Austin Community College
Department of Economics
Course Number: ECON 2301
Principles of Macroeconomics
Name: Shirin Murrassa-I-Khuda
Course Name: Principles of Macroeconomics
Section Number: 041
Synonym: 16873
Class Hours: TTh 10:30
- 11:55 pm
Class Room: 2231, Campus: CYP, Building: 2000,
ACC Campus.
Office Hours: TTh 9:55 am – 10:25 am, Room 1104,
Building: 1000, Adjunct faculty office.
Office Phone: 223-1790 Ext 26443. Please call
223-8132, leave a message with Rachel and she will contact me if you need to
leave me an urgent message.
Email: smurrass@austincc.edu.
Email is the best way to reach me.
Website: http://www.austincc.edu/smurrass/
Blackboard: Go to http://www.austincc.edu/ and
click on blackboard option on the left of the screen to login to blackboard.
Username is first letter of your first name and your ACCeID
after that. Password and ACC email is listed in the registration
documents for this class. Check http://www.austincc.edu/acceid/faq.php for ACCeID
and Password related questions. If you need additional help with
login to Blackboard call help desk at 223-4357 during regular office
hours. At any point in time, if you have problem in accessing blackboard
contact help desk and get it fixed. If it does not get fixed, please
bring it to my attention in class or email me about the issue.
Course
Description: Principles of Macroeconomics deals with consumers as a whole,
producers as a whole, the effects of Fiscal Policy (government spending and
taxation policies) and the effects of the Monetary Policy carried out by the
Federal Reserve Bank. Macroeconomics is concerned with unemployment,
inflation and the business cycle.
This course will teach you macroeconomics, problems in an economy
and tools to manipulate the economy. This class will help you to develop and
improve your analytical, problem solving skills and team work.
Textbook: Required: Macroeconomics, by
Roger A. Arnold, 9th Edition (South-Western College Publishing,
2008). ISBN 032478550X, Study Guide (Optional) 0324785534
Course
Rationale: This course is meant to give students insights into the dynamics
of our national economy. The knowledge gained in the course will make
students better informed citizen and allow them to follow the debates over
national economic policy reported in the news media. This course is also
a foundation course that will prepare students to be successful in upper
division finance, marketing, business administration, economics, government and
social work courses.
Common Course
Objectives/Student Outcomes as established by the economics department.
Students who complete this course will be able to understand:
-the meaning of unemployment and inflation data and how the data
is collected and computed;
-the meaning and components of the Nation Income Accounts,
especially GDP;
-the meaning of Business Cycle and its phases;
-and to manipulate the basic Aggregate Supply, Aggregate Demand
model of the macro economy;
-how fiscal policy operates, its tools, and its advantages and
drawbacks;
-how a fractional reserve banking systems works;
-how monetary policy operates, its tools, and its advantages and
drawbacks.
Instructional
Methodology: The instructional methodology involves lectures and discussions.
I will use Power Point slides, white board, Blackboard academic software and
internet sites, videos and tutorials for instructions.
Recommendation to students: Please read the assigned chapter
before each class. Reading ahead will help greatly in understanding,
grasping well the concepts, issues as well as solving problems both in and out
of the class room for the course. Class participation is
highly encouraged. If you have questions
outside of class and office hours, please email me with your problem. I
will schedule a time to meet with you at Adjunct Faculty Offices, Room 1104, Bldg: 1000, CYP campus of Austin Community College.
Student
Requirements: Calculator, Textbook, Pen, Pencil, Eraser for In Class
assignments, and Exams. Students are required to submit homework in a separate
handwritten/typed sheet. Homework should be submitted on the dates
assigned in the class schedule. You are responsible to collect your
homework assignments from blackboard. If you cannot access it please
email me at:smurrass@austincc.edu.
Don’t miss submitting homework(s), in class(es), exam(s), as there is NO MAKEUP. You are responsible for turning your In class, Homework, and Exam to me. You will sign in a
“sign in sheet” for each in my class list when you turn in these things to me
in class.
Course
Evaluation/Grading System: There will be 3 Exams, 3 Homeworks, 3 In
Class works. There will be no makeup homework, in class work, or
exams. Only under special circumstances makeup
exams can be taken later or earlier than the specified day. To take makeup
exams special arrangements have to be made with me depending on the time of the
issue's occurrence. If you are sick and cannot take the exam on the day
of the exam, you would need a “doctor’s note” as documentation. I will
arrange for a makeup test for you at a later date that works for you (late exam
have to be taken within next two class days of the previous exam with the
exception of the final exam. Final exams can only be taken earlier. No
late finals accepted). However, the questions on the exam might be
different than one taken on the exam day by other students. If you want to take
the exam earlier then contact me and tell me the reason and document it and I
will arrange an earlier exam for you. For early exams, please let me know
at least two weeks before you plan to take the exam so I can prepare a special
exam for you.
