. Topics include economies of scale and scope, the economics of the make-versus-buy decision, market structure and entry, dynamic pricing rivalry, strategic positioning, and the economics of organizational design.
Prerequisite: EBGN201. 3 hours lecture; 3 semester hours.
Spring 2024 Syllabus
EBGN320: ECONOMICS AND TECHNOLOGY (SS)
The theoretical, empirical and policy aspects of the economics of technology and technological change. Topics include the economics of research and development, inventions and patenting, the Internet, e-commerce, and incentives for efficient implementation of technology.
Prerequisites: EBGN 201. 3 hours lecture; 3 semester hours.
Fall 2023 Syllabus
EBGN321 (CHEN421): ENGINEERING ECONOMICS (F,S)
Time value of money concepts of present, future and annual worth, rate of return, net present value, ratios and break-even analysis applied to after-tax economic analysis of mineral, petroleum and general investments. Related topics on proper handling of (1) inflation and escalation, (2) leverage (borrowed money), (3) risk adjustment of analyses using expected value concepts, (4) mutually exclusive alternative analyses and service producing alternatives.
Prerequisites: None. 3 hours lecture; 3 semester hours. (Major core course)
Spring 2024 Syllabus
EBGN330: ENERGY ECONOMICS (F,S)
Study of economic theories of optimal resource extraction, market power, market failure, regulation deregulation, technological change and resource scarcity. Economic tools used to analyze OPEC, energy mergers, natural gas price controls and deregulation, electric utility restructuring, energy taxes, environmental impacts of energy use, government R&D programs, and other energy topics.
Prerequisites: EBGN201. 3 hours lecture; 3 semester hours. (Public Policy Elective)
Spring 2024 Syllabus
EBGN340: ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY (S)
This course considers the intersection of energy and environmental policy from an economic perspective. Policy issues addressed include climate change, renewable resources, externalities of energy use, transportation, and economic development and sustainability.
Prerequisites: EBGN201. 3 lecture hours; 3 semester hours.
Spring 2022 Syllabus
EBGN345: PRINCIPLES OF CORPORATE FINANCE (*F)
Introduction to corporate finance, financial management, and financial markets. Time value of money and discounted cash flow valuation. Risk and returns. Interest rates. Bond and stock valuation. Capital budgeting and financing decisions. Introduction to financial This course considers the intersection of energy and environmental policy from an economic perspective. Policy issues addressed include climate change, renewable resources, externalities of energy use, transportation, and economic development and sustainability. engineering and financial risk management, derivatives, and hedging with derivatives.
Prerequisite: EBGN305. 3 hours lecture; 3 semester hours. (Business Elective)
Spring 2024 Syllabus
EBGN346: INTRODUCTION TO INVESTMENTS (*F)
This course is an introduction to the principles of investment in competitive financial markets. The course will provide an overview to: 1) the structure of capital markets, 2) theories and practice of portfolio construction and management, 3) asset pricing theories used to analyze securities, 4) equity and debt securities, and 4) derivative instruments.
Prerequisite: EBGN201. 3 hours lecture; 3 semester hours.
Fall 2023 Syllabus
EBGN360: INTRODUCTION TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP (F)
Introduction to the entrepreneurial process, focusing on the concepts, practices, and tools of the entrepreneurial world. This will be accomplished through a combination of readings, cases, speakers, and projects designed to convey the unique environment of entrepreneurship and new ventures. The mastery of concepts covered in this course will lead to an initial evaluation of new venture ideas. In this course students will interact with entrepreneurs, participate in class discussion, and be active participants in the teaching/learning process.
Prerequisite: EBGN201. Corequisite: EBGN361. 3 hours lecture; 3 semester hours.
Spring 2024 Syllabus
EBGN401: ADVANCED TOPICS IN ECONOMICS
Application of economic theory to microeconomic and macroeconomic problems. This course will involve both theoretical and empirical modeling. Specific topics will vary by semester depending on faculty and student interest. Topics may include general equilibrium modeling, computational economics, game theory, the economics of information, intertemporal allocations, economic growth, microfoundations of macroeconomic models and policy simulation.
Prerequisites: EBGN301, EBGN302, and EBGN303. 3 hours lecture; 3 semester hours.
Fall 2013 Syllabus
EBGN403: FIELD SESSION (SS)
An applied course for students majoring in economics. The field session may consist of either participation in a computer simulation or an independent research project under the supervision of a faculty member. In the computer simulation, students work as part of the senior executive team of a company and are responsible for developing and executing a strategy for their company with ongoing decisions on everything from new product development, to marketing, to finance and accounting.
Prerequisites: EBGN301, EBGN302, EBGN303: EPICS251 or permission of the instructor. 3 semester hours.
Summer 2018 Syllabus
EBGN409: MATHEMATICAL ECONOMICS (F)
The course applies mathematical tools to economic problems. It covers the mathematics needed to read published economic literature and to do advanced work in economics. It includes topics from differential and integral calculus, matrix algebra, differential equations, and dynamic programming. Applications are taken from mineral, energy, and environmental issues, requiring both analytical and computer solutions using such programs as GAMS and MATHEMATICA.
