Each offering will employ analytical techniques developed in the intermediate-level courses (Economics 300, 320, and 380.) Substantive topics might include, but would not be limited to, economics of the arts, economics of sports, computational finance, international finance, public sector economics, economics of the environment, and studies of specific industries. May be repeated when the topic is different.

Topic for Spring 2020: Topics in the Economic Analysis of Pandemics
The course explores the use of economic analysis and quantitative policy tools to address the public policy challenges of preparing for and responding to the outbreak and spread of infectious diseases (including, of course, the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 current wreaking havoc across the globe). The course covers basic literacy, vocabulary, and concepts related to infectious disease outbreaks, the public policy architecture for preparing and responding to these outbreaks, and the macroeconomic effects of disease pandemics. The course requires some background in quantitative methods and will require a literature review, a quantitative project, or a final paper.