Catalog Course Search Details

 Department:    ECON

 Course #:    310

 Credits:    5

 Variable:     No

 IUs:    5

 CIP:    450601

 EPC:    n/a

 REV:    2018

 Course Description  

Provides foundational micro- and macroeconomic understanding related to the management of domestic and international firms. Topics include economic systems, the influence of governments on the economy, market structures and competition, resource allocation, production, pricing, consumer choice, and externalities. Emphasizes the relationship between economics and politics.

 Prerequisite  

Prerequisite: Admission to BASAM program and BASAM Director permission.

Contact Hours (based on 11 week quarter)

Lecture: 55

Lab: 0

Other: 0

Systems: 0

Clinical: 0

Intent: Distribution Requirement(s) Status:  

Academic Required for ATA degree  

Equivalencies At Other Institutions

Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, the student will be able to:

1. Identify key differences in economics systems and the impact of those differences have on owners, managers, employees, customers, and other stakeholders.
2. Explain the influence governments have on the outcomes and opportunities associated with production, trade, inflation, employment, and pollution both domestically and internationally.
3. Explain the role of regulation in markets and the common disconnect between what is economically efficient, socially desirable, and politically feasible.
4. Explain the socio-economic implications of the changing American demographic nationally and in Skagit Valley.
5. Identify different market structures, and explain their impact on competition and strategic interaction.
6. Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between cost, consumer choice, and pricing.
7. Recognize external costs and benefits associated with business activity, and develop strategies for lowering costs, increasing benefits, and managing trade-offs.

General Education Learning Values & Outcomes

Revised August 2008 and affects outlines for 2008 year 1 and later.

0. Application and Integration

Definition: Applying information from one or more disciplines and/or field experiences in new contexts (Outcome 0.1); developing integrated approaches or responses to personal, academic, professional, and social issues (Outcomes 0.2-0.5).

Outcomes: Students will be able to . . .
0.2 Identify the strengths and limitations of different fields of study.

1. Information Literacy

Definition: Recognizing when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.

Outcomes: Students will be able to . . .
1.2 Access the needed information effectively, efficiently, ethically, and legally.

2. Critical Thinking

Definition: The ability to think critically about the nature of knowledge within a discipline and about the ways in which that knowledge is constructed and validated and to be sensitive to the ways these processes often vary among disciplines.

Outcomes: Students will be able to . . .
2.1 Identify and express concepts, terms, and facts related to a specific discipline.
2.7 Identify and evaluate connections and relationships among disciplines.
2.9 Apply and/or create problem-solving strategies to successfully adapt to unpredictable and/or changing environments.

3. Communication

Definition: Understanding and producing effective written, spoken, visual, and non-verbal communication.

Outcomes: Students will be able to . . .
3.1 Recognize, read, and comprehend academic and/or professional writing.

4. Community & Cultural Diversity

Definition: Recognizing the value of human communities and cultures from multiple perspectives through a critical understanding of their similarities and differences.

Outcomes: Students will be able to . . .
4.1 Identify and express concepts, terms, and issues associated with the diverse perspectives of race, social class, gender, sexual orientation, disabilities, and culture.
4.3 Understand the historically and socially constructed nature of—and the meanings attributed to—human differences.

6. Individual Awareness & Responsibility

Definition: Understanding, managing, and taking responsibility for one’s learning and behavior in varied and changing environments.

Outcomes: Students will be able to . . .
6.2 Demonstrate standards of professionalism in manner, appearance, and setting appropriate to the context, including the classroom, workplace, and community.

10. Technology

Definition: Understanding the role of technology in society and using technology appropriately and effectively.

Outcomes: Students will be able to . . .
10.3 Use technology appropriate to the context and task to effectively retrieve and manage information, solve problems, and facilitate communication.

Course Contents

1. Key differences in economics systems and the impact of those differences have on owners, managers, employees, customers, and other stakeholders.
2. Influence governments have on the outcomes and opportunities associated with production, trade, inflation, employment, and pollution both domestically and internationally.
3. Role of regulation in markets and the common disconnect between what is economically efficient, socially desirable, and politically feasible.
4. The socio-economic implications of the changing American demographic nationally and in Skagit Valley.
5. Different market structures, and explain their impact on competition and strategic interaction.
6. The relationship between cost, consumer choice, and pricing.
7. External costs and benefits associated with business activity, and develop strategies for lowering costs, increasing benefits, and managing trade-offs.