ECON 317 Labor Economics
The tools of theoretical and empirical economic analysis are used to better understand the processes by which businesses determine the quantity, quality and compensation levels of their employees and the processes by which individuals decide whether, how much and where to work. The course begins with the primary building blocks of labor economics: labor supply and labor demand. It then narrows its scope to look more closely at policy-relevant issues such as welfare reform, labor unionism, unemployment and the minimum wage and affirmative action. A significant portion of the class will be devoted to independent student research on a relevant topic of personal interest.