International Economics

Description

It’s an exciting time to study economics. The 21st-century has given rise to some of the most turbulent times in financial history worldwide, and you’ll be challenged to ask key questions—and find research-based solutions—to the contemporary set of problems facing our world:

• Why are some countries rich and others poor?
• How do we control the rising cost of housing?
• Do higher minimum wage laws help or hurt the working-class?

Explore our undergraduate majors in Economics or International Economics and our graduate programs in Economics.

Here at Suffolk, you’ll have access to top-notch research facilities, including an Economics Computer Lab with professional-quality data applications. You’ll also be connected to the widely respected Beacon Hill Institute (BHI), a free-market think-tank that works closely with the department. Students are encouraged to conduct research for BHI—and it’s not unusual to find your research cited in the media. Recent BHI research has been highlighted in US News & World Report, The Huffington Post, The Boston Globe, The Boston Herald, and The Houston Chronicle.

Detailed Course Facts

• USD 16265 Semester (National)

Full-time: 12-17 credits per semester $16,265

• English

Course Content

Major Requirements for BS in International Economics: 9 courses, 36 credits

Students who wish to acquire a strong background in economics should choose the BS, which emphasizes economic decision making within a global environment.

General Major Requirements (8 courses, 32 credits)

• EC-101 Applied Microeconomics

  Prerequisites:

  Non CAS majors need to have completed at least 16 credits.

  Credits:

  4.00

  Description:

  This course introduces students to foundational principles of microeconomic theory, with an emphasis on applications of concepts to management decision-making in specific industry and market settings. It describes and analyzes the interaction of supply and demand and the behavior of the prices of goods, services. It explains the determinations of costs, output, strategic pricing, and governance by firms under conditions of perfect and imperfect competition in a global economy. In addition, it describes the supply demand for factors of production and the impact of taxes and government regulation and intervention on firms and consumers.

  Type:

  Social Science,BSJ SOCIAL SCIENCE

• EC-102 Global Macroeconomics

  Prerequisites:

  Non-CAS majors need to have completed at least 16 credits

  Credits:

  4.00

  Description:

  This course examines the workings of the national and the global economy. It will describe the determination of Gross Domestic Product, the problems of unemployment, inflation, and the determination of economic growth. It will also describe and analyze the determination of the country's exchange rate, the balance of payments, and international borrowing and lending. A particular focus will be on understanding economic fluctuations (booms, busts, and recessions) in the domestic economy and its effects on other economies. It will analyze the role of the government and the effects of government spending and taxation on the economy. Furthermore, it will describe and analyze the determination of the quantity of money and interest rates in the economy and the role of the country's central bank. It examines the basis and pattern of international trade and the effects of a country's trade policy on the economy.

  Type:

  Social Science,BSJ SOCIAL SCIENCE

• STATS-250 Applied Statistics

  Prerequisites:

  MATH 128 or higher

  Credits:

  4.00

  Description:

  Application of statistical analysis to real-world business and economic problems. Topics include data presentation, descriptive statistics including measures of location and dispersion, introduction to probability, discrete and continuous random variables, probability distributions including binomial and normal distributions, sampling and sampling distributions, statistical inference including estimation and hypothesis testing, simple and multiple regression analysis. The use of computers is emphasized throughout the course. Normally offered each semester.

  Type:

  Quantitative Reasoning

• STATS-350 Applied Statistical Methods

  Prerequisites:

  STATS 250

  Credits:

  4.00

  Description:

  This application-oriented course is designed to go beyond the topics covered in STATS 250. It includes topics like Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), special topics in regression analysis and index numbers. Further, time series data, which consist of values corresponding to different time intervals, are analyzed. The objective is to examine past time series values to forecast, or predict future values. Seasonal variations are also incorporated in the forecasts. The course will provide useful computer skills involving various statistical packages and is an excellent preparation for graduate work in business and social sciences.

  Type:

  Social Science

• EC-430 International Trade Theory & Policy

  Prerequisites:

  EC 101 and EC 102

  Credits:

  4.00

  Description:

  This course examines theories of international trade. The policy implications of each theory are explored and the effect of trade on the welfare of the nation is examined. Also the development of trade blocs and the the political economy of trade are studied. Normally offered every year.

  Type:

  Social Science,BSJ SOCIAL SCIENCE

• EC-442 International Monetary Economics

  Prerequisites:

  EC 101 and EC 102

  Credits:

  4.00

  Description:

  The balance of payments and foreign exchange markets and instruments, and the determination of exchange rates. Balance-of-payments adjustments under alternative exchange-rate systems, international liquidity, international economics policy and open economy macroeconomics.

