Economics Courses
Introduction to microeconomic analysis concentrating on consumer and producer behavior, competitive and imperfect markets, public policy and regulation, and income distribution.
Introduction to macroeconomic analysis concentrating on national income, price levels, employment, monetary and fiscal policies, and international trade and development. Students are limited to three attempts for this course, excluding withdrawals.
This course covers the same material as EC 110 but in a depth appropriate for honors students. It is an introduction to microeconomic analysis concentrating on consumer behavior, producer behavior, and market structure. All topics will be explored in more detail than EC 110, using math and graphic tools, additional readings and creative discussion sessions. Students are limited to three attempts for this course, excluding withdrawals. Students cannot receive credit for both EC 110 and EC 112.
This course covers the same material as EC 111 but in a depth appropriate for honors students. Topics include national income, price levels, employment, monetary and fiscal policies, and international trade and development. All topics will be explored in more detail, using math and graphic tools, additional readings and creative discussion sessions. Students cannot receive credit for both EC 111 and EC 113. Students are limited to three attempts for this course, excluding withdrawals.
Examination of the theory of price and the theory of resource allocation. Topics include demand theory, production and cost functions, pricing and output under competitive and noncompetitive conditions, resource markets, and rudiments of general equilibrium analysis. Students cannot receive credit for both EC 308 and EC 310.
A study of the theoretical framework underlying income, employment, and growth analysis. Students cannot receive credit for both EC 309 and EC 311.
This course covers the same material as EC 308 but in a depth appropriate for honors students. It focuses on how economic agents make optimal decisions given scarce resources and technological constraints. Topics include consumer behavior, producer behavior, and market structure. Students cannot receive credit for both EC 308 and EC 310.
This course covers the same material as EC 309, which is a study of the theoretical framework underlying income, employment, and growth analysis, but in a depth appropriate for honors students. Students cannot receive credit for both EC 309 and EC 311.
Not open to majors in economics and finance. Uses basic economic theory to assess real-world business and economic conditions at the micro and macro levels. This course may not count toward the Economics major, but may count toward the Economics minor or specialization.
This course will use the tools of economic analysis to analyze public policy issues and to explore the intersections between the law and economics. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.
Survey of the analytical techniques used by economists to forecast the macro and micro levels of economic activity and the effects of public policy on the economy. Computing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course.
This course will introduce you to the field of behavioral economics – the economic study of human behavior in individual choices, social interactions, and markets motivated by the goal to improve the descriptive accuracy and explanatory power of traditional economic analysis. Students will explore behavioral economics from the perspective of different methodologies, focusing on fundamental concepts and their applications at different levels of social aggregation (e.g., individuals, groups, and markets).
Course focuses on the application of economic theories to sports and the sports industry and understanding the behavior of economic agents in sports. Students who complete the course will gain insight into economics, understand how to apply economic models to explain observed behavior in sport, and appreciate empirical economic evidence generated from sports-related data.
Analysis of the role of money in the economy and the conduct of monetary policy. Emphasis is given to the money supply process, the demand for money, and the choice of monetary-policy strategies and procedures.
Analysis of the economics of community growth and the application of economic principles in solving problems and exploiting opportunities generated by the process of urban development.
Introduction to the field of international finance. Course deals primarily with international financial markets and the macroeconomics of international financial flows. Topics include foreign exchange and international securities markets and international banking.
This course emphasizes statistical methods for analyzing data used by social scientists. Topics include simple and multiple regression analyses and the various methods of detecting and correcting data problems such as autocorrelation and heteroscedasticity.
In this course, we focus on the empirical techniques mostly used in the analysis of financial markets and how they are applied to actual data. We will begin with calculations and stylized facts of financial asset prices and returns. We next introduce statistical and econometric models to capture or reproduce these data features, mainly relying on time series models, estimations and tests. The first application is to apply these techniques to solve the practical financial issue of portfolio optimization. And then, we continue to time-varying asset returns to search for predictors of financial asset returns using CAPM model. To estimate the financial markets/assets fluctuations and the portfolio uncertainty, we start to learn conditional volatility models, including ARCH, GARCH, etc. Finally, from the perspective of risk management, we introduce the tools to estimate market risk of financial assets.
An introduction to game theory with emphasis on application. Game theory is a toolbox for analyzing situations where decision makers influence one another.
This course introduces students to the field of experimental economics. The course covers methodological issues with designing and conducting experiments and interpreting the results.
Survey of the techniques used to estimate benefits of environmental improvements, and an analysis of public policy relating to the environment and use of natural resources.
An investigation of the microeconomics of the American health care delivery system. The course focuses on the demand for and supply of health care services and emphasizes the efficiency and equity characteristics of the system.
