ECON 490

Spring 2019 All Classes

All Classes

Topics in Economics

SHOW FINAL EXAM SCHEDULE

Credit: 3 OR 4 hours.

Special topics in advanced economics within a variety of areas. See course schedule for topics.

3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated in the same or separate terms to a maximum of 9 undergraduate hours or 8 graduate hours if topics vary. Prerequisite: ECON 202; ECON 302 or ECON 303; MATH 220 or MATH 221 or other Calculus course. Some topics may require additional prerequisites, read the section text for each topic.

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ECON 490 class schedule data for spring 2019
CRN	Type	Section	Time	Day	Location	Instructor	Section Details
67468	Lecture-Discussion	A3	11:00AM -12:20PM	MW	215 David Kinley Hall	Bartik, A	Part of Term: 1 Date Range: 01/14/19-05/01/19 Credit: 3 hours Section Title: Topics in Econometrics Section Info: This course will cover key techniques in applied econometric research, with a focus on causal inference. Particular emphasis will be placed on questions related to policy and program evaluation. Techniques covered will include experiments, regression and matching, instrumental variables, difference-in-differences, synthetic control, regression-discontinuity, and analysis of high-dimensional data-sets. We will discuss the properties of each of these techniques and illustrate them using examples from health policy, education policy, workforce development programs, environmental and labor market regulations, and economic development programs. Students will gain experience applying the techniques to estimate the causal impacts of different policies using real-data sets. Students will finish the course by proposing their own program evaluation. ***Advanced ECON courses restricted. Find more information: https://go.economics.illinois.edu/SpringRestrictions Restriction(s): Restricted to Undergrad - Urbana-Champaign.
67475	Lecture-Discussion	A4	11:00AM -12:20PM	MW	215 David Kinley Hall	Bartik, A	Part of Term: 1 Date Range: 01/14/19-05/01/19 Special Approval: Departmental Approval Required Credit: 4 hours Section Title: Topics in Econometrics Section Info: This course will cover key techniques in applied econometric research, with a focus on causal inference. Particular emphasis will be placed on questions related to policy and program evaluation. Techniques covered will include experiments, regression and matching, instrumental variables, difference-in-differences, synthetic control, regression-discontinuity, and analysis of high-dimensional data-sets. We will discuss the properties of each of these techniques and illustrate them using examples from health policy, education policy, workforce development programs, environmental and labor market regulations, and economic development programs. Students will gain experience applying the techniques to estimate the causal impacts of different policies using real-data sets. Students will finish the course by proposing their own program evaluation. Restriction(s): Restricted to students in the Economics department. Restricted to Graduate - Urbana-Champaign.
64018	Lecture-Discussion	B3	11:00AM -12:20PM	TR	206 David Kinley Hall	Bernhardt, M	Part of Term: 1 Date Range: 01/14/19-05/01/19 Credit: 3 hours Section Title: Political Economy Section Info: This course will introduce students to strategic behavior by different political actors---parties, candidates, voters, interest groups, and so on---and the consequences for political and economic outcomes. Topics covered will include strategic voting, majority rule, alternatives to majority rule, the paradox of voting, social welfare functions, the impact of different political institutions (e.g., parliamentary vs. federal vs. dictatorships), strategic platform choice by parties and candidates including over time, political campaigning, legislative bargaining, legislative agenda design, rent seeking and lobbying, interest groups, roles of government (e.g., provide public goods, re-distribute income), voter myopia and learning, the rise of populism, and so much more. Quite generally, the goal is to try to understand why the different political agents behave as they do, and the broad-based consequences for society. The analytic foundations of the course will reflect simple game theoretic and microeconomic theory-based (e.g., utility-maximization by rational agents) reasoning. ECON 302 and comfort with basic calculus and game theoretic/logical reasoning will be required. Analyzing Politics: Rationality, Behavior and Institutions, by Kenneth A. Shepsle, 2nd edition, 2010, W.W. Norton publishers. Prerequisites: ECON 302, ECON 202 or above, and MATH 220 or equivalent. The analytic foundations of the course will reflect simple game theoretic and microeconomic theory-based (e.g., utility-maximization by rational agents) reasoning. ECON 203 and comfort with basic calculus and game theoretic/logical reasoning will be required. ***Advanced ECON courses restricted. Find more information: https://go.economics.illinois.edu/SpringRestrictions Restriction(s): Restricted to Undergrad - Urbana-Champaign.
