Course Title: PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS

Course Prefix & Number: ECON 2301

Section Number:  341

Semester: Spring 2017

Semester Credit Hours: 3

Lecture Hours: 3

Lab Hours: N/A

Course Description (NCTC Catalog):

An analysis of the economy as a whole including measurement and determination of Aggregate Demand and Aggregate Supply, national income, inflation, and unemployment. Other topics include international trade, economic growth, business cycles, and fiscal policy and monetary policy. 48 lecture hours.

Course Prerequisite(s): None

Required Materials:

Macroeconomics: Principles, Problems, & Policies (ebook with ConnectPlus with LearnSmart) by McConnell, Brue, & Flynn, McGraw Hill, 20th edition, 9781259278563.  Students can purchase a loose leaf book directly from McGraw Hill when registering Connect Access.

Connect Access:  The textbook, LearnSmart, and Connect activities are all maintained within the McGraw-Hill Connect System.  Students need to be enrolled immediately in Connect, which can be purchased at the bookstore, or online directly from McGraw-Hill in Canvas on the first day of class.  Temporary access can be obtained from McGraw-Hill for 14 days.  Students must be enrolled by the end of Day 1, as assignment are due immediately.

Name of Instructor:

Melissa Blankenship

Campus/Office Location:

FM 107 (Faculty Workroom)

Telephone Number:

972-899-8400 x8504

E-mail Address:

mblankenship@nctc.edu

Office Hours:

MWF 8am-9am, 10am-12noon (FM 107)

TTh 12:30-2pm (Online)

At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:

Explain the role of scarcity, specialization, opportunity cost and cost/benefit analysis in

economic decision-making.

Identify the determinants of supply and demand; demonstrate the impact of shifts in both market supply and demand curves on equilibrium price and output.

Define and measure national income and rates of unemployment and inflation.

Identify the phases of the business cycle and the problems caused by cyclical fluctuations in the market economy.

Define money and the money supply; describe the process of money creation by the

banking system and the role of the central bank.

Construct the aggregate demand and aggregate supply model of the macro economy and use it to illustrate macroeconomic problems and potential monetary and fiscal policy solutions.

Explain the mechanics and institutions of international trade and their impact on the

macro economy.

# of Graded Course Elements

Graded Course Elements

Percentage or Point Values

22

Homework and LearnSmart

110

9

Quizzes

225

2

Projects

150

5

Discussion Boards

125

3

Exams

600

Grading Policy & Procedures

The 2 lowest homework grades will be dropped.  The lowest quiz grade will be dropped.  No late assignments will be accepted.  The lowest exam grade will be dropped.  There will be 3 unit exams and a final cumulative exam.  If a student is happy with their grade after the 3 unit exams, they may choose not to take the final exam.  No makeup exams are given – you must check the schedule and notify me at the beginning of the course if you have a conflict with an exam date.  Students MUST complete the post-test in order to have their lowest grade dropped.

Extra credit assignments are NOT guaranteed and will be given at the discretion of the instructor.  Any extra credit will be assigned to enhance the learning experience and not simply to raise a grade.

CANVAS/CONNECT ACCESS:  All students must have complete access to Canvas for the entire semester.  It is the student’s responsibility to have access to the internet at all times, as well as having all needed programs to complete an online course.  Students are not to give any other person access to his/her Canvas account.  Students can be removed from the online course immediately for violating this rule.  Once a student has given another person access to his/her Canvas account, the credibility of any work becomes questionable.

Assignments must be submitted via Canvas/Connect.  No assignments will be accepted via email.

Projects:

To help students relate to economics in the “real” world, there will be two assignments intended to connect the study of economics to popular culture.  These assignments are intended to be fun – I promise!

The EconSelfie assignment requires students to compose a “selfie” that illustrates an economic concept and post that picture to a discussion board.

The Economics in Pop Culture assignment requires students to find an example of an economic principle in some sort of popular culture.  This could include a movie, a book, a comic strip, or even a video game!  Students will prepare some sort of presentation to illustrate the pop culture economic reference.  More details available in Canvas.

Tentative Course  Schedule

All dates subject to change.  Please refer to the Canvas calendar for most current schedule.

LS = LearnSmart Modules

HW = Homework Assignments

Other Pertinent Information

v  Academic Dishonesty will not be tolerated in this course.  You are not to give any person (which includes parents, spouses, friends, etc) access to your Canvas account at any time during the semester.  If you do, you are putting the integrity of the course work completed in question.  Do not ask someone to email me on your behalf in Canvas.  If you have an emergency and cannot contact me yourself, it is best to have an alternative persona contact me on my office phone, 972-899-8400 x8504, or my NCTC email address: mblankenship@nctc.edu.  Again, do not give anyone access to your Canvas account.  Any student who cheats on any course material (exams, assignment, post tests) will immediately fail the course and academic dishonesty papers will be filed with the Dean and VP of Instruction.

v Last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” is April 6, 2017.

Disability Services (OSD)

The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides accommodations for students who have a documented disability.  A disability is anything that can interfere with learning, such as a learning disability, psychological challenge, physical illness or injury. Accommodations may include extra time on tests, tests in a distraction reduced environment, volunteer note taker in class, etc.

On the Corinth Campus, go to room 170 or call 940-498-6207. On the Gainesville Campus, go to room 110 in the Administration (100) Building or call 940-668-4209.  Students on the Bowie, Graham, Flower Mound, and online campuses should call 940-668-4209 to arrange for an intake appointment with OSD.

North Central Texas College is on record as being committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, ADA Amendments Act of 2009, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-112).

http://www.nctc.edu/StudentServices/SupportServices/Disabilityservices.aspx  

STUDENT HANDBOOK

Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the student handbook. http://nctc.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2014-2015/Catalog/North-Central-Texas-College-Student-Handbook

Support Services

Counseling and Testing staff offer a variety of services to current and prospective students, such as College 101, placement testing, academic advising and course registration, transfer assistance, and College Success seminars (Time Management, Study Skills, Test Anxiety, Choosing a Major, Learning Style Strategies, Career Exploration), and much more.  http://www.nctc.edu/StudentServices/CounselingTesting.aspx

 Student Success offers academic coaching, tutoring, including a Writing Center, a Math Lab, free 24/7 online tutoring through Grade Results and assist new students acclimate to college by providing computer lab services for prospective students.   First generation students can also participate in TRIO which offers specialized support services.

http://www.nctc.edu/StudentServices/SupportServices.aspx

Financial Aid offers financial resources for students that qualify, visit the financial aid offices for more information.  http://www.nctc.edu/FInancialAidHome.aspx

EEOC Statement

  North Central Texas College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, or disability in the employment or the provision of services.

Name of Chair/Coordinator:

Donna Hooper

Office Location:

Corinth 209

Telephone Number:

940-498-6266

E-mail Address:

dhooper@nctc.edu

Name of Instructional Dean:

Dr. Larry Gilbert

Office Location:

Corinth 305

Telephone Number:

940-498-6216

E-mail Address:

lgilbert@nctc.edu