Economics (ECON) 357

Intermediate Microeconomics I (Revision 1)

ECON 357 course cover

Revision 1 is closed for registrations, replaced by current version

Delivery Mode: Individualized study online (with eTextbook) or grouped study**

Credits: 3

Area of Study: Social Science

Note: ECON 357 can also be used as Applied Studies (Business and Administrative Studies) by credential students only.

Prerequisite: ECON 247: Microeconomics (or equivalent)

Faculty: Faculty of Business

ECON 357 has a Challenge for Credit option.

check availability

**Note: Students registering in grouped study mode are advised that there may be some differences in the evaluation and course materials information indicated below. To obtain the most up-to-date information, contact the Faculty of Business Student Support Centre at 1-800-468-6531.

Overview

ECON 357 builds upon the foundation developed in an introductory course. Through the use of graphical analysis and mathematical problem solving, we extend the discussion and application of important microeconomic concepts. This course focuses on the decisions of individual consumers, firms, market structures, and the economic rationale of government intervention. Particular attention is paid to the theories of supply/demand, consumer behavior, production and cost, competitive and non-competitive markets, and input markets.

Outline

  • Lesson 1: Preliminaries
  • Lesson 2: The Basics of Supply and Demand
  • Lesson 3: Consumer Behaviour
  • Lesson 4: Individual and Market Demand
  • Lesson 5: Production
  • Lesson 6: The Costs of Production
  • Lesson 7: Profit Maximization and Competitive Supply
  • Lesson 8: The Analysis of Competitive Markets
  • Lesson 9: Market Power: Monopoly and Monopsony
  • Lesson 10: Pricing with Market Power
  • Lesson 11: Markets for Factor Inputs

Evaluation

Your final grade in this course will be based on four quizzes, three written assignments, a midterm examination, and a final examination. You must achieve an overall course grade of at least a “D” (50 percent) and a grade of at least 50 percent on the final examination. If your grade on the final examination is below 50 percent, you will not receive credit for the course, even in your overall course grade exceeds “D” (50 percent). The weighting of the composite mark is as follows:

Quizzes (4 @5% each) 20%
Assignment 1 12.5%
Assignment 2 12.5%
Midterm 25%
Final Exam 30%
Total 100%

The examination(s) for this course will be written in the traditional pen and paper format.

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.

**Note: Students planning to transfer this course to a Professional Accounting designation (i.e., CMA, CGA, CA) are advised that they will be required to achieve a grade higher than the minimum passing grade. See the Professional Accounting Designation Website for details.

Course Materials

Textbook

Registration in this course includes electronic textbooks. For more information on electronic textbooks, please refer to the eText Initiative site.

Pindyck, R. S., & Rubinfeld, D. L. (2013). Microeconomics (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. ISBN 9780132857123

Suslow, V. Y., & Hamilton, J. H. (2013). Study Guide - Microeconomics (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. ISBN 0132870495

A print version of the eTexts may be available for purchase from the publisher through a direct-to-student link provided on the course website; you can also acquire the textbooks on your own if you wish.

Other Resources

All other learning resources will be available online.

Challenge for Credit Course Overview

The Challenge for Credit process allows students to demonstrate that they have acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university level course.

Full information for the Challenge for Credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.

Challenge Evaluation

To receive credit for the ECON 357 challenge registration, you must achieve a grade of at least “D” (50 percent) on the examination.

Paper Exam (3 hours)

Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Course Registration Form

Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized-study counterparts.

Opened in Revision 1, August 8, 2014.

View previous syllabus