Graduate courses in Economics

ECON 810-4 Monetary Theory
An examination of theories of the supply and demand for money in micro- and macro-contexts, from the classical analysis to the most recent developments. Emphasis will be placed upon the role of money in economic activity, the precise nature of its demand and supply conditions, and policy-implications of theoretical conclusions with regard to money.

ECON 811-4 Advanced Monetary Theory
Selected topics in monetary theory and policy.

ECON 815-4 Portfolio Theory
A study of optimum portfolio selections and diversification of financial assets including cash vis-a-vis different classes of utility functions of final wealth. Also, an examination of the behavior of speculative prices and rates of return. Prerequisite: ECON 331 Offered once a year. This is the same course as BUS 815.

ECON 817-4 Theory of Capital Markets
A study of capital market equilibrium theories, risk allocation, valuation models under perfect and imperfect markets and their empirical testing. Prerequisites: ECON 331, 835. Offered once a year. This is the same course as BUS 817.

ECON 818-4 Advanced Topics in Business Finance
Extensions of advanced topics beyond those covered in BUEC 815 and 817. Prerequisites: ECON 815, ECON 817. This is the same course as BUS 818.

ECON 825-4 Industrial Organization
A presentation and critical examination of the industrial organization models; includes a review of mainstream and current theoretical literature, and important empirical work in the field. Prerequisite: ECON 802.

ECON 826-4 Industrial Organization II
This course examines topics specific to the theory of the firm.  Classes will focus on theories of transaction cost, principal-agency, and the theory of contracts.  Particular attention will be given to the strategic interaction of the agents.

ECON 828-4 Experimental Economics
The course will deal with experimental methodology and design. A number of topics will be covered in the three main areas of experimental economics: markets, games and strategic interaction, and individual decision-making. Students will be expected to design and conduct their own experiments under the supervision of the instructor.

ECON 831-4 Mathematical Economics
Various equilibrium models of micro and macro theory will be examined with emphasis on their solution, stability conditions and the uniqueness of solutions. Prerequisite: ECON 331.

ECON 832-4 Computational Methods in Economics
The first part of the course will focus on dynamic optimization problems with an emphasis on dynamic programming. Applications may include growth, business cycles, monetary and fiscal policy, and optimal contracts. The second part of the course will focus on models of learning and bounded rationality. Genetic and stochastic approximation algorithms will be studied. Applications may include the stability of rational expectations equilibria, the evolution of institutions and social conventions, and models of robust control and Knightian uncertainty. Prerequisite: ECON 802, 807, or 808, or with the approval of the instructor.

ECON 837-4 Econometric Theory
The theory of the general linear model and the implications of basic econometric problems such as multicollinearity, autocorrelated residuals, errors in variables and heteroscedasticity. The use of dummy and lagged variables, simultaneous equation models. The identification problem. Estimation of over-identified equations. Prerequisite: ECON 835. Offered once a year.

ECON 838-4 Topics in Econometrics
The content of this course will depend on the interests of the students. Surveys of current literature and independent study will form the basis of the course. Prerequisite:ECON 837.

ECON 840-4 Theory of International Trade
The analytical course dealing with the pure theory of international trade. The motivation of supply and demand in international trade, the dynamic basis of trade, the role of the price mechanism and of income changes in international trade. Specific problems may be considered, such as the theoretical case for free and multilateral trade, and the theory of customs unions.

ECON 842-4 International Monetary Economics
Balance of payments theory, foreign exchange theory, and adjustment processes. A range of applied problems will be dealt with such as the operation of exchange rates, analysis of exchange rate systems, exchange control and the processes of short- and long-term capital movements in international trade.

ECON 843-4 Current Problems in International Trade
Detailed studies of a limited number of international economic problems. The selection of topics will depend to some extent upon the expressed interests of the students.

ECON 850-4 Methodology and Sources in Economic History
A close examination of the work and methodology of leading economic historians. Study of methodology of selected works in economic history, with special emphasis on the identification of implicit theories and assumptions. Application of quantitative approaches and economic theory to selected problems. Independent work.

ECON 851-4 Economic History of Europe
An examination of theories and controversies from the transition of feudalism to capitalism. Comparative study of the emergence and subsequent evolution of industrialization. How economic institutions affect the character and pace of economic development.  Regional disparities and economic growth in given countries. Relationship between economic growth and international expansion.  Examination of declining sectors, stagnation, institutional changes in the 20th century.

ECON 853-4 Economic History of North America
Effects of the North Atlantic economy of the pace and character of Canadian and American economic development. The role of staple exports and the linkages to manufacturing and transportation developments. Canadian national policy, with emphasis on regional effects, internal consistency and comparison to similar policies in the United States. Factors for growth and cyclical changes in the 20th century. In all the above areas, an attempt will be made to apply quantitative techniques of the new economic history to the problems of economic charge.

ECON 855-4 Theories of Economic Development
Characterization of non-growing economies; mechanics of the process of economic development; the role of economic and non-economic factors; structural transformation in economic development.

ECON 856-4 Theories of Economic Growth
Equilibrium analysis and economic growth; determinants of growth; steady-state and steady-growth; technical progress and equilibrium growth. Prerequisite: ECON 808

ECON 857-4 Studies in Economic Development
Examination of the characteristics of a given underdeveloped economy; allocation of resources and factor strategies; historical or contemporary comparisons of public policy and development.