Students can apply a maximum of 6 credits of EC 491 toward their degree.
Students are selected through a competitive process for assignments in approved business or public sector organizations. Students can apply a maximum of 3 credits of EC 492 toward their degree.
This course teaches students how to analyze policy and program impacts using data. Students will learn several prominent research designs for identifying causal effects, such as matching, instrumental variables, regression discontinuity, and difference-in-differences. Students will also learn to implement these strategies using a statistical software. Students will complete a research project in which they identify a question, build a dataset, apply an appropriate empirical method, and then write up their process and findings, with the ultimate objective of evaluating the effect of the policy or economic issue under evaluation.
Students can apply a maximum of 9 credits of of EC 497 toward their degree.
Finance Courses
Overview of the financial systems in which business operates, with emphasis on financial institutions, instruments, and markets.
Study of financial objectives of business enterprise, sources of capital, and financial management of business assets. Emphasis is on establishing a framework for making financing, investing, and dividend decisions. Students are limited to three attempts for this course, excluding withdrawals.
Introduction to fundamental principles of saving and of equity investing with a value-based approach, informing an in-depth study of the idea generation, business/industry analysis and financial statement analysis phases of the equity investment process. This course will provide students with a useful understanding of what a professional in any field requiring business-related research, analysis, and valuation skills does on a daily basis to analyze corporate strategies, understand industry dynamics, assess competitive advantages, and evaluate corporate management and strategy. Students will also be introduced to common methods to value securities.
Survey of various aspects of real estate business and economics, including marketing, finance, development, law, appraising, etc.
This course builds on FI 331 - Principles of Real Estate course. It offers an in-depth examination of licensing laws in Alabama and other state specific materials. This course, together with FI 331, satisfy the educational requirement (60 hours of for-credit education) for taking the Alabama Real Estate Salesperson exam, which is required for licensure.
To teach students about financial assets as vehicles for saving for the future. Students will also learn how to invest in a combination of assets to meet their objectives and how their objectives may change over their life span.
Introduction to the components of computerized management information systems and applications of computer-based systems to business decisions. Computing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course.
Builds on the foundation laid in the business core to extend the student's knowledge of basic finance into the areas of operation and management of financial institutions and financial markets and investments.
Development of advanced practices of financial management and their application to decision making in the business firm.
An overall view of the financing process and the role of financial markets. Areas covered are characteristics of instruments traded in money and capital markets; determinants of and the relationships between different asset prices; and international aspects of financial markets.
Study of the various investment media together with analysis models of investment management. Emphasis is on investment decision making and portfolio analysis.
Advanced models for investment management are developed and their application in decision making is discussed. Emphasis is on the use of models for portfolio selection.
Analysis of the role of money in the economy and the conduct of monetary policy. Emphasis is given to the money supply process, the demand for money, and the choice of monetary-policy strategies and procedures.
Addresses managing financial risks such as adverse stock price movements, adverse interest rate changes and adverse commodity price changes with specific attention given to employing futures, options and swap contracts.
This course continues to develop the practical skills involved in fundamental equity investing, particularly with respect to proprietary research, business-model and competitive analysis, financial analysis, financial modeling and valuation. Students will also examine key findings and practical implications of behavioral finance (the study of the psychology of financial decision-making) and gain valuable experience in preparing and making investment-case presentations.
Informed by the participation of professional investors, students will further hone their equity research, analysis, valuation, and presentation skills through in-depth, real-time case studies of companies and situations that can present investment opportunities, such as neglected stocks, turnarounds, “compounders” and cyclicals. Students will also learn fundamental principles of equity-portfolio construction and management, including position sizing, portfolio diversification and managing risks.
In this course, students will manage a faculty-advised equity investment fund. Students will receive training and experience in all aspects of fundamental equity investing, including idea generation, financial statement analysis, industry and competitive research and analysis, financial modeling, valuation, and making investment-case presentations in both written and oral form. After new members go through a formal training process, they are assigned to industry-specific committees where the bulk of the group’s work takes place. Members start as analysts and during their time in the group have leadership opportunities as committee heads and on the group’s elected management board, which consists of a President and Vice Presidents of Research, Portfolio Management and Operations.
The purpose is to assist students in preparation probability exams by actuarial associations. Concepts are reviewed with an emphasis on working problems.
The purpose is to assist students in preparation for financial mathematics exams by actuarial associations. Concepts are reviewed with an emphasis on working problems.
Introduction to the field of international finance. Course deals primarily with international financial markets and the macroeconomics of international financial flows. Topics include foreign exchange and international securities markets and international banking.
Study of the sources of real estate value and techniques for estimating property value; study of effective use of appraisal information.
