Economics is the study of how
best to allocate scarce resources.
Economics is an academic discipline that is central to the offerings of
all major universities. As at most
universities, economics plays an essential role in the general education
required of all undergraduates, extending well beyond our undergraduate majors
to essential courses in the core curriculum required of all GSU students,
especially those majoring in business. At
the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at
The Department of Economics
is committed to the broad goals of
Undergraduate
Program Outcomes and Assessment Plan
Master of Arts in Economics Outcomes
and Assessment Plan
Ph.D.
in Economics Outcomes
and Assessment Plan
Learning
Outcomes, ECON 2100 (The Global Economy), Area E2, Core Curriculum
1.
The student should be able to define the
concepts of resources and wants, and relate them to Scarcity and Opportunity
Costs.
2.
The student should be able to identify
the Production Possibility Curve and to use it to measure opportunity costs.
3.
The student should be able to understand
and describe the concepts and measurement of gross domestic product,
unemployment, and inflation.
4.
The student should be able to understand
and describe the difference between business cycles and economic growth and the
factors that contribute to each.
5.
The student should be able to understand
and describe the concepts of Comparative Advantage.
6.
The student should be able to understand
and describe the concepts of balance of payments and its components, as well as
the determinants of exchange rates.
7.
The student should be able to identify
the benefits and costs of free trade.
8.
The student should be able to define
globalization and understand its history.
9.
The student should be able to understand
the roles of international trading arrangements (e.g., the North American Free
Trade Act, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade), and the functions of
international organizations (e.g., the International Monetary Fund, the World
Bank, the World Trade Organization).
10. The student should be able to define and
identify the components of capital flows and the determinants of capital flows
to different world regions.
Learning
Outcomes, ECON 2105 (Principles of Macroeconomics), Area E3, Core Curriculum
Learning
Outcomes, ECON 2106 (Principles of Microeconomics), Area E3, Core Curriculum
b.
Undergraduate
Program Outcomes
1.
To learn and to be able to apply basic
theories, concepts, and analytical methods of microeconomics and
macroeconomics.
2.
To be able to apply the general concepts
learned from principles of economics to specific fields of economics.
3.
To be able to understand the relevant
benefits and costs to consider when comparing policy choices.
4.
To be able to communicate, using
appropriate writing and oral conventions, basic economic theories, concepts, analytical
methods, and policy choices.
c.
Graduate
Program Outcomes
1.
To learn and grasp basic analytical
skills of microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics.
2.
To learn to identify various disciplines
of economics and their ways of thinking economic issues.
3.
To be able to understand, use and
analyze economic data.
4.
To be able to use and develop economic
models to analyze various economic issues and to make policy recommendations.
1.
To be
able to learn and to grasp basic tools for economic analysis.
2.
To
be able to understand, use, and analyze economic data.
3.
To
be able to evaluate the potential for economic policy to influence outcomes.
4.
To
be able to interpret and communicate economic policies to a wider audience.
Ph.
D. in Economics, Learning Outcomes
1.
To
achieve a high level of competence understanding and using the analytical
skills of microeconomics and macroeconomics.
2.
To
achieve a high level of competence understanding the most recent theoretical
and quantitative methods in economics.
3.
To
demonstrate mastery of the issues, theories and latest advances in one of the
sub-fields of economics offered by the program.
4.
To
demonstrate ability to conduct independent and original basic and applied
research in economics.
Bachelor’s Degree in Economics
One examination, which is capable of assessing the student’s
progress in each of the Learning Outcomes stated above, will be given at the
beginning of ECON 3900 (Macroeconomics) and ECON 3910 (Microeconomics), and a
selection of upper-division economics courses each year. Each major’s progress on this examination
will be tracked over time, and be compared to non-majors who are also enrolled
in the courses and who also will take the examination. Each time the examination is administered,
there will be a question that asks the students which economics courses they
have taken (a checklist will be given), so that performance at any one point in
time can be linked to the coursework taken at that time.
Graduates
will be asked to complete a questionnaire that assesses how what was learned in
the program contributes to their performance in their current job. This survey will be given at one year and
three years after graduation.
