Department of Economics

This course is designed to engage students in developing the skills necessary for conducting an economic analysis of current and future macroeconomic conditions in the United States. A primary goal of the class is to examine how economists gather data and develop models designed to make monetary policy recommendations similar to those generated by the Federal Open Market Committee meetings of the Federal Reserve System. Class topics include an historical and institutional review of the Federal Reserve System.

In addition, class members will compete for a position on the Department of Economics’ FED Undergraduate Challenge team. The team will compete in the Fall 2018 Federal Reserve College Challenged, which occurs at the completion of this 8-week class. The first round challenge competition is tentatively scheduled for October 31 at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. If the team wins the Chicago district competition, it will go on to compete in the championship round organized by the Board of Governors in Washington D.C. After the end of the formal class, our selected team will continue as a student activity, with funding assistance for travel from the department.