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University of Montana Catalog 2024-2025

Economics (ECNS)

ECNS 101S - Economic Way of Thinking. 3 Credits.

Offered intermittently.  A critical examination of the market mechanism as a social decision-making device to guide the use of a nation's resources. The limitations of these processes in light of current economic problems such as the rise of the large corporation, monopoly, environmental degradation, economic discrimination and the increasing role of the government.

Gen Ed Attributes: Social Sciences

ECNS 191 - Special Topics. 1-6 Credits.

(R-6) Offered intermittently.  Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics.

ECNS 201S - Principles of Microeconomics. 3 Credits.

Offered every term.  The nature of a market economy, economic decisions of the household and firm, competition and monopoly, value and price determination, distribution of income and applied microeconomic topics.

Gen Ed Attributes: Social Sciences

ECNS 202S - Principles of Macroeconomics. 3 Credits.

Offered every term. The determination of the level of national economic activity, inflation, economic instability, the role of money and financial institutions, and selected topics in public economic policy.

Gen Ed Attributes: Social Sciences

ECNS 217 - Issues in Economic Development. 3 Credits.

Offered intermittently. Prereq., ECNS 201S. Study of the processes of economic growth and development in the less developed world.

ECNS 301 - Intermediate Microeconomics with Calculus. 3 Credits.

Offered autumn. Prereq., ECNS 201S; and M 162 or M 171. Analysis of consumer behavior, production, factor pricing, externalities and public goods.

ECNS 302 - Intermediate Macroeconomics. 3 Credits.

Offered spring. Prereq., ECNS 202S. Analysis of national income determination, unemployment, and inflation with emphasis on the role of fiscal and monetary policy.

ECNS 312 - Labor Economics. 3 Credits.

Offered intermittently.  Prereq., ECNS 201S. Economic analysis of labor markets. Theories of wage determination, discrimination and poverty with implications for manpower policy.

ECNS 313 - Money and Banking. 3 Credits.

Offered intermittently.  Prereq., ECNS 202S. Definition and role of money; banks and other financial institutions as suppliers of money; the federal reserve system as a regulator of money; monetary theories, history, and policy.

ECNS 320 - Public Finance. 3 Credits.

Offered intermittently.  Prereq., ECNS 201S. Rationale for governmental expenditure; public goods; public choice. Analysis of expenditure policy. Intergovernmental relations.

ECNS 325 - Economics of Sports. 3 Credits.

Offered intermittently. Prereq., ECNS 201S. This course applies economic theories and tools to better understand the professional and amateur sports markets. Level: Undergraduate

ECNS 391 - Special Topics. 1-9 Credits.

(R-9) Offered intermittently.  Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics.

ECNS 392 - Independent Study. 1-9 Credits.

(R-9) Offered intermittently.  Prereq., six credits in economics and consent of instr. Course material appropriate to the needs and objectives of the individual student.

ECNS 398 - Internship. 1-6 Credits.

(R-6) Offered intermittently.  Extended classroom experience that provides practical application of classroom learning during placements within the business community. The student must complete a learning agreement with a faculty member, relating the placement opportunity to his or her field of study. The department will determine the number of credits to be earned for the experience based upon the activities outlined in the learning agreement. Prior approval must be obtained from the faculty supervisor and the Internship Services office. The department has determined that credit for this course cannot count in the 36 credit minimum requirement for the major. A maximum of 6 credits of Internship (198, 298, 398, 498) may count toward graduation.

ECNS 403 - Introduction to Econometrics. 4 Credits.

Offered autumn.  Prereq., an introductory statistics course.  Quantitative methods in economics with emphasis on regression analysis. Level: Undergraduate-Graduate

ECNS 405 - Game Theory. 3 Credits.

Offered intermittently. Prereq., ECNS 201S. An introduction to the tools of game theory and how they are applied.  In many real-world economic situations, outcomes are jointly determined where one agent's choices will affect another's welfare, and vice versa.  Game theory provides a method of analyzing these economic situations where decisions are interrelated, and each agent recognizes this fact and thus makes decisions strategically. Level: Undergraduate-Graduate

ECNS 406 - Industrial Organization. 3 Credits.

Offered intermittently.  Prereq., ECNS 201S.  The theoretical basis for public policy solutions to market power. Emphasis on case studies in matters of antitrust, regulation of public utilities, and public ownership of business enterprises. Level: Undergraduate-Graduate

ECNS 410 - Health Economics and Policy. 3 Credits.

Prereq., ECNS 201S. This course applies microeconomic theory to understand how the incentives people face affect health behavior, the economics of infectious diseases, markets for health insurance, and determinants of health outcomes in the United States and other parts of the world. Level: Undergraduate-Graduate

ECNS 431 - International Trade. 3 Credits.