Master of Arts in Economics
All graduating Master of Arts in Economics students
will take a comprehensive examination in the middle of their proposed
graduating semester. This examination
will test their basic learning of microeconomics, macroeconomics, and
econometrics (e.g., Master of Arts in Economics, Learning Outcome 1). The examination
will be graded, on a discrete scale (e.g., High Pass, Pass, Low Pass, High
Fail, Fail), and students will be given feedback. Questions on the examinations will be
classified by type (e.g., definitional, mathematical, policy-relevant, and so
on), so that graders of the examination will be able to report more exactly the
quality of each examination and the performance in specific areas.
All students will submit a
research paper to demonstrate their learning in a chosen subject of their own
and to show their understanding, usage, and analysis of economic data. The Essay will typically be a product of the
interaction with at least one faculty member in the Department of Economics,
and will be assessed by the faculty member (s) involved. The Essay will be evaluated on several
criteria (e.g., overall contribution to the literature, understanding of the
literature, writing, technical proficiency, and so on). This method will be used to assess Master of
Arts in Economics, Learning Outcomes 2, 3, and 4.
All graduates of this program will be asked to
complete a questionnaire that assesses how what was learned in the program
contributes to their performance in their current job. This survey will be given at one year and
three years after graduation.
Master
of Arts in Economics: Policy Track
All graduating Master of Arts in Economics: Policy
Track students will take a comprehensive examination in the middle of their
proposed graduating semester. This examination
will test their basic learning of microeconomics, macroeconomics, and
econometrics (e.g., Master of Arts in Economics: Policy Track, Learning Outcome
1). The examination will be graded, on a
discrete scale (e.g., High Pass, Pass, Low Pass, High Fail, Fail), and students
will be given feedback. Questions on the
examinations will be classified by type (e.g., definitional, mathematical,
policy-relevant, and so on), so that graders of the examination will be able to
report more exactly the quality of each examination and the performance in
specific areas.
Students
will assemble a Portfolio composed of materials from their course work. The Portfolio will be submitted during their
proposed graduating semester. At a
minimum, each student will submit written materials relating to at least one
course in the program. These materials
may include items such as term papers, annotated bibliographies, and the like. Any term paper will be evaluated on several
criteria (e.g., overall contribution to the literature, understanding of the
literature, writing, technical proficiency, and so on). The Portfolio will be used to assess Master
of Arts in Economics: Policy Track, Learning Outcomes 2, 3, and 4.
All graduates of this program will be asked to
complete a questionnaire that assesses how what was learned in the program
contributes to their performance in their current job. This survey will be given at one year and
three years after graduation.
Ph.D. in Economics
All Ph.D. students will take a Comprehensive Examination
at the end of the first-year after taking the core courses. This examination will test their basic
learning of microeconomics and macroeconomics (e.g., Ph.D. in Economics,
Learning Outcome 1). The examination will be graded, on a discrete
scale (e.g., High Pass, Pass, Low Pass, High Fail, Fail), and students will be
given feedback. Questions on the
examinations will be classified by type (e.g., definitional, mathematical,
policy-relevant, and so on), so that graders of the examination will be able to
report more exactly the quality of each examination and the performance in
specific areas.
All
Ph.D. students will take a Field Examination after completing the required
courses for their chosen field of specialization. Typically, this would be
taken after the second year in the program. The examination will be used to assess Ph.D.
in Economics, Learning Outcome 3.
After
completion of the program's coursework, students will write a Dissertation. The
dissertation is written with close supervision of a faculty dissertation chair
and a dissertation committee. The
Dissertation will be evaluated on several criteria (e.g., overall contribution
to the literature, understanding of the literature, writing, technical
proficiency, and so on). The content and
quality of the dissertation will be used to assess Ph.D. in Economics, Learning
Outcomes 2 and 4.
Graduates of this program
will be asked to complete a questionnaire that assesses how what was learned in
the program contributes to their performance in their current job. This survey will also include questions about
whether the dissertation (or parts of the dissertation) has been submitted for
publication or already published; the quality of the publication (s) will be
used to assess Ph.D. in Economics, Learning Outcome 4. This survey will be given at one year and
three years after graduation.
Bachelor’s Degree in Economics
The
Department of Economics Undergraduate Committee will be charged with evaluation
of the data collected from the Undergraduate Tracking Examination. The Committee will evaluate the change in
performance on the examination as students progress through their
coursework. The Committee will also
compare the performance of majors to non-majors who also take the examination. The Committee will provide a summary of the
findings to the Department. Individual
course instructors will evaluate student performance in their courses.
