This course is an introduction to educational foundations. This course is designed to introduce you to the basic structure, function, and history of American education, and to give you perspective on important contemporary issues in the field. Includes directed observation in school settings. Not open to students who have had two or more courses in the department. Enrollment limited to 35.

Admission by permission of the department, normally for majors and minors who have had four semester courses in economics above the introductory level. Students contemplating a special studies should read the guidelines for special studies in the department's "Handbook for Prospective Majors." on the departments webpage: www.smith.edu/economics. This is a full-year course.

Admission to special studies is by permission of the department, normally for majors who have had four semester courses in economics above the introductory level. Students contemplating a special studies should read the guidelines for special studies in the department's "Guidebook for Prospective Majors" on the department's webpage: www.smith.edu/economics.

Admission to special studies is by permission of the department. (E) Variable credit 1-4.

PENDING CAP APPROVAL This seminar focuses on four aspects of international financial markets: (1) International Portfolio Diversification with an emphasis on the role of the emerging economies; (2) Global Financial Crises and their impact on the economy; (3) Global Economic Imbalances provides an analysis of comparison of saver economies such as China, Germany and Japan with that of the borrowing economies such as the US; (4) The Foreign Exchange Market focuses on currency crises and international disputes about China's exchange rate policy.

Topics course. Many countries today face rapidly aging populations. The economic consequences will pose enormous challenges to policymakers. What are the implications of an aging population for the sustainability of pension funds and health care systems? for labor force growth and productivity growth? for savings and asset markets? for the demand for public and private goods? What policy options have economists offered to deal with these issues? In this seminar we will study these questions and more from both microeconomic and macroeconomic perspectives.

Topics course. An exploration of several of the following topics in the economics of higher education: the economic returns to a college education; the additional economic returns to attending an elite college; the determinants of college admissions; the role of SAT scores in determining performance in college; the construction and effects of The U.S. News rankings of colleges; peer effects in colleges; and the current (and future) crisis in funding higher education. Throughout the course an emphasis will be placed on empirically testing economic hypotheses using several databases.

Builds a cohesive theoretical framework within which to analyze the workings of the macroeconomy. Current issues relating to key macroeconomic variables such as output, inflation and unemployment are examined within this framework. The role of government policy, both in the short run and the long run, is also assessed. Prerequisite ECO153, MTH 111 or its equivalent.

Builds a cohesive theoretical framework within which to analyze the workings of the macroeconomy. Current issues relating to key macroeconomic variables such as output, inflation and unemployment are examined within this framework. The role of government policy, both in the short run and the long run, is also assessed. Prerequisite ECO153, MTH 111 or its equivalent.

Builds a cohesive theoretical framework within which to analyze the workings of the macroeconomy. Current issues relating to key macroeconomic variables such as output, inflation and unemployment are examined within this framework. The role of government policy, both in the short run and the long run, is also assessed. Prerequisite ECO153, MTH 111 or its equivalent.