Offered intermittently. Prereq., ECNS 201S or consent of instr. International trade: theory, policy, institutions, and issues. Analysis of comparative advantage and trade restrictions, negotiations, and agreements. Level: Undergraduate-Graduate

ECNS 433 - Economics of the Environment. 3 Credits.

Offered intermittently.  Prereq., ECNS 201S. Outlines a theoretical framework for the analysis of environmental problems, including concepts of market failure and externalities, materials balance and property rights. The policy implications of this analytical model are explored for a range of topics including pollution and the preservation of natural environments and species.  Level: Undergraduate-Graduate

ECNS 445 - Introduction to Environmental Economics & Climate Change. 3 Credits.

Offered intermittently. Prereq., ECNS 201S. An introduction to the economics of various policy approaches towards climate change and other international environmental issues such as trans-boundary pollution problems, international trade and the environment and pollution haven hypothesis. Level: Undergraduate-Graduate

ECNS 450 - Economics of Global Development. 3 Credits.

Offered intermittently. Prereq., ECNS 201S or consent of instructor.  The course applies economic theory and empirical evidence to examine processes of global development and structural change, the challenges faced by individuals in poor countries, and the role of institutions in economic growth and poverty alleviation. Level: Undergraduate-Graduate

ECNS 451 - Behavioral and Experimental Economics. 3 Credits.

Prereq., ECNS 201. An overview of experimental economics and behavioral economics. Outlines methods and instruments frequently used in economics experiments. Experimental design and assessment. Risk aversion, prospect theory, preference stability, and altruism. Level: Undergraduate-Graduate

ECNS 481 - Communicating Economics. 3 Credits.

Offered spring. Prereq., WRIT 101 or equivalent. In this course, students will integrate and apply the knowledge they have gained through the Economics major and develop their skills in communicating that knowledge. Students will apply economic theory and evidence to practical problems faced by themselves, policymakers, businesses or other economic agents. Students will practice identifying the economic principles behind observed problems or interesting phenomena, applying economic models to analyze these topics, and communicating this knowledge in different ways to a range of audiences. Additionally, students will learn to read academic research papers and synthesize the findings in order to answer practical questions. Level: Undergraduate

Gen Ed Attributes: Writing in the Disciplines

ECNS 491 - Special Topics. 1-9 Credits.

(R-9) Offered intermittently.  Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics. Level: Undergraduate-Graduate

ECNS 492 - Independent Study. 1-15 Credits.

(R-15) Offered intermittently.  Prereq., 12 credits in economics and consent of instr. Level: Undergraduate-Graduate

ECNS 494 - Senior Seminar. 2 Credits.

Offered spring.  Prereq., senior standing, economics major. Capstone course for economics majors.  Advanced topics in economic methodology, theory and/or public affairs. Level: Undergraduate

ECNS 499 - Senior Thesis/Capstone. 2 Credits.

Offered spring. Restricted to majors in Economics with senior status. Completion of senior thesis; presentation of results by seminar participants. Level: Undergraduate

Gen Ed Attributes: Writing in the Disciplines

ECNS 501 - Graduate Research. 1-6 Credits.

(R-6) Offered autumn and spring.  Directed individual research and study appropriate to the back ground and objectives of the student. Level: Graduate

ECNS 511 - Microeconomic Theory. 3 Credits.

Offered autumn.  Prereq., ECNS 301. Advanced theoretical treatment of consumer and producer behavior. Level: Graduate

ECNS 513 - Macroeconomics and Forecasting. 3 Credits.

Offered spring. Prereq., STAT 216 or equivalent. An overview of modern macroeconomics with an emphasis placed on modeling and forecasting. Level: Graduate

ECNS 560 - Advanced Econometrics. 4 Credits.

Offered spring.  Prereq., ECNS 403. Advanced quantitative methods in econometrics. Coverage of probit-logit regression models, simultaneous equation system, and other specialized techniques. Level: Graduate

ECNS 569 - Empirical Research Design. 1-3 Credits.

(R-6) Offered spring. Role and scope of empirical research. Planning and conduct of a research project. Level: Graduate

ECNS 591 - Special Topics. 1-9 Credits.

(R-24) Offered intermittently.  Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics. Level: Graduate

ECNS 592 - Independent Study. 1-9 Credits.

(R-9) Offered intermittently. Course material appropriate to the needs and objectives of the individual student. Level: Graduate

ECNS 598 - Internship. 1-9 Credits.

(R-9) Offered intermittently.  Prereq., consent of department. Extended classroom experience that provides practical application of classroom learning during placements off campus. Prior approval must be obtained from the faculty supervisor and the Internship Services office. Level: Graduate

ECNS 599 - Thesis. 1-12 Credits.

(R-20) Offered every term. Preparation of a thesis or manuscript based on research for presentation and/or publication. Level: Graduate

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