This page is primarily for Vanderbilt University students taking
Economics 3010 or Economics 6010
Syllabus for Fall 2023
Course Description
This course is intended as Master’s level introduction to the study of the firms and individuals in their economic roles. Primary attention will be given to developing the basic microeconomic tools essential for more advanced economics courses. As such, the approach will take will be fairly rigorous and mathematical. A basic course in calculus is all the background required, but students who do not feel comfortable with these techniques may wish to spend some time reviewing. By the end of the semester, students should be able to figure out the policy implications of various government initiatives and be intelligent, critical readers of popular economics such as might be found in The Wall Street Journal. It should also leave you well-prepared for more advanced field courses in economics.
Textbook
In years past, I have assigned the following textbook: Price Theory and Applications by Steven E. Landsburg. However, Landsburg has a list price of $301, and I have never been entirely satisfied with it. Complaining about the quality and price of books does not do much good, so I decided to write a book that did the job myself instead. You can find it at the URL below, and I am making it available for free. Of course, you are welcome to buy the Landsburg book or any other intermediate microeconomics book you prefer if you think it will be helpful.e.