Master
of Arts in Economics
The Department of Economics Graduate Committee will be
charged with evaluation of a representative sample of the data collected from
the three methods described above (Exit Examination, Essay, and Alumni Survey). The Committee’s evaluation of the Exit Examination
will include an overall assessment, along with information about the
distribution of the performance of all students taking the examination. The evaluation will also identify any
specific areas relating to particular Learning Outcomes that are in need of
improvement. The Essay will be evaluated
on several criteria by the faculty supervisor; this evaluation will be passed
along to the Graduate Committee for review and assessment. The Committee will
also review the Alumni Survey questionnaires to assess the overall program in
relation to perceived weakness and strengths.
The Committee will provide a summary of the findings to the Department.
Master
of Arts in Economics: Policy Track
The
Department of Economics Graduate Committee will be charged with evaluation of a
representative sample of the data collected from the three methods described
above (Exit Examination, Portfolio, and Alumni Survey). The Committee’s evaluation of the Exit Examination
will include an overall assessment, along with information about the
distribution of the performance of all students taking the examination. The evaluation will also identify any
specific areas relating to particular Learning Outcomes that are in need of
improvement. Term papers in the Portfolio
will be evaluated on several criteria by the instructor of the course for which
the term paper was written; this evaluation will be passed along to the
Graduate Committee for review and assessment. The Committee will also review the Alumni
Survey questionnaires to assess the overall program in relation to perceived
weakness and strengths. The Committee
will provide a summary of its findings to the Department.
Ph.D.
in Economics
The
Department of Economics Graduate Committee will be charged with evaluation of a
representative sample of the data collected from the first two methods
described above (Comprehensive Examination and Field Examination). The Committee’s evaluation of the
Comprehensive Examination and the Field Examination will include an overall
assessment, along with information about the distribution of the performance of
all students taking the examination. The
evaluation will also identify any specific areas relating to particular
Learning Outcomes that are in need of improvement. The Dissertation will be evaluated on several
criteria by each member of the student's dissertation committee; these
evaluations will be passed along to the Graduate Committee for review and
assessment. The Committee will also
review the Alumni Survey questionnaires to assess the overall program in
relation to perceived weakness and strengths.
The Committee will provide a summary of the findings to the Department.
Bachelor’s Degree in Economics
As
noted above, the Department of Economics Undergraduate Committee will provide a
summary of its findings to the Department, especially the Undergraduate
Tracking Examination. The Committee will
also provide suggestions as to how the perceived weaknesses could be addressed and
the perceived strengths could be enhanced. In its
summary, the Committee will determine to what degree each of the Learning
Outcomes is being achieved. For a
Learning Outcome to be categorized as being successfully achieved by the
program, the accumulated data must indicate a “good” to “excellent” performance
for the Learning Outcome.
Master
of Arts in Economics
As noted above, the Department of Economics Graduate
Committee will provide a summary of its findings to the Department, focusing
upon the Exit Examination results, the evaluation of the Essays, and the Alumni
Survey results. The Committee will also
provide suggestions as to how the perceived weaknesses could be addressed and the
perceived strengths could be enhanced.
In its summary, the Committee will determine to what degree each of the
Learning Outcomes is being achieved. For
a Learning Outcome to be categorized as being successfully achieved by the
program, the accumulated data must indicate a “good” to “excellent” performance
for the Learning Outcome.
Master of Arts in Economics:
Policy Track
As
noted above, the Department of Economics Graduate Committee will provide a summary
of its findings to the Department, focusing upon the Exit Examination results,
the evaluation of the Portfolios, and the Alumni Survey results. The Committee will also provide suggestions
as to how the perceived weaknesses could be addressed and the perceived strengths
could be enhanced. In its summary, the Committee
will determine to what degree each of the Learning Outcomes is being
achieved. For a Learning Outcome to be
categorized as being successfully achieved by the program, the accumulated data
must indicate a “good” to “excellent” performance for the Learning Outcome.
Ph.D.
in Economics
As
noted above, the Department of Economics Graduate Committee will provide a
summary of its findings to the Department, focusing upon the Comprehensive and
Field Examination results, the evaluation of the Dissertations, and the Alumni
Survey results. The Committee will also
provide suggestions as to how the perceived weaknesses could be addressed and
the perceived strengths could be enhanced.
In its summary, the Committee will determine to what degree each of the
Learning Outcomes is being achieved. For
a Learning Outcome to be categorized as being successfully achieved by the
program, the accumulated data must indicate a “good” to “excellent” performance
for the Learning Outcome.