Special Topics in Economics
CAS EC 490
May be repeated for credit as topic varies. Topic for Fall 2021, Section A1: Applied Econometrics: Time Series. Studies time series modeling and its applications. Covers estimation, inference and forecasting in univariate and multivariate models for times series data. The emphasis is on real data applications to finance markets, economic growth, and detecting recessions using Stata.
SPRG 2025 Schedule
| Section | Instructor | Location | Schedule | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AA | Aryal | CAS 310 | TR 11:00 am-12:15 pm | EC490 AA: Auction Theory and Practice Prerequisites: EC201, EC203 or MA115 or equivalent, MA121 or 123 or equivalent, Programming experience (MATLAB preferred, R or Python acceptable) This class is about the economics of auctions and has two parts: theory and practice. It combines auction theory with empirical applications. In the theory part, we will cover some of the fundamental concepts in auction theory: Optimal bidding strategies across auction formats (first-price, second-price, ascending); Auction design for revenue maximization and procurement cost minimization; Strategic behavior (e.g., bidder collusion) and how that affects the auction outcomes; Auctioning online advertisements (e.g., Google Ads). In the practice part, we will use the theory from the first part to analyze the “real-world” auction data and use the estimates to design better auctions. I will give you a dataset and use the econometrics method to estimate the preferences or costs. We will: Work with actual bidding data; Cover a method to estimate the auction model; Present academic papers on auctions from economics and computer science. |
SPRG 2025 Schedule
| Section | Instructor | Location | Schedule | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BB | Guren | CAS 326 | TR 2:00 pm-3:15 pm | CAS EC 490BB A Century of Macroeconomics: History, Thought, and Policy Prerequisites: CAS EC 202/222, EC 203/223, and MA 121 or 123 or equivalent. This course studies theories and explanations of macroeconomic fluctuations and macroeconomic stabilization policy. It does so through the lens of the last 100 years of macroeconomic history and macroeconomic thought. Topics include Keynesianism, Monetarism and rational expectations, the New Keynesian synthesis, optimal monetary and fiscal policy, and their interplay, the zero lower bound, and housing market stabilization policy. Historically, the course covers the Great Depression, stagflation, the Great Recession, and the pandemic economy. Throughout, the course focuses on the implications of theory for macroeconomic policy in practice. |
Note that this information may change at any time. Please visit the MyBU Student Portal for the most up-to-date course information.