  Type:

  Social Science,BSJ SOCIAL SCIENCE

Choose one of the following Economics courses:

• EC-141 Development Economics

  Credits:

  4.00

  Description:

  Why do so many countries remain so poor? Why have some (e.g. the Asian tigers) grown so rapidly? Why have most of the countries of Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union been slow to ignite economic growth? These questions are addressed by looking at domestic factors (government policies, resource endowments) as well as the international environment (mobile investors, international financial institutions). Asks what economic choices these countries face now. Normally offered yearly. Cultural Diversity B

  Type:

  Cultural Diversity Opt B,Social Science,Asian Studies,BSJ SOCIAL SCIENCE

• EC-151 Economic & Human Geography

  Credits:

  4.00

  Description:

  The study of how economic and human activity is distributed across space, the reasons for these spatial distributions, and the processes that change the spatial organization of economic activity over time. Topics include: maps, map projections, and geographic information systems; population geography; the organization and location of cities, towns and villages; transportation and communication policy; industrial location; the geography of world trade; and geographic features of economic development. The course takes a global perspective, and draws on cases and examples from all over the world. Cultural Diversity B

  Type:

  Cultural Diversity Opt B,Social Science,BSJ SOCIAL SCIENCE,Asian Studies

Choose one of the following Economics courses:

• EC-311 Intermediate Micro Theory

  Prerequisites:

  EC 101 and EC 102

  Credits:

  4.00

  Description:

  Theory of consumer behavior and demand. Theory of production and costs of production. Theory of the firm, and price and output decisions in different market structures, i.e., under perfect competition, monopoly, monopolistic competition and oligopoly. Decisions relating to pricing and employment of various inputs (labor and capital) under perfectly competitive, and less than perfectly competitive, resource markets. Required of all majors in Economics. Normally offered every semester.

  Type:

  Social Science,BSJ SOCIAL SCIENCE

• EC-312 Intermediate Macro Theory

  Prerequisites:

  EC-101 and EC-102

  Credits:

  4.00

  Description:

  This course covers the neoclassical and Keynesian models of aggregate economic activity. Coverage of the measurement of economic variables, such as aggregate income, the inflation rate, and the unemployment rate. Examines the behavior of the economy under conditions of price flexibility in the long run and price rigidity in the short run under rational and adaptive expectations. Analysis of the effect of changes in taxes and government expenditures, monetary policy and deficits on the economy. Coverage of the sources of economic growth. Required of all majors in Economics. Normally offered every semester.

  Type:

  Social Science,BSJ SOCIAL SCIENCE

Electives (1 course, 4 credits)

Choose 1 elective from the Economics course list.

Students who wish to acquire a broad liberal arts preparation with a strong emphasis on languages and cultures should choose the BA. Students choosing the BA take 5 courses in French or Spanish. Those who enter the program with considerable foreign language experience will be required to take alternative courses as determined by advisor.

General Major Requirements (6 courses, 24 credits)

• EC-101 Applied Microeconomics

  Prerequisites:

  Non CAS majors need to have completed at least 16 credits.

  Credits:

  4.00

  Description:

  This course introduces students to foundational principles of microeconomic theory, with an emphasis on applications of concepts to management decision-making in specific industry and market settings. It describes and analyzes the interaction of supply and demand and the behavior of the prices of goods, services. It explains the determinations of costs, output, strategic pricing, and governance by firms under conditions of perfect and imperfect competition in a global economy. In addition, it describes the supply demand for factors of production and the impact of taxes and government regulation and intervention on firms and consumers.

  Type:

  Social Science,BSJ SOCIAL SCIENCE

• EC-102 Global Macroeconomics

  Prerequisites:

  Non-CAS majors need to have completed at least 16 credits

  Credits:

  4.00

  Description:

  This course examines the workings of the national and the global economy. It will describe the determination of Gross Domestic Product, the problems of unemployment, inflation, and the determination of economic growth. It will also describe and analyze the determination of the country's exchange rate, the balance of payments, and international borrowing and lending. A particular focus will be on understanding economic fluctuations (booms, busts, and recessions) in the domestic economy and its effects on other economies. It will analyze the role of the government and the effects of government spending and taxation on the economy. Furthermore, it will describe and analyze the determination of the quantity of money and interest rates in the economy and the role of the country's central bank. It examines the basis and pattern of international trade and the effects of a country's trade policy on the economy.