Homework and exam will have extra credit point
section at the end. Students who have
full attendance in my roster will earn 5 extra credit points automatically at the end of
the semester.
Grading Points
Distribution Table
Grade on |
Numbers |
Points Each |
Total Possible Points |
Average |
Grade Percentage |
Exams |
3 |
100 |
300 |
300/3 = 100 |
75% |
Homework |
3 |
25 |
75 |
75/3=25 |
10% |
In Class work |
3 |
10 |
30 |
30/3=10 |
15% |
Exams will be mixture of multiple choice, True/False and Fill in the Gaps, Questions with
short answers, graphs, and math problems. Exam closed book and notes.
Exams will be based on lectures, slides, in class works and textbook, homeworks,
and other handouts given in the class.
Homework will
be assigned from the textbook’s “Questions and Problems” and “Working with
numbers and graphs” section or on concepts from the textbook. I will
provide the homeworks at blackboard. If you
have problems accessing it please email me at: smurrass@austincc.edu. (Email me prior
to the day before it is due.)
In class
work will be done in groups of two students in the class unannounced. Each group will turn in one in class group
work with the group members name listed at the top. Absent students will miss
in class work. In class work requires both the group members
active participation in solving the problems and completing work. (If one member
leaves class earlier leaving incomplete in class work with partner completing
the rest on his/her own and turns it in for grading, then the team member that
left earlier will be graded on the basis of his/her incomplete work and the
other team member who completes it will receive the credit for the completed
work. I will mark the questions as
completed when the student leaves early without completing the full in class
work problems. There will be variation
in grading for team mates, if and when such cases arise.) There will be three in
class work during the semester.
Extra Credit Points
Distribution Table
Grade on |
Points |
Points |
Points |
Points |
Points |
Points |
Grade Percentage |
Attendance |
5 for full attendance |
4 for one missed class |
3 for two classes missed |
2 for three classes missed |
1 for fourth missed class |
0 for fifth missed class |
5% |
Grading System
A 90 – 100 |
B 80 – 89 |
C 70 – 79 |
D 60 – 69 |
F Below 60 |
Course outline/Calendar: Tentative Class Schedule
Date |
Day |
Lecture |
Chapter Titles |
8/24 |
T |
Syllabus, Course
overview and Background evaluation |
|
8/26 |
Th |
Chapter 1 |
What Economics is About |
8/31 |
T |
Chapter 3 |
Supply and Demand: Theory |
9/2 |
Th |
Chapter 3 |
Supply and Demand: Theory |
9/7 |
T |
Chapter 6 |
Macroeconomic Measurements: Part II: GDP and Real GDP |
9/9 |
Th |
Chapter 6 |
Macroeconomic Measurements: Part II: GDP and Real GDP |
9/14 |
T |
Chapter 5 |
Macroeconomic Measurements: Part I: Prices and Unemployment |
9/16 |
Th |
Chapter 5 |
Macroeconomic Measurements: Part I: Prices and Unemployment |
9/21 |
T |
Chapter 7, Home work I due |
Aggregate Demand and Aggregate Supply |
9/23 |
Th |
Chapter 7, Homework I/In class work I
Solution available on Blackboard,
Exam I review/discussion in class/blackboard |
Aggregate Demand and Aggregate Supply |
9/28 |
T |
Exam I |
Chapters 1, 3, 5, 6, 7 |
9/30 |
Th |
Chapter 8 |
The Self-Regulating Economy |
10/5 |
T |
Chapter 8 |
The Self-Regulating Economy |
10/7 |
Th |
Chapter 9 |
Economic Instability: A Critique of The
Self-Regulating Economy |
10/12 |
T |
Chapter 9 |
Economic Instability: A Critique of The
Self-Regulating Economy |
10/14 |
Th |
Chapter 10 |
Fiscal Policy and The Federal Budget |
10/19 |
T |
Chapter10, Chapter 11 |
Fiscal Policy and The Federal Budget, Money
and Banking |
10/21 |
Th |
Chapter 11,
|
Money and Banking |
10/26 |
T |
Chapter 11, Chapter 12,
Homework II due |
Money and Banking, The Federal Reserve System |
10/28 |
Th |
Chapter 12, Homework II/In class work II
Solution available on Blackboard, Exam
II review/discussion in class/blackboard |
The Federal Reserve System |
11/2 |
T |
Exam II |
Chapters 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 |
11/4 |
Th |
Chapter 13 |
Money and The Economy |
11/9 |
T |
Chapter 13, Chapter 14 |
Money and The Economy, Monetary Policy |
11/11 |
Th |
Chapter 14 |
Monetary Policy |
11/16 |
T |
Chapter 15 |
Expectations Theory and The Economy |
11/18 |
Th |
Chapter 15 |
Expectations Theory and The Economy |
11/23 |
T |
Chapter 16 |
Economic Growth |
11/25 |
Th |
Thanksgiving Holidays |
|
11/30 |
T |
Chapter 17 |
International Trade |
12/2 |
Th |
Chapter 17, Chapter 19, Homework III due |
International Trade, Globalization and International Impacts |
12/7 |
T |
Chapter 19, Homework III/In class work III
Solution available on Blackboard, Exam
III review/discussion in class/blackboard |
Globalization and International Impacts |
12/9 |
Th |
Exam III |
Chapters 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19 |
Exam Schedule
EXAM I: SEP 28 |
EXAM II: NOV 2 |
EXAM III: DEC 9 |
Homework Schedule:
Homework I: SEP 21 |
Homework II: OCT 26 |
Homework III: DEC 2 |
Course Policies—
Class Policy
No electronic device
allowed in class. No texting, ipod or playing video games
or any other kind of games or watching movies or internet browsing during
normal class hour. Please turn your cell phones on vibration mode and if you
need to take the call, please go outside and take the call. If you are
late, try not to disturb the class when you enter. You will need a calculator
to solve class problems; I do not allow cell phone calculators in the exams.
