Professors: Marcellus Andrews (term), Andre; Burgstaller, Perry Mehrling, David Weiman (Alena Wels Hirschorn '58 Professor)
Associate Professors: Rajiv Sethi, Alan Dye (Chair), Sharon Harrison, Lalith Munasinghe
Assistant Professors: Mariana Colacelli, Kristin Mammen, Sonia Pereira (Adjunct), Randall Reback, Sanjay Reddy
Other officers of the
University offering courses listed below:
Professors: Alessandra Casella, Yeon-Koo, Pierre-Andre Chiappori, Padma
Desai, Prajit Dutta, Ronald Findlay, Michael Woodford
Associate Professor: Mitali Das, Lena Edlund
Assistant Professors: Stephanie Albanesi, Wojciech Kopczuk, Till von
Wachter
Adjunct Professors: Carl Riskin
Lecturers: Susan Elmes, Sunil Gulati
For a complete list of
faculty on leave see:
http://www.barnard.edu/provost/facleavelist.html
The Department of Economics offers a broad course of study in economic theory and applied economics. The study of economics is an important foundation for a student's general understanding of modern history and society. Barnard's major programs in economics also prepare students for graduate work in economics, business, law, public administration, and international relations, as well as for careers in business, finance, and government. The aims of the programs are: (i) to foster a critical understanding of economics and its relation to other disciplines; and (ii) to develop students' mastery of modern economic theory and its tools of analysis.
Barnard will allow 3 points credit with a score of 4 or 5 on the AP exam in Macroeconomics. Barnard will also allow 3 points credit with a score of 4 or 5 on the AP exam in Microeconomics only if the student passes the Economics Department placement exam. A student who chooses credit for AP Macro and AP Micro cannot receive Barnard credit for ECON BC 1003 or ECON W 1105 (only one AP exam, either macro or micro, can be credited if a student wants also to receive credit for ECON BC 1003 or W 1105). For Statistics, Barnard will allow 3 points credit with a score of 5 on the Statistics AP exam. Economics track majors, however, will not be exempt from the statistics requirement ECON BC 2411 or the equivalent, even if they receive 3 points AP credit for Statistics.
There are two tracks for the major in Economics equal in rigor, but different in scope and focus. The track in Economics teaches students the theory and the analytical and mathematical tools now expected of entering graduate students in economics and useful for graduate study in related fields such as business. The track in Political Economy emphasizes the roots of modern economics in the history of economic thought and the interconnections between social forces, political institutions, and economic power. This track constitutes an excellent preparation for a variety of professional schools and careers.
Prospective majors should discuss their programs with any member of the department no later than the second semester of their sophomore year. At the time of declaring the major, the student meets with the department chair and chooses a major adviser, who will advise her as to choice of program and courses. Students planning to major in Economics or Political Economy should complete both intermediate macro- and microeconomic theory by the beginning of their junior year.
Students who wish to complete a double or joint major that includes Economics should consult the chair of the department as early in their planning as possible.
All majors must file the "Major Requirements Declaration" form-available from the department office-no later than at registration for the second semester of their senior year.
Economics
The Economics track major requires two semesters of calculus (or one semester of ECON BC 1007 Mathematical Methods for Economics) and nine courses in economics, including:
| ECON BC 2411 | Statistics for Economics (or STAT W 1111 or STAT W 1211 Introduction to Statistics) |
| ECON BC 3018 | Econometrics |
| ECON BC 3033 | Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory |
| ECON BC 3035 | Intermediate Microeconomic Theory |
| ECON BC 3041 | Theoretical Foundations of Political Economy; |
two electives with intermediate micro- or macroeconomic theory as a prerequisite; and either ECON BC 3061-62 Senior Thesis, or ECON BC 3063 Senior Seminar and an additional upper-level elective in economics with intermediate micro- or macroeconomic theory as a prerequisite.
Political Economy
The Political Economy track major requires 11 courses, including:
| ECON BC 3033 | Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory |
| ECON BC 3035 | Intermediate Microeconomic Theory |
| ECON BC 3041 | Theoretical Foundations of Political Economy; |
three electives in economics, two of which have intermediate micro- or macroeconomic theory as a prerequisite; two electives in economics (excluding introductory economics) or a related discipline; one upper-level course in political science*; and either ECON BC 3061-62 Senior Thesis, or ECON BC 3063 Senior Seminar and an additional upper-level elective in Economics with intermediate micro- or macroeconomic theory as a prerequisite.
*The following political science courses are not considered upper level:
| BC 1001 | Dynamics of American Politics |
| V 1501 | Introduction to Comparative Politics |
| V 1601 | International Politics |
| BC 1013 | Political Theory |
We recommend that all Political Economy track majors-especially those who plan to go on to business school or to graduate school in public administration or international relations-take one semester of college-credit math (either pre-calculus or calculus or ECON BC 1007) and Economics BC 2411. Political Economy track majors who plan to go on to graduate school Ph.D. programs in economics should take two years of mathematics, including one year of calculus or ECON BC 1007, and statistics and econometrics.
Mathematics Training for the Major
The department expects all majors to have a working knowledge of arithmetic, high school algebra, and the fundamentals of analytic geometry.
Economics track majors may take ECON BC 1007 Mathematical Methods for Economics to satisfy the calculus requirement. If majors take calculus to satisfy the major requirement, two semesters of calculus are required although only one semester need be taken if the student has received advanced placement credit or has placed out of Calculus 1. The recommended calculus sequence is MATH V1101, Calculus I followed by MATH V1201, Calculus III. (Students who have not previously studied calculus should begin with Calculus I. Students with 3 or higher on the Calculus AB or BC advanced placement test may start with MATH V1102 Calculus II. Students with 5 on the Calculus BC test may start with Calculus III.)
The minor in economics requires five courses, including an introductory course in economics, BC 3033 or BC 3035, and three electives, one of which has an intermediate micro- or macroeconomic theory course as a prerequisite.
Printable Version
Barnard Catalogue 2008-2009