In this course, students will manage a faculty-advised real estate investment fund capable of investing in publicly traded REITs and providing limited partner equity capital for private real estate investment. Initial donations will be used for public equity investments with the potential for future donations supporting private limited partnership participation in real estate investments. The student-managed team reports to the faculty advisor and a Board of Advisors comprised of industry professionals, the ACRE Director, and faculty from the EFLS Department.
Study to the principles of real property management and covers all aspects of the property management process. Students are shown how to maximize the asset value of income-producing real estate for investors/owners through the use of finance, marketing, and management techniques.
Introductory study of life insurance and "personal lines" of property insurance, especially homeowners insurance and auto insurance. Economic environment of insurance and how to read and evaluate insurance contracts. Examines different types of life insurance contracts as well as savings and investment alternatives and their uses in estate planning.
Study of the institutions of real estate finance and of factors affecting the flow of funds; investment analysis and procedures involved in real estate financing.
An examination of the real estate development process including identifying phases of real estate development; applying market analysis and site selection techniques to projects; analyzing key real estate underwriting and investment concepts and metrics; and applying planning, design, and construction management techniques to development projects.
This is the first of a two-course sequence intended to prepare students for the Long-Term Actuarial Mathematics (LTAM) exam, which is required for actuarial certification by the Society of Actuaries. Concepts are presented with an emphasis on working problems.
This is the second of a two-course sequence intended to prepare students for the Long-Term Actuarial Mathematics (LTAM) exam, which is required for actuarial certification by the Society of Actuaries. Concepts are presented with an emphasis on working problems.
Analysis of risks facing business and governmental entities. Various methods of both controlling the risks and financing the risks, including both insurance and non-insurance alternatives.
Current financial, legal, and social problems concerning the property-liability insurance industry. Role of government in providing insurance and topics in the management of property-liability insurance companies and agencies.
A study of the types of life insurance and annuity contracts and their uses; regulations of life and health insurers; Social Security; group and individual health insurance products including major medical, disability income and long-term care policies.
This course provides an in-depth analysis of major lines of insurance and associated contracts. Students learn coverage specifics and apply this knowledge to numerous risk scenarios.
Employee benefits refers to compensation other than hourly wage, salary, or incentive plans. This course examines the most common types of employee benefit practices and fundamental design considerations. Students also examine individual retirement planning objectives and mechanics.
This is the first of a two-course sequence intended to prepare students for the Short-Term Actuarial Mathematics (STAM) exam, which is required for actuarial certification by the Society of Actuaries. Concepts are presented with an emphasis on working problems.
This is the second of a two-course sequence intended to prepare students for the Short-Term Actuarial Mathematics (STAM) exam, which is required for actuarial certification by the Society of Actuaries. Concepts are presented with an emphasis on working problems.
The purpose of this course is to require the student to demonstrate the ability to integrate and apply his or her knowledge of financial planning topics as received through the curricula taught in the Wealth Management Concentration. Through this course, you will apply the financial planning process to real-life situations and to communicate your planning recommendations via both a written plan and an oral presentation.
In this course, we focus on the empirical techniques mostly used in the analysis of financial markets and how they are applied to actual data. We will begin with calculations and stylized facts of financial asset prices and returns. We next introduce statistical and econometric models to capture or reproduce these data features, mainly relying on time series models, estimations and tests. The first application is to apply these techniques to solve the practical financial issue of portfolio optimization. And then, we continue to time-varying asset returns to search for predictors of financial asset returns using CAPM model. To estimate the financial markets/assets fluctuations and the portfolio uncertainty, we start to learn conditional volatility models, including ARCH, GARCH, etc. Finally, from the perspective of risk management, we introduce the tools to estimate market risk of financial assets.
Individually directed research and reading. Students can apply a maximum of 6 credits of FI 491 toward their degree.
Students are selected through a competitive process for assignments in approved business or public sector organizations. Students can apply a maximum of 3 credits of FI 492 toward their degree.
Topics may vary. Students can apply a maximum of 9 credits of FI 497 toward their degree.
Legal Studies Courses
Environmental approach to the study of law, including the way the law interrelates, philosophy of law, and sources of law. The relationship among law, business, political influences, and the society is treated. Students are limited to three attempts for this course, excluding withdrawals.
This course covers the same material as LGS 200, which studies environmental approach to the study of law, but in a depth appropriate for honors students. Topics include the way the law interrelates, philosophy of law, and sources of law. The relationship among law, business, political influences, and the society is treated. Students are limited to three attempts for this course, excluding withdrawals.
This course treats principles and rules of law relating to wills and inheritances; how the estates of deceased persons are administered; why and how trusts are created and operated; and the duties and settlement of executors, administrators, and trustees.
This course is concerned with the conveyance of property, deeds, covenants, condemnation of property, rights of landlord and tenant, and bailments.