67075	Lecture-Discussion	B4	11:00AM -12:20PM	TR	206 David Kinley Hall	Bernhardt, M	Part of Term: 1 Date Range: 01/14/19-05/01/19 Credit: 4 hours Section Title: Political Economy Section Info: ***************RESTRICTED TO MSPE STUDENTS*************** This course will introduce students to strategic behavior by different political actors---parties, candidates, voters, interest groups, and so on---and the consequences for political and economic outcomes. Topics covered will include strategic voting, majority rule, alternatives to majority rule, the paradox of voting, social welfare functions, the impact of different political institutions (e.g., parliamentary vs. federal vs. dictatorships), strategic platform choice by parties and candidates including over time, political campaigning, legislative bargaining, legislative agenda design, rent seeking and lobbying, interest groups, roles of government (e.g., provide public goods, re-distribute income), voter myopia and learning, the rise of populism, and so much more. Quite generally, the goal is to try to understand why the different political agents behave as they do, and the broad-based consequences for society. The analytic foundations of the course will reflect simple game theoretic and microeconomic theory-based (e.g., utility-maximization by rational agents) reasoning. Comfort with basic calculus and game theoretic/logical reasoning will be required. Analyzing Politics: Rationality, Behavior and Institutions, by Kenneth A. Shepsle, 2nd edition, 2010, W.W. Norton publishers. Restriction(s): Restricted to Graduate - Urbana-Champaign. Restricted to MS:Economics:Policy Econ -UIUC.
57211	Lecture-Discussion	C3	11:00AM -12:20PM	TR	223 David Kinley Hall	Agiakloglou, C	Part of Term: 1 Date Range: 01/14/19-05/01/19 Credit: 3 hours Section Title: Int'l Macro Forecasting Section Info: The current course will provide a thorough presentation of the theory of Macroeconomics, the branch of Economics that deals with the study of major economic totals or aggregates related though to International concepts, such as trade balance, current account and theories of exchange rates, as well as to Forecasting. The goal of the course is to help students understand how quantitative analysis works in terms of forecasting in Economics by presenting the underlying theory and having them to work on real data. The tools you will learn in this course will allow you to analyze the behavior of many Economic/International phenomena and derive policy conclusions Course Prerequisites The course will be taught in a self-contained way and therefore all materials needed for a good understanding of the concepts of this course will be presented in class. Students do not need to worry about their statistical or econometric background. The course will provide brief reviews of background concepts and proofs when needed. ***Advanced ECON courses restricted. Find more information: https://go.economics.illinois.edu/SpringRestrictions Restriction(s): Restricted to Undergrad - Urbana-Champaign.
64025	Lecture-Discussion	C4	11:00AM -12:20PM	TR	223 David Kinley Hall	Agiakloglou, C	Part of Term: 1 Date Range: 01/14/19-05/01/19 Credit: 4 hours Section Title: Int'l Macro Forecasting Section Info: ***************RESTRICTED TO MSPE STUDENTS*************** The current course will provide a thorough presentation of the theory of Macroeconomics, the branch of Economics that deals with the study of major economic totals or aggregates related though to International concepts, such as trade balance, current account and theories of exchange rates, as well as to Forecasting. The goal of the course is to help students understand how quantitative analysis works in terms of forecasting in Economics by presenting the underlying theory and having them to work on real data. The tools you will learn in this course will allow you to analyze the behavior of many Economic/International phenomena and derive policy conclusions Course Prerequisites The course will be taught in a self-contained way and therefore all materials needed for a good understanding of the concepts of this course will be presented in class. Students do not need to worry about their statistical or econometric background. The course will provide brief reviews of background concepts and proofs when needed. Restriction(s): Restricted to Graduate - Urbana-Champaign. Restricted to MS:Economics:Policy Econ -UIUC.
