UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN INDIANA

DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS AND FINANCE

ECON 338X – ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND POLICY

DR. CASHEL-CORDO   FALL 2008

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TEXT:   Environment Economics & Management:  Theory, Policy and Applications,4^th ed., Callan and Thomas, Thomson South-Western, 2007

COURSE CONTENT:   This course in is best summarized as the explanation and application of economic analysis to environmental issues in the local, national and global arenas.  It will be broken into three parts.  The majority of the course will devoted to building the economic and analytical tools in the study of environmental economics and policy.  We will then apply these tools to analyzing the problems and national policies dealing with water and air pollution.  The course will end with the study of environmental issues on a global scale and international policy initiatives to deal with them.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:  Student learning outcomes in broad terms for this course are essentially twofold.  This being an economics course, the student will become familiar with, and learn to apply, the economic tools in analyzing the economic trade-offs in the context of the use of environmental goods.  After acquiring a strong economic foundation, the student will then analyze environmental policy, first in general, i.e. the different approaches to environmental policy, and then in specific, i.e. the present environmental policies at different governmental levels.

PREREQUISITES: Principles of Microeconomics (ECON 208)

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS SKILL DEVELOPMENT:

Analytical Problem Solving – Economic reasoning is analytical thinking.  By the end of this course the student should be able to identify and apply relevant economic concepts to solving a variety of economic problems and should be able to interpret the results of their solutions. 

Written  Communication – A research paper is required (see below).  The student will be evaluated in their ability to effectively communicate.  The paper should have a clear statement of purpose or thesis, be logically organized with quality content, be written with standard grammar and vocabulary, and close with a conclusion consistent with the paper’s thesis. 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS 

EXAMS:  There will be three midterms and a final exam.  The exams are scheduled for weeks four, eight and twelve on Friday.  The exams= format will consist of some combination of problems, short answer and/or essay questions.  Make-up exams are discouraged, but possible under extraordinary circumstances.  It is the student’s responsibility to inform me before the exam and be able to provide written documentation of the circumstance in question.

QUIZZES:  The instructor retains the right to give unannounced quizzes.  They are to be implemented when the instructor determines that students are not fulfilling their reading responsibilities and are not prepared for lecture.

 

RESEARCH PAPER:  Each student will be required to write a research paper on a topic dealing with environment economics and related policy of his or her own choosing.  It is to be typed with standard formatting, i.e., double spaced, one inch margins, 12 point font size, etc. A bibliographic reference is to be included with standard and consistent formatting. The paper should be between 8 and 10 pages in length. 

You may choose any topic related to environmental economics and policy.  The instructor will review proposals at the end of the third week of classes to ensure the topic falls within this realm, and to offer advice regarding the student’s choice of topic. 

Your paper should be well-written with a coherent structure demonstrating that you gave considerable thought to how you are going to present your topic.  There should be subheadings within the paper based on the outline that you turned in earlier in the semester.  The paper should present a background of the topic and discuss alternative points of view.  You are expected to use what you have learned in class to analyze the issue and your paper should have a conclusion that describes your own position regarding that issue.

Timeline:  A proposal that describes your topic and demonstrates your research efforts to date will be due the third week of class.  An annotated bibliography will be due the seventh and the tenth week of class.  Each citation should include a two to three paragraph description of the article in question.  A first draft of the paper is due the twelfth week of class and the final draft will be due the fourteenth.

INTERESTING LINKS:  Subject to growth.  Make suggestions for inclusion.

ACADEMIC HONESTY:  Academic dishonesty, in particular plagiarism (submitting another person's work, in whole or in part, as your own), or cheating on quizzes or exams will not be tolerated.  Students will be subject to disciplinary action as outlined in the Student Rights and Responsibilities section of the 2008-2009 USI Bulletin.  If found guilty, the student will receive an "F" in the course, and after hearings on the matter, may be dismissed from the University.

 READING ASSIGNMENTS:  We will attempt to sequentially follow the following reading list, a most ambitious agenda with the likelihood, given past experience, that at some point we may have to pick and choose which remaining topics to study.  The semester is divided into 15 weeks and readings are assigned on that basis.   By coming to class regularly you will be able to determine exactly which readings are to be covered in the next class.   Any deviation in reading assignments will be announced at the appropriate time in class.  The student is required to read the appropriate chapters and any other assigned readings PRIOR to its being covered in class.