Prerequisites: MATH213, EBGN301, EBGN302, MATH332 or MATH348, or permission of instructor. 3 hours lecture; 3 semester hours. (General elective)
Fall 2022 Syllabus
EBGN425: BUSINESS ANALYTICS
With the increasing availability of large volumes of raw business data, the process of converting it into meaningful insights has become critical for organizations to stay competitive. Driven by massive volumes of business data, business analytics has become instrumental in unveiling such managerial practices which guide the decision making process in companies at every operational stage. This course includes various descriptive, predictive and prescriptive business analytics strategies. It provides fundamental skills using quantitative tools to organize, process, and critically interpret business data, as well as key concepts in quantitative decision making to model and solve real-world problems.
Prerequisites: EBGN201, MATH112. 3 hours lecture; 3 semester hours.
Spring 2024 Syllabus
EBGN430: ADVANCED ENERGY ECONOMICS (F)
Application of economic models to understand markets for oil, gas, coal, electricity, and renewable energy resources. Models, modeling techniques and applications include market structure, energy efficiency, demand-side management, energy policy and regulation. The emphasis in the course is on the development of appropriate models and their application to current issues in energy markets.
Prerequisites: EBGN301, EBGN330. 3 hours lecture; 3 semester hours.
Fall 2023 Syllabus
EBGN434 PROPERTY RIGHTS AND NATURAL RESOURCES (F)
When choosing how to allocate our scarce resources, institutions serve as constraints at any given time.
Over time, these institutions form and evolve when it appears profitable to do so. This course focuses on
the North American story of resource use and draws on economics, law, and history to understand
those processes and their implications. We will seek to understand property rights from a philosophical,
legal, and economic perspective, fitting property rights into the more general institutional framework.
The course will provide a framework to understand why certain institutions were adopted and how they
now shape our economic decisions today.
Prerequisites: EBGN 201. 3 hours lecture; 3 semester hours.
Fall 2022 Syllabus
EBGN437 REGIONAL ECONOMICS (*S)
Analysis of the spatial dimension of economics and economic decisions. Interregional capital and labor mobility. Location decisions of firms and households. Agglomeration economies. Models of regional economic growth. measuring and forecasting economic impact and regional growth. Local and regional economic development policy. Urban and regional spatial structure. Emphasis on application of tools and techniques of regional analysis.
Prerequisite: EBGN301. 3 hours lecture, 3 semester hours.
Spring 2021 Syllabus
EBGN441: INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS
Theories and determinants of international trade, including static and dynamic comparative advantage and the gains from trade. The history of arguments for and against free trade. The political economy of trade policy in both developing and developed countries.
Prerequisite: EBGN301. (Public Policy Elective) 3 hours lecture; 3 semester hours.
Fall 2016 Syllabus
EBGN443: PUBLIC ECONOMICS
This course covers public-sector economics, including the fundamental institutions and relationships between the government and private decision makers. It covers the fundamental general equilibrium welfare theorems and their interaction with government policy instruments that affect efficiency and distribution. Normative topics include an intensive study of the causes and consequences of, and policy prescriptions for, market failure due to public goods, or other problems associated with externalities and income distribution. Positive analysis focuses on policy formation in the context of political-economy and public choice theories.
Prerequisite: EBGN301. 3 hours lecture, 3 semester hours.
Spring 2024 Syllabus
EBGN444: INNOVATE X
Innovate X introduces concepts and tools to accelerate the design, validation and adoption of innovations in support of creative problem solving. Using an entrepreneurial mindset, we learn how to identify and frame problems that beneficiaries and stakeholders face. We attempt to design and test practical solutions to those problems in collaboration with those who experience the problems. We apply beneficiary discovery, prototyping, business model design (social, economic and environmental), constrained creativity, efficient experimentation, and rapid iteration. While resolving challenges involves technical solutions, an important aspect of this course is directly engaging beneficiaries and stakeholders in social contexts to develop solutions with strong impact potential. Innov8x is grounded in collaborative creativity theory at the intersection of organizational behavior (social psychology), design principles, entrepreneurship and innovation management.
Spring 2022 Syllabus
EBGN455: LINEAR PROGRAMMING
This course addresses the formulation of linear programming models, examines linear programs in two dimensions, covers standard form and other basics essential to understanding the Simplex method, the Simplex method itself, duality theory, complementary slackness conditions, and sensitivity analysis. As time permits, multiobjective programming, basic linear integer programming, and the interior point method are introduced. Application of linear programming models discussed in this course include, but are not limited to, the areas of manufacturing, finance, energy, mining, transportation and logistics, and the military.
Prerequisites: MATH332 or MATH348 or EBGN409 or permission of instructor. 3 hours lecture; 3 semester hours.
