Topics in Development and Economics

Student Learning Outcomes, Goals, Objectives:

Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

• Explain the major theories of economic growth and development, including the roles of labor, capital, technology, and institutions in shaping long-term economic change.
• Evaluate competing perspectives on the purpose of economic growth, including its relationships to human well-being, living standards, environmental sustainability, and investor returns.
• Analyze the environmental and material implications of economic growth by assessing concepts such as resource use, decoupling, productivity, and the transition to service- and knowledge-based economies.
• Interpret and critically assess economic, environmental, and social indicators—including GDP and alternative measures of well-being—to evaluate economic performance and societal progress.
• Use empirical data and scholarly evidence to investigate contemporary challenges related to economic growth, sustainability, inequality, and global development.
• Compare competing policy approaches to achieving prosperity in advanced and developing economies, including green growth, industrial policy, degrowth, and alternative development strategies.
• Develop and defend evidence-based arguments about the future of economic growth, considering trade-offs among economic efficiency, environmental stewardship, equity, and human flourishing.

Course Grading Information:

Activity/Performance Measure	Percentage/Points
Attendance	20%
Group Project	20%
Exam 1	30%
Exam 2	30%

Grading scale

Percentage	Letter Grade
93 and above	A
90 - 92	A-
87 - 89	B+
83 - 86	B
80 - 82	B-
77 - 79	C+
73 - 76	C
70 - 72	C-
67 - 69	D+
63 - 66	D
60 - 62	D-
Below 60	F

Attendance/Participation:

Students are expected to attend all classes and be engaged in course activities. Missing or arriving late to class can lower your grade.

Course Materials Purchased by the Students:

No course materials are required.