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Economics

Overview Degrees/Certificates Courses

Economics is the study of how individuals and societies choose to use limited resources for production of goods and services and how they distribute them for current and future consumption. Economics is divided into two major areas: macroeconomics and microeconomics. Macroeconomics studies decision-making at the national level. Macroeconomics topics include gross domestic product, unemployment, inflation, and money and banking. Microeconomics studies decision-making at the individual household, business firm, and industry levels. Microeconomics topics include theories of the firm and consumer behaviors.

Courses offered by the Economics Department are designed to satisfy general education requirements at American River College, and they are transferable to the CSU system, the UC system, and other fine institutions of higher learning in the United States. Furthermore, these economics courses will provide students with essential tools to analyze contemporary national and international economic issues.

Degrees Offered

A.A.-T. in Economics

Division Dean Kirsten Corbin
Department Chair Chiuping Chen
Phone (916) 484-8361
Email bcsclerk@arc.losrios.edu

Associate Degree for Transfer

A.A.-T. in Economics

The Associate in Arts degree in Economics for Transfer provides students with a major that fulfills the general requirements of the California State University for transfer. Students with this degree will receive priority admission with junior status to the California State University system. The Associate in Arts degree in Economics for Transfer (AA-T) may be obtained by the completion of 60 transferable, semester units with a minimum 2.0 GPA, including (a) the major or area of emphasis described in the Required Program outlined below (earning a C (or "P") or better in these courses) and (b) either the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or the California State University General Education Breadth Requirements.

Students interested in transferring to a CSU campus to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Economics should meet with a counselor to confirm the courses required for lower-division preparation in the major.

Catalog Date: August 1, 2024

Degree Requirements

Course Code	Course Title	Units
ECON 302	Principles of Macroeconomics	3
ECON 304	Principles of Microeconomics	3
ECON 310	Statistics for Business and Economics (3)	3 - 4
or PSYC 330	Introductory Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences (3)
or STAT 300	Introduction to Probability and Statistics (4)
or STAT 480	Introduction to Probability and Statistics - Honors (4)
MATH 340	Calculus for Business and Economics (3)	3 - 5
or MATH 400	Calculus I (5)
A minimum of 6 units from the following:		6
ACCT 301	Financial Accounting (4)
ACCT 311	Managerial Accounting (4)
BUS 300	Introduction to Business (3)
BUS 310	Business Communications (3)
CISC 310	Introduction to Computer Information Science (3)
CISP 360	Introduction to Structured Programming (4)
CISP 400	Object Oriented Programming with C++ (4)
CISP 440	Discrete Structures for Computer Science (3)
MATH 355	Calculus for Biology and Medicine I (4)
MATH 375	Pre-Calculus (6)
MATH 401	Calculus II (5)
MATH 402	Calculus III (5)
MATH 410	Introduction to Linear Algebra (3)
Total Units:		18 - 21

The Associate in Arts in Economics for Transfer (AA-T) degree may be obtained by completion of 60 transferable, semester units with a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.0, including (a) a minimum grade of "C" (or "P") for each course in the major or area of emphasis described in the Required Program, and (b) either the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or the California State University General Education-Breadth Requirements.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

explain terms and concepts used in macroeconomics and microeconomics.
evaluate models to explore consequences of economic policy proposals for households and businesses.
evaluate economic models to explore the consequences of macroeconomic events and the probable consequences of macroeconomic policy proposals for the whole economy.
solve problems requiring the application of economics, statistics, and mathematics.
apply accounting and economic concepts and principles in making decisions about firm operations.

Economics (ECON) Courses

ECON 302 Principles of Macroeconomics

Units:3
Hours:54 hours LEC
Prerequisite:MATH 100 or 132 with a grade of "C" or better, or placement through the assessment process.
Advisory:Eligible for ENGRD 310 or ENGRD 312 AND ENGWR 300; OR ESLR 340 AND ESLW 340.
Transferable:CSU; UC
General Education:AA/AS Area V(b); CSU Area D2; IGETC Area 4B
C-ID:C-ID ECON 202
Catalog Date:August 1, 2024

This course is an introduction to macroeconomics. It is concerned with the economic well-being of the national economy. Topics include supply, demand, aggregate supply, aggregate demand, equilibrium, money, banking, taxation, inflation, employment, and economic growth.