Fall 2013 Syllabus
EBGN459: SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT
As a quantitative managerial course, the course will explore how firms can better organize their operations so that they more effectively align their supply with the demand for their products and services. Supply Chain Management (SCM) is concerned with the efficient integration of suppliers, factories, warehouses and retail-stores (or other forms of distribution channels) so that products are provided to customers in the right quantity and at the right time. Topics include managing economies of scale for functional products, managing market-mediation costs for innovative products, make-to order versus make-to-stock systems, quick response strategies, risk pooling strategies, supply-chain contracts and revenue management. Additional “special topics” will also be introduced, such as reverse logistics issues in the supply-chain or contemporary operational and financial hedging strategies.
Prerequisites: consent of the instructor. 3 hours lecture; 3 semester hours.
Fall 2023 Syllabus
EBGN460: BUSINESS MODEL DEVELOPMENT (S)
This course leads students through the process of developing a detailed business plan for a start-up company. The creation of a business plan can be challenging, frustrating, fascinating and will lead to a more in-depth understand of how businesses start and operate. Most new ventures are started by teams, with complementary skills and experience sets. In this class, therefore, students will work in teams to develop and write a business plan. This class is also about identifying a new product or service with a viable market and potential to develop into a profitable enterprise by expanding the feasibility study work from EBGN360. This course is the hands-on work of developing a business plan, and as such is intense and demanding. Additionally, this course will integrate previous entrepreneurship, business and economics classes. In this course students are expected to participate in class discussion, and be active participants in the teaching/learning process.
Prerequisites: EBGN360, EBGN361. 3 hours lecture; 3 semester hours.
Fall 2019 Syllabus
EBGN461: STOCHASTIC MODELS IN MANAGEMENT AND SCIENCE
As a quantitative managerial course, the course is an introduction to the use of probability models for analyzing risks and economic decisions and doing performance analysis for dynamic systems. The difficulties of making decisions under uncertainty are familiar to everyone. We will learn models that help us quantitatively analyze uncertainty and how to use related software packages for managerial decision-making and to do optimization under uncertainty. Illustrative examples will be drawn from many fields including marketing, finance, production, logistics and distribution, energy and mining. The main focus of the course is to see methodologies that help to quantify the dynamic relationships of sequences of “random” events that evolve over time.
Prerequisites: consent of the instructor. 3 hours lecture; 3 semester hours.
Spring 2023 Syllabus
EBGN470: ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS (S)
This course considers the role of markets as they relate to the environment. Topics discussed include environmental policy and economic incentives, market and non-market approaches to pollution regulation, property rights and the environment, the use of benefit/cost analysis in environmental policy decisions, and methods for measuring environmental and non-market values.
Prerequisite: EBGN 301. 3 hours lecture, 3 semester hours.
Spring 2019 Syllabus
EBGN485 BUSINESS STRATEGY (F)
Business strategy is focused on formulating and implementing the major goals of the firm in relation to changing competitive environmental conditions, firm resources, and individuals? motives and values. This course is about the issues and challenges of running a firm in a competitive environment from the perspective of a senior manager. The challenge for senior managers goes well beyond applying an appropriate formula to a problem because to date there are not any universal formulas for successful companies. Rather, senior managers must be able to identify that a problem exists and then to bring resolution, despite partial information. This course requires identifying, analyzing, and solving firm problems with original thinking and execution. A key instructional objective of this course is to help you develop a rigorous approach for addressing complex business problems.
Prerequisite: EBGN321 or EBGN345 or EBGN346. 3 hours lecture; 3 semester hours.
Fall 2023 Syllabus
EBGN495 ECONOMIC FORECASTING
An introduction to the methods employed in business and econometric forecasting. Topics include time series modeling, Box-Jenkins models, vector autoregression, cointegration, exponential smoothing and seasonal adjustments. Covers data collection methods, graphing, model building, model interpretation, and presentation of results. Topics include demand and sales forecasting, the use of anticipations data, leading indicators and scenario analysis, business cycle forecasting, GNP, stock market prices and commodity market prices. Includes discussion of links between economic forecasting and government policy.
Prerequisites: EBGN301, EBGN302, EBGN303. 3 hours lecture; 3 semester hours.
Fall 2023 Syllabus
EBGN498: PROJECT MANAGEMENT (F)
Project management has evolved into a business process broadly used in organizations to accomplish goals and objectives through teams. This course covers the essential principles of traditional project management consistent with professional certification requirements (the Project Management Institute’s PMP® certification). The traditional project management phases of project initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, control and project closure are covered including related scheduling, estimating, risk assessment and various other analytical tools. Students will gain experience using Microsoft Project. Organizational structure and culture issues are analyzed to understand how they can impact project management success. Leadership principals and soft skills such as conflict management are covered. We will spend a lot of time on teamwork and the fundamentals of leadership and communication by applying what we learn to our personal lives and also projects from other classes. By the end of the course, students will understand how traditional project management works and develop the skills to properly communicate and handle issues.
EBGN453: PROJECT MANAGEMENT (S)
Fall 2021 Syllabus
EBGN498B: ECONOMIC OF WATER RESOURCES (S)
Spring 2021 Syllabus
EBGN498C: INNOVATE X (S)
Spring 2021 Syllabus