When signing in attendance sheet, only sign for yourself. Any violation to this rule will be considered
as misdemeanor act.
Teaching Assistance
If you are having
problems with the class, please see me at my designated office hours or email
me your concerns. Please get in touch
with me before it gets too late in the semester. I highly recommend that you stay focused on
the course and seek help to get you through the semester rather than getting a
“D”, “F” or have to withdraw in the semester.
However, if you are having problems with other things beyond my control,
you need to withdraw from the course rather than get an undesired grade at the
end of the semester. Withdrawal date is November 18, 2010.
Academic Freedom
Everyone is
encouraged to participate in class discussions. Differing viewpoints
breathe enrichment of knowledge and generate new learning experience and may
result in new theories for the future. Please participate in discussions
and make the class lively with your thoughts and ideas.
Attendance
100% class attendance
in my roster will earn you 5 extra credit points to push up your grade.
If you miss one class you will get 4 points, two classes you will get 3
points and three classes you will get 2 points and 4 classes you will get 1
point and 5 classes you will get 0 points as extra credit points. I will
do the attendance during the first 15 minutes of the class. If you leave early you will be counted as
absent from the class. Students leaving
early have to cross out their own name from the attendance sheet, write the
time and reason for leaving early in the attendance sheet before leaving the
class and provide valid documentation if they want to have class attendance
point back.
Incomplete
I will not give you
an incomplete grade. So if you are having problems please withdraw before
the withdrawal date yourself. Withdrawal
date is November 18, 2010.
If any major
incidence happens after the withdrawal date and you cannot continue with the
class, please document the incidence and show me. To get an incomplete,
you have to fill out an incomplete form and give it to me. Without
filling the form an incomplete grades will not be given.
Please read the
following note about withdrawals.
Withdrawals
Students are responsible for withdrawing themselves from this
course. I will assign you the grade you make in the class including the
extra credits, even if it is a "F"
grade. Withdrawal Policy of Fall 2007 states
that entering freshman is restricted to six non-punitive withdrawals for the
whole of their undergraduate careers (while attending state colleges).
The last day to withdraw from this course is November 18, 2010.
Students who have missed 4 consecutive classes
without a doctors note or a
valid documented reason will be dropped from the course. If you think, you have attendance problem,
please talk to me before getting dropped.
Students with insufficient attendance missing 7 classes or more and/or submitted
no in class work and/or submitted no homework and/or missed exam one or more
exams will be dropped from the course.
Scholastic Dishonesty
Acts prohibited
by the college for which discipline may be administered include scholastic
dishonesty, including but not limited to cheating on exam or quiz,
plagiarizing, unauthorized collaboration with another in preparing outside
work. Academic work submitted by students shall be the result of their
thought, research or self-expression. Academic work is defined as, but
not limited to tests, quizzes, whether taken electronically or on paper;
projects, either individual or group; classroom presentations, and homework.
Students with
disabilities
Each ACC campus offers
support services for students with documented physical or psychological
disabilities. Students with disabilities must request reasonable
accommodations through the Office for Students with Disabilities on the campus
where they expect to take the majority of their classes. Students are
encouraged to do this three weeks before the start of
the semester.
Class Handouts
I will provide you
all with copies of chapter lectures at the beginning of each chapter
lectures. In Class work and Exams will be distributed in class. Homework
problems, Homework Solution and In class work Solution
will be available at Blackboard. If you cannot access it then email me.
Grades
Your class grades for
homework, in class, and exams will be available at blackboard after completion
of each exam. I will assign you a letter grade for the class at the end of the
semester. Your grades will be posted in blackboard after completion of the
classes. If you need to check your grades earlier, please check with me in
class or send me an email.