ECON 304 Principles of Microeconomics

Units:3
Hours:54 hours LEC
Prerequisite:MATH 100 or 132 with a grade of "C" or better, or placement through the assessment process.
Advisory:Eligible for ENGRD 310 or ENGRD 312 AND ENGWR 300; OR ESLR 340 AND ESLW 340.
Transferable:CSU; UC
General Education:AA/AS Area V(b); CSU Area D2; IGETC Area 4B
C-ID:C-ID ECON 201
Catalog Date:August 1, 2024

This course covers the interaction with individuals and business firms in the marketplace to determine prices, output, employment, and efficient utilization of economic resources. Topics include marginal utility, costs of production, and natural resource economics. This course also covers resource allocation under conditions of competition, monopoly, oligopoly, and monopolistic competition.

ECON 305 Introduction to Economies of Africa

Units:3
Hours:54 hours LEC
Prerequisite:None.
Advisory:Eligible for ENGRD 310 or ENGRD 312 AND ENGWR 300; OR ESLR 340 AND ESLW 340.
Transferable:CSU; UC
General Education:AA/AS Area V(b); CSU Area D; IGETC Area 4
Catalog Date:August 1, 2024

This course introduces various topics on Africa's economies, such as indigenous economic systems, why Africa remains poor, pre- and post-colonial development strategies, the cold war factor, development finance, and new theories on development. Additionally, the politics of international development including China's expanding role in Africa are examined.

ECON 310 Statistics for Business and Economics

Units:3
Hours:54 hours LEC
Prerequisite:MATH 120, 125, 129, or 133 with a grade of "C" or better, or placement through the assessment process.
Transferable:CSU; UC
General Education:AA/AS Area II(b); CSU Area B4; IGETC Area 2
C-ID:C-ID MATH 110
Catalog Date:August 1, 2024

This course focuses on statistical concepts commonly used in economics, business, and other behavioral sciences. It covers the collection, organization, presentation, analysis, and interpretation of numerical data. Major topics include organizing and describing data using graphs, tables, and charts; calculating and interpreting descriptive statistics including measures of central tendency and measures of dispersion; probability and sampling distributions; statistical inference; correlation and linear regression; analysis of variance, chi-square and t-tests. Computer software and/or hand calculations will be used in this course to calculate, organize, and display statistical information. Results generated either by hand calculation, the use of computer software, articles or textbook examples will be used to analyze and interpret statistical findings.

ECON 320 Concepts in Personal Finance

Same As:BUS 320
Units:3
Hours:54 hours LEC
Prerequisite:None.
Advisory:Eligible for ENGRD 310 or ENGRD 312 AND ENGWR 300; OR ESLR 340 AND ESLW 340.
Transferable:CSU; UC
General Education:AA/AS Area V(b); AA/AS Area III(b); CSU Area D2
Catalog Date:August 1, 2024

This course covers how to analyze financial affairs for lifelong decision making. It examines the basics of financial planning, analysis, and decision making in areas of budgeting, taxes, credit, money management, insurance, investments, and retirement with an emphasis on principles to develop economic decision-making skills. This course is not open to students who have completed BUS 320.

ECON 495 Independent Studies in Economics

Units:1 - 3
Hours:54 - 162 hours LAB
Prerequisite:None.
Transferable:CSU
Catalog Date:August 1, 2024

Independent Study is an opportunity for the student to extend classroom experience in this subject, while working independently of a formal classroom situation. Independent study is an extension of work offered in a specific class in the college catalog. To be eligible for independent study, students must have completed the basic regular catalog course at American River College (ARC). They must also discuss the study with a professor from the Department of Economics at ARC in this subject and secure approval. Only one independent study for each catalog course will be allowed.

ECON 499 Experimental Offering in Economics

Units:0.5 - 4
Prerequisite:None.
Transferable:CSU
Catalog Date:August 1, 2024

This is the experimental courses description.