  Type:

  Social Science,BSJ SOCIAL SCIENCE

• EC-430 International Trade Theory & Policy

  Prerequisites:

  EC 101 and EC 102

  Credits:

  4.00

  Description:

  This course examines theories of international trade. The policy implications of each theory are explored and the effect of trade on the welfare of the nation is examined. Also the development of trade blocs and the the political economy of trade are studied. Normally offered every year.

  Type:

  Social Science,BSJ SOCIAL SCIENCE

• EC-442 International Monetary Economics

  Prerequisites:

  EC 101 and EC 102

  Credits:

  4.00

  Description:

  The balance of payments and foreign exchange markets and instruments, and the determination of exchange rates. Balance-of-payments adjustments under alternative exchange-rate systems, international liquidity, international economics policy and open economy macroeconomics.

  Type:

  Social Science,BSJ SOCIAL SCIENCE

• STATS-250 Applied Statistics

  Prerequisites:

  MATH 128 or higher

  Credits:

  4.00

  Description:

  Application of statistical analysis to real-world business and economic problems. Topics include data presentation, descriptive statistics including measures of location and dispersion, introduction to probability, discrete and continuous random variables, probability distributions including binomial and normal distributions, sampling and sampling distributions, statistical inference including estimation and hypothesis testing, simple and multiple regression analysis. The use of computers is emphasized throughout the course. Normally offered each semester.

  Type:

  Quantitative Reasoning

Choose one of the following economics courses:

• EC-141 Development Economics

  Credits:

  4.00

  Description:

  Why do so many countries remain so poor? Why have some (e.g. the Asian tigers) grown so rapidly? Why have most of the countries of Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union been slow to ignite economic growth? These questions are addressed by looking at domestic factors (government policies, resource endowments) as well as the international environment (mobile investors, international financial institutions). Asks what economic choices these countries face now. Normally offered yearly. Cultural Diversity B

  Type:

  Cultural Diversity Opt B,Social Science,Asian Studies,BSJ SOCIAL SCIENCE

• EC-151 Economic & Human Geography

  Credits:

  4.00

  Description:

  The study of how economic and human activity is distributed across space, the reasons for these spatial distributions, and the processes that change the spatial organization of economic activity over time. Topics include: maps, map projections, and geographic information systems; population geography; the organization and location of cities, towns and villages; transportation and communication policy; industrial location; the geography of world trade; and geographic features of economic development. The course takes a global perspective, and draws on cases and examples from all over the world. Cultural Diversity B

  Type:

  Cultural Diversity Opt B,Social Science,BSJ SOCIAL SCIENCE,Asian Studies

World Language Requirement (5 courses, 20 credits)

5 courses in French or Spanish

Requirements

We do not use specific minimums for scores or grades in the decision process, but weigh all factors together to gain a whole view of you and your potential for success as a Suffolk University student:

• Level and range of high school courses selected
• Grades achieved (official high school transcript with senior year grades)
• SAT or ACT scores (our code is 3771)
• Recommendations (two required; one from a guidance counselor, one from a teacher)
• The essay
• Other required forms
• Admission interview (optional)
• Transfer students should view the transfer requirements page for more details.

In high school, you should have completed:

• Four units of English
• Three units of mathematics (algebra I and II and geometry)
• Two units of science (at least one with a lab)
• Two units of language
• One unit of American history
• Four units distributed among other college preparatory electives

We may also consider other factors in the review process, such as:

• Class rank
• Honors courses
• AP courses

We are also very interested in personal qualities that will offer us further insights into you as an applicant, including:

• Admission interview
• Extracurricular involvement
• Community service
• Special interests

Work Experience

No work experience is required.

Related Scholarships*

• Academic Excellence Scholarship

  "The Academic Excellence Scholarship can provide up to a 50 % reduction in tuition per semester. These scholarships will be renewed if the student maintains superior academic performance during each semester of their 3-year Bachelor programme. The scholarship will be directly applied to the student’s tuition fees."

• Alumni Study Travel Fund

  Scholarships for students who are already attending the University of Reading.

• Amsterdam Merit Scholarships

  The University of Amsterdam aims to attract the world’s brightest students to its international classrooms. Outstanding students from outside the European Economic Area can apply for an Amsterdam Merit Scholarship.

* The scholarships shown on this page are suggestions first and foremost. They could be offered by other organisations than Suffolk University.