ECON 859-4 Population Economics
An examination of the determinants and consequences of population growth. Population projections. Fertility and mortality differentials. The impact of the business cycle on fertility and migration. The theory of the optimum population under static and dynamic conditions. Neo-Malthusianism. The economics of high fertility in densely populated and underdeveloped areas.

ECON 860-4 Environmental Economics
The analysis of the role of the natural enviornment in economic system. All economic activity creates waste products (pollution) which must be disposed of back into the natural environment. The socially efficient amount of waste generation and disposal is determined and methods of reaching this level evaluated. This involves the theoretical and empirical determination of the costs and benefits of waste generation and a thorough discussion of the role of government policies: taxes, standards, tradeable emission permits versus private market initiatives (bargaining and green goods) under a variety of assumptions about the economic system.

ECON 861-4 Natural Resource Economics
Basic issues of intertemporal valuations. The economic theory of natural resource management for non-renewable resources, fisheries and forests. The effects of market structure and taxation on intertemporal supply patterns will be considered.

ECON 863-4 Fisheries Economics
Theoretical analysis of fisheries exploitation, emphasizing the characteristics of a common property resource and the economic expression of biological factors. Problems of productivity against the background of national fisheries regulations and international agreements. Public policies in respect of the fisheries, with their social and economic implications.

ECON 864-4 Studies in Economic Fisheries Management
Analysis of economic fisheries management techniques derived from the study of a variety of actual fisheries management projects. Prerequisite: ECON 863, or permission of the instructor

ECON 865-4 Regional Economic Theory
The theoretical aspects of regional economics, particularly the following topics: the concept of a region, location theory, theories of regional economic growth, and the techniques for regional analysis. Prerequisite: ECON 331 recommended

ECON 867-4 Regional Development Problems
An applied course in regional economics. Topics include the following: concepts of regional planning, development planning techniques, study of Canadian regional development problem. Prerequisite: ECON 865

ECON 869-4 Transportation Economics
Emphasis on costs, demand and pricing of transportation services. Additional topics to be studies include government promotion of transport, transport regulation and the economic effects of transportation improvements. Recommended ECON 331

ECON 877-4 Methodology in Economic Theory
Topics to be discussed include theories of rationality; social theories involved in the economic concept of equilibrium; the role and status of economic theories and models; methodology versus sociology of economics; theories of economic knowledge; realism of assumptions and value premises in economics.

ECON 878-4 History of Economic Thought prior to 1870
The origins and development of economic thought from early times until 1870 with special emphasis on mercantilist, physiocratic, classical, Malthusian and socialist doctrines.

ECON 879-4 History of Economic Thought since 1870
The development of economic thought since 1870 will be examined with special emphasis on the evolution of marginal utility theory, general and partial equilibrium analysis, business cycle theories, Keynesian and post-Keynesian economics.

ECON 881-4 Labor Economics
Theoretical analysis of labor in the context of a national resource. Critical examination of the aspects of quantity, quality, allocation and utilization of human resources. Topics given particular attention to include labor force participation, structural employment, human capital, incomes policies and the concept of an active manpower policy. Prerequisite: ECON 835

ECON 886-4 Industrial Relations
Collective bargaining: process, content, consequences. Bargaining organizations: goals, structure, decision-making processes.  Industrial relations systems in varying economic and institutional environments. Public policy and industrial relations.

ECON 888-4 The Economics of Legal Relationships
An analysis of the economic effects of constraints imposed by common, statute and constitutional law. (Topics will include: transaction cost, common property, regulation, negligence and torts, "free" goods, price controls, non-profit agencies, crime and malfeasance, custom, nature of the firm under various legal guises and the anarchy-state dichotomy.)

ECON 889-4 Seminar in Law and Economics
An enquiry into the resource allocational and distributional implications of current and alternative legal arrangements. (The economic rationale for and effects of the development of various doctrines will be considered. Topics may include anti-combines legislation, compensation and public regulation, and market regulation for purposes of safety, consumer information and income maintenance of producers.)

ECON 890-4 Public Economics: Expenditure
The study of the role of the public sector in market economy. Topics include social choice, issures of inequality, public goods, externalities, asymmetric information, and political economy.

ECON 891-4 The Economics of Public Choice
Applies economic theory to the analysis of non-market, political choice. Some of the topics studied will be coalition formation and rational voter behavior; allocations under various property rights systems; optimal constitutions; public sector externalities; federalism; discrimination, nationalism and crime.

ECON 892-4 A Public Economics: Taxation
The study of the public economics of taxation including income taxation, commodity taxation, and capital taxation. The focus is on the efficiency and distributional aspects of taxation which include the incentive effects of taxation, tax incidence, tax evasion, tax competition, and fiscal federalism.

ECON 893-4 Introduction to Marxian Economics
Examination of Marx's economic theory, with particular emphasis of capital, theories of surplus value and the Grundrisse.

ECON 895-4 Comparative Economic Systems
Comparative study of capitalist, communist, socialist and mixed forms of national economic organization, with emphasis on the allocation of resources and distribution of income.

ECON 911-4, ECON 912-4, ECON 913-4
Selected Topics in Economics
Offered by arrangement.

ECON 921-4, ECON 922-4, ECON 923-4
Directed Readings
Supervised reading in a particular field of specialization. Offered by arrangement.