Description:

 The course will consist of a mixture of theory and analysis of current macroeconomic issues.  The first six weeks will consist of lectures on the relevant economic theories dealing with topics such as business cycle theory, monetary theory and polices, and the global financial crisis.  Students will be required to prepare a major paper which will also be presented in class.  Essay topics will be assigned in the first week of classes.  Lecture will be based on part 2 of the Sorensen & Whitta-Jacobsen text.   Students will make two presentations in class: 1) a presentation on one of the important  macroeconomic indicators  and 2) a presentation of the paper.

  Required Textbook:

 Peter Birch Sorensen and Hans Jorgen Whitta-Jacobsen, Introducing Advanced Macroeconomics, Second Edition  McGraw-Hill Education, 2010.

 Grading:

 Class presentations (20%), essay (40%) and a final exam (40%).

Link to Essay Topics for this Semester in Economics 403

Link to Data Release Presentation Information

Lecture Outline and Timetable

Week 1: measurement and investment (text chpts 13 &14)

Week 2: investment, asset prices and consumption (chpts 14&15)

Week3: monetary policy and aggregate demand (chpt16)

Week 4: inflation and aggregate supply (chpt 17)

Week 5: AD and AS: explain the Business Cycle (chpt 18)

Week 6: Break Week (Feb 11)

Week 7: stabilization why and how (chpt 19&20)

Week 8: rational expectations and rules vs discretion (chpt 22 &22)

Week 9  March 4 Midterm Exam/ Intro to Depression Economics

Week 10: Liquidity traps and zero bounds

Week 11:  Fiscal Policy: austerity vs. stimulus

Week 12: Presentation of Projects

Week 13 Presentation of Projects

Week 14 Presentation of Projects