64022	Lecture-Discussion	D3	9:30AM -10:50AM	MW	123 David Kinley Hall	Howard, G	Part of Term: 1 Date Range: 01/14/19-05/01/19 Credit: 3 hours Section Title: International Finance Section Info: Analysis of topics in international finance, including exchange rates, monetary policy in open economies, currency unions, and financial crises, from both a theoretical and empirical perspective. Students are expected to have ECON 302 or 303, and at least basic stats- ECON 202, with ECON 203 highly preferred. ***Advanced ECON courses restricted. Find more information: https://go.economics.illinois.edu/SpringRestrictions Restriction(s): Restricted to Undergrad - Urbana-Champaign.
64023	Lecture-Discussion	D4	9:30AM -10:50AM	MW	123 David Kinley Hall	Howard, G	Part of Term: 1 Date Range: 01/14/19-05/01/19 Special Approval: Departmental Approval Required Credit: 4 hours Section Title: International Finance Section Info: Analysis of topics in international finance, including exchange rates, monetary policy in open economies, currency unions, and financial crises, from both a theoretical and empirical perspective. Students are expected to have ECON 302 or 303, and at least basic stats- ECON 202, with ECON 203 highly preferred. Restriction(s): Restricted to students in the Economics department. Restricted to Graduate - Urbana-Champaign.
61881	Lecture-Discussion	E3	11:00AM -12:20PM	MW	123 David Kinley Hall	Yeh, C	Part of Term: 1 Date Range: 01/14/19-05/01/19 Credit: 3 hours Section Title: Business Cycles & Econ Growth Section Info: This is an advanced course in macroeconomics that discusses the frameworks used to understand short-run fluctuations (business cycles) and long-run economic growth. The models are then evaluated to see how they square with the data focusing on the U.S. economy in particular. The objective of this course is to provide students with a solid foundation in rigorous economic modeling and the analysis of macroeconomic data so that they can understand and independently analyze various macroeconomic phenomena. To do so, this course will cover neoclassical and modern theories of economic growth and discuss several views of the business cycle ranging from new classical to New Keynesian economics. Prerequisites. ECON 302, 303 and 202. ***Advanced ECON courses restricted. Find more information: https://go.economics.illinois.edu/SpringRestrictions Restriction(s): Restricted to Undergrad - Urbana-Champaign.
64111	Lecture-Discussion	E4	11:00AM -12:20PM	MW	123 David Kinley Hall	Yeh, C	Part of Term: 1 Date Range: 01/14/19-05/01/19 Special Approval: Departmental Approval Required Credit: 4 hours Section Title: Business Cycles & Econ Growth Section Info: ***************RESTRICTED TO MSPE STUDENTS*************** This is an advanced course in macroeconomics that discusses the frameworks used to understand short-run fluctuations (business cycles) and long-run economic growth. The models are then evaluated to see how they square with the data focusing on the U.S. economy in particular. The objective of this course is to provide students with a solid foundation in rigorous economic modeling and the analysis of macroeconomic data so that they can understand and independently analyze various macroeconomic phenomena. To do so, this course will cover neoclassical and modern theories of economic growth and discuss several views of the business cycle ranging from new classical to New Keynesian economics. Restriction(s): Restricted to Graduate - Urbana-Champaign. Restricted to MS:Economics:Policy Econ -UIUC.
