Information for or Whitman Students

I'll be a visiting assistant professor in the Whitman economics department during the 2004-2005 school year. Fall semester I'll be teaching Principles of Economics (two sections) and Health Economics. Spring semester I'll be teaching Principles of Economics, Game Theory, and Government and the Economy. Read on for preliminary info about these courses. For info about me, visit my personal homepage.

Principles of Economics

First, some soothing words: This class will cover most if not all of the traditional material, and it will give you a solid preparation for more advanced classes.

Next, some potentially scary words: This class covers some non-traditional material (mostly game theory), and it follows a non-traditional approach to just about all of the material. Although Mankiw's Essentials of Economics is a required textbook, the microeconomics portion of the class will follow my own lecture notes/textbook, which goes by the name of Quantum Microeconomics. Both texts are for sale at the bookstore; you can also download Quantum Micro for free. Although you can print this version (note that the PDF file is set up for double-sided printing), the computer folks at WCTS have asked that you not do so in the labs.

Finally, more soothing words: I've taught this class (or, more precisely, the micro portion of it) a dozen times or so, and it's gone well. (Translation: I more-or-less know what I'm doing, students seem to like the class, and I love teaching it.) I'm thrilled to be teaching it in the fall.

Having said all that: here is a tentative syllabus and class schedule.

Health Economics

As with any class about the economics of x, the focal point will be on how the market for x (in this case, health care) compares and contrasts with the market for widgets: what lessons from standard economics apply, and where do we need to be careful about treating health care like just another sack of potatoes?

I am currently working on the syllabus, and I will post it online when it is available. For now, I can tell you this much: the textbook is Folland, Goodman, and Stano's The Economics of Health and Health Care, 4th ed. Also, I can tell you that the class will combine theoretical analyses, practical applications, and policy discussions about (most notably) the appropriate role for the government in health care.

PS. I have not taught this class before, but I have spent the last year working as the agency economist for the Washington State Department of Health. Although this (plus some graduate studies etc) gives me some familiarity with the topic, it is also true that health economics is a huge field that cannot be fully studied in a lifetime. Translation: this class will be a learning experience for all of us. It should be a blast.

Spring semester courses

Spring semester I'll be teaching Principles of Economics, Game Theoory, and Government and the Economy. I'll have more info on these classes towards the end of 2004. But feel free to email me if you have specific questions...