Beginning graduate microeconomics covering consumer and producer theory, price determination, economic efficiency, and welfare analysis.

Philosophical foundations of economics as a science and economic research. Developing skills for planning, performing, reporting, and evaluating economic research. Critical thinking about the research process, reading about and discussing research methodology, analyzing the logic and reasoning of other economists’ research articles, and developing a research project.

Overview of market planning in the food industry, with emphasis on survey design and implementation. Graduate students will lead teams of undergraduates as they work with clients to develop tailored market plans.

The role of sustainable economic development of less developed economies. Microeconomic dimensions of agricultural development, food security, agricultural production and supply, foreign assistance, and government programming.

This course deals with the estimation and inference of statistical parameters that describe the data generating process of a society, the process that cannot be reproduced like in a pure science experimentation. In other words, the data are generated from economic systems of equations that are stochastic, dynamic, and simultaneous. An attempt is made to obtain the best, unbiased, and consistent estimates of the statistical parameters that describe the inherent economic phenomena.

This course will introduce students to issues of ethics and equity in the contemporary practice of data science. The ability to collect, store, process, and analyze ever greater amounts of data offers great opportunities, as well as potential perils. This course will provide examine the ethical implications of data collection, usage, and distribution. Topics will include systematic approaches to assessing ethical issues; privacy and confidentiality; defining research and the responsibilities associated with conducting ethical research; implicit and structural biases in data collection and analysis.

Analysis of the interactive relationship between the economy and climate change. Use of advanced principles and tools of economics to focus on the costs of changes in the severity and frequency of weather events, how these costs are influenced by markets and policies, and how costs and benefits are distributed across populations within the U.S and across the globe in the short and long terms. Examination of household, firm-level, national and international decision-making as influenced by climate change, taking into account uncertainty, diverging interests, external costs, and evaluation of models used to alternative scenarios.

Natural resource use and environmental quality analysis using economic theory. Reviews of empirical research and relevant policy issues.

Theoretical foundations and applications of benefit-cost analysis in project appraisal and in evaluation of public policies regarding resource management and environmental protection.

Analysis of international trade and trade policy focusing on agricultural and food markets. Covers trade-related issues concerning economic development and growth. Focus on current challenges to the multilateral trading system and the theoretical foundation for understanding the economic importance of firms, international trade, and global capital flows. Introduction of methods and tools for counterfactual evaluation of trade policies. Statistical modeling techniques to analyze trade patterns and measure trade policy effects.

Introduction to course development and strategies for effective teaching. Students will be expected to attend teaching workshops, meet weekly with the instructor and their peers to discuss teaching-related topics, and work on developing their course materials including syllabi, course learning goals, lectures, and assessments.

Topics and credits to be published prior to the registration period preceding the semester offerings.

This course provides the opportunity for graduate students to carry on independent reading or research in the field of the student's needs and interests.

Professional or project based work in applied economics and policy related to agribusiness management, marketing and financial analysis, food systems, environmental and resource management, sustainability, or economic development. Requires a learning agreement and student's advisor approval.

Teaching practicum in the field of applied economics and policy related to agribusiness management, marketing and financial analysis, food systems, environmental and resource management, sustainability, economic development, and data analysis. Requires a learning agreement and student's advisor approval.

Philosophical foundations of economics as a science and economic research. Developing skills for planning, performing, reporting, and evaluating economic research. Critical thinking about the research process, reading about and discussing research methodology, analyzing the logic and reasoning of other economists’ research articles, and developing a research project.

Overview of the current applied literature on the microeconomics of development in poor countries, as well as examples from the US. Topics include the role of land policies, agriculture, human capital, health, education, the internal structure of households (neoclassical and bargaining) and the functioning of markets.

Expose students to techniques in applied economics research. Students will learn models - derivations, assumptions, and issues. The models will be practiced utilizing empirical data and interpreting results in light of economic and econometric theory.

An introduction to econometric methods used in contemporary applied economic data analysis. Emphasis on learning how to operationalize different estimation techniques in standard statistical software.

Theory and practice of field-based program experiments, often referred to as randomized controlled trials (RCTs). All aspects of experimental program evaluation, including the design of evaluation strategy and working with survey and program staff. Examples from both developing country contexts and Western country program evaluation.

(Also offered as ECON 6466.) Economic analysis of environmental problems and corrective policy instruments. Theory of externalities and public goods, role of uncertainty and imperfect information in policy design, benefit-cost analysis, and non-market valuation. Applications to environmental problems (such as air and water pollution, hazardous waste, and occupational health and safety).

Economic concepts and issues related to the allocation of stock resources through time, the use and protection of flow resources, and the role of natural resources in economic growth.

Develops a broad perspective on the peer-reviewed literature concerning the frontier areas of contemporary environmental economics, with an emphasis on incentive and market-based approaches to ecosystem services, valuation of environmental quality and assets, interface between experimental and environmental economics, including such topics as land use change, conservation, pollution control, water resource services, forest ecosystem management. Students will develop critical thinking skills evaluating published studies and identifying gaps in methodology and knowledge for future research.

Empirical Industrial Organization models that use simultaneous equations, discrete choice, and/or nonlinear econometric methods to analyze conduct and performance of brands and firms in noncompetitive industries. Includes static and dynamic modeling of pricing and advertising in differentiated product oligopolies. Antitrust policy applications in the U.S. and E.U.

Participation in research seminars presented by invited scholars and departmental faculty as well as active presentation of students' own research to colleagues and faculty.

May be repeated to a maximum of 12 credits with a change of topic. Topics and credits to be published prior to the registration period preceding the semester offerings.