62266	Lecture-Discussion	F3	2:00PM -3:20PM	TR	317 David Kinley Hall	Toossi, A	Part of Term: 1 Date Range: 01/14/19-05/01/19 Credit: 3 hours Section Title: Economics of Coordination Section Info: In any institution based on the decentralized decision making of agents who follow their own goals, a fundamental question is how to structure interactions between them so that they are free to make their own decisions while avoiding outcomes that none would have chosen. The coordination failure occurs when the individuals find the aggregate effect of the decentralized decision making to be undesirable. In this course we discuss the types and causes of coordination problems, and using core concepts of economics and game theory will develop simple models to shed light on coordination problems in different markets and how institutions are developed to overcome them. ***Advanced ECON courses restricted. Find more information: https://go.economics.illinois.edu/SpringRestrictions Restriction(s): Restricted to Undergrad - Urbana-Champaign.
57387	Lecture-Discussion	F4	2:00PM -3:20PM	TR	317 David Kinley Hall	Toossi, A	Part of Term: 1 Date Range: 01/14/19-05/01/19 Special Approval: Departmental Approval Required Credit: 4 hours Section Title: Economics of Coordination Section Info: In any institution based on the decentralized decision making of agents who follow their own goals, a fundamental question is how to structure interactions between them so that they are free to make their own decisions while avoiding outcomes that none would have chosen. The coordination failure occurs when the individuals find the aggregate effect of the decentralized decision making to be undesirable. In this course we discuss the types and causes of coordination problems, and using core concepts of economics and game theory will develop simple models to shed light on coordination problems in different markets and how institutions are developed to overcome them. Restriction(s): Restricted to students in the Economics department. Restricted to Graduate - Urbana-Champaign.
59299	Lecture-Discussion	G3	12:30PM -1:50PM	MW	215 David Kinley Hall	Macaluso, C	Part of Term: 1 Date Range: 01/14/19-05/01/19 Credit: 3 hours Section Title: Macro Labor Markets Section Info: The Macroeconomics of Labor Markets: This is a course in Applied Macroeconomics aimed at advanced undergraduate students. The topics cover recent trends in labor market dynamics such as job polarization, trade shocks, skill-biased technical change, the decline in manufacturing, human capital and wages, and the effects of mismatch. Students in this course will become familiar with a variety of data sources about employment, jobs, and skills; learn about recent trends in the labor market; interpret civic debates and news in the light of these trends; and develop their ability to analyze, expose, and summarize complex economic problems for a wider audience. PREREQUISITES: ECON 302 and/or ECON 303; ECON 203; Familiarity with constrained optimization, fundamental micro- and macro-economic concepts, and intermediate statistics and econometrics. ***Advanced ECON courses restricted. Find more information: https://go.economics.illinois.edu/SpringRestrictions Restriction(s): Restricted to Undergrad - Urbana-Champaign.
64024	Lecture-Discussion	G4	12:30PM -1:50PM	MW	215 David Kinley Hall	Macaluso, C	Part of Term: 1 Date Range: 01/14/19-05/01/19 Special Approval: Departmental Approval Required Credit: 4 hours Section Title: Macro Labor Markets Section Info: ***************RESTRICTED TO MSPE STUDENTS*************** The Macroeconomics of Labor Markets: This is a course in Applied Macroeconomics aimed at advanced undergraduate students. The topics cover recent trends in labor market dynamics such as job polarization, trade shocks, skill-biased technical change, the decline in manufacturing, human capital and wages, and the effects of mismatch. Students in this course will become familiar with a variety of data sources about employment, jobs, and skills; learn about recent trends in the labor market; interpret civic debates and news in the light of these trends; and develop their ability to analyze, expose, and summarize complex economic problems for a wider audience. PREREQUISITES:Intermediate Micro or Macro Economics; Familiarity with constrained optimization, fundamental micro- and macro-economic concepts, and intermediate statistics and econometrics is required. Restriction(s): Restricted to Graduate - Urbana-Champaign. Restricted to MS:Economics:Policy Econ -UIUC.
64026	Lecture-Discussion	H3	9:30AM -10:50AM	MW	209 David Kinley Hall	Poloni Sant Anna, V	Part of Term: 1 Date Range: 01/14/19-05/01/19 Credit: 3 hours Section Title: International Trade Section Info: This course applies economic theory to analyze the trends and patterns of international trade and to understand the interaction between economic development, government policy, and trade. The course will also cover a number of topics of current interest, including the effects of trade barriers such as tariffs and quotas, migration, and off-shoring. ***Advanced ECON courses restricted. Find more information: https://go.economics.illinois.edu/SpringRestrictions Restriction(s): Restricted to Undergrad - Urbana-Champaign.
64175	Lecture-Discussion	I3	2:00PM -3:20PM	MW	215 David Kinley Hall	Baerlocher Carvalho, D	Part of Term: 1 Date Range: 01/14/19-05/01/19 Credit: 3 hours Section Title: Economic Growth Section Info: This course provides a theoretical and empirical examination of economic growth and income differences across countries. The course focuses on both the historical experience of countries that are currently wealthy and the process of catch-up by poor countries. Students are introduced to the latest theoretical tools, data, and insights on economic growth. ***Advanced ECON courses restricted. Find more information: https://go.economics.illinois.edu/SpringRestrictions Restriction(s): Restricted to Undergrad - Urbana-Champaign.
64032	Lecture-Discussion	J3	3:30PM -4:50PM	TR	123 David Kinley Hall	Shakiba, M	Part of Term: 1 Date Range: 01/14/19-05/01/19 Credit: 3 hours Section Title: Economic Growth Section Info: This course provides a theoretical and empirical examination of economic growth and income differences across countries. The course focuses on both the historical experience of countries that are currently wealthy and the process of catch-up by poor countries. Students are introduced to the latest theoretical tools, data, and insights on economic growth. ***Advanced ECON courses restricted. Find more information: https://go.economics.illinois.edu/SpringRestrictions Restriction(s): Restricted to Undergrad - Urbana-Champaign.
57409	Lecture-Discussion	K3	2:00PM -3:20PM	TR	209 David Kinley Hall	Farhoodi, A Khazra, N	Part of Term: 1 Date Range: 01/14/19-05/01/19 Credit: 3 hours Section Title: Applied Machine Learning: Econ Section Info: Applied Machine Learning in Economics: This course gives an overview of different concepts, techniques, and algorithms in machine learning and their applications in economics. We begin with topics such as classification, linear and non-linear regressions and end with more recent topics such as boosting, support vector machines, and Neural networks as time allows. This course will give students the basic knowledge behind these machine learning methods and the ability to utilize them in an economic setting. Students will be led and mentored to develop and solve an economic problem with machine learning methods introduced during the course. PREREQUISITES: ECON 203 & 302, MATH 220/221 Required; ECON 471 or Econometrics knowledge Highly Recommended (we will expect you to be comfortable with econometrics). *Students should have a LAPTOP to bring to this class.* ***Advanced ECON courses restricted. Find more information: https://go.economics.illinois.edu/SpringRestrictions Restriction(s): Restricted to Undergrad - Urbana-Champaign.
57365	Lecture-Discussion	L3	3:30PM -4:50PM	TR	209 David Kinley Hall	Farhoodi, A Khazra, N	Part of Term: 1 Date Range: 01/14/19-05/01/19 Credit: 3 hours Section Title: Applied Machine Learning: Econ Section Info: Applied Machine Learning in Economics: This course gives an overview of different concepts, techniques, and algorithms in machine learning and their applications in economics. We begin with topics such as classification, linear and non-linear regressions and end with more recent topics such as boosting, support vector machines, and Neural networks as time allows. This course will give students the basic knowledge behind these machine learning methods and the ability to utilize them in an economic setting. Students will be led and mentored to develop and solve an economic problem with machine learning methods introduced during the course. PREREQUISITES: ECON 203 & 302, MATH 220/221 Required; ECON 471 or Econometrics knowledge Highly Recommended (we will expect you to be comfortable with econometrics). *Students should have a LAPTOP to bring to this class.* ***Advanced ECON courses restricted. Find more information: https://go.economics.illinois.edu/SpringRestrictions Restriction(s): Restricted to Undergrad - Urbana-Champaign.