ECON 101, Introduction to Economics
College of Charleston | Dr. Walker

course outline & schedule

* Everything is subject to change.  Last updated 11/30/25 *

Lectures  (Walker book chapters) Crash Course
Economics
Problem Sets
(PS)
Quizzes
(Date)
Other Readings
1. Overview of economic analysis
    (pp. 1-29)
#1 PS 1solutions
Q-1
Tu, 9/9
Williams, Economic lunacy
2. Economics and the big picture
    (pp. 31-44)
#3 Higgs, Hate corporations and love governments...
Stapleton, You're afraid of power, not Trump
3. Specialization, productivity, and trade
    (pp. 45-64)
#2 Landsburg, An outsourcing fable
Sullum, Trump: Trump: "If we didn't have trade we'd save a lot of money"
4. Supply, marginal cost, and the firm
    (pp. 65-74)
#24 PS 2 | solutions Q-2&3
Th, 9/18

5. Demand, marginal benefit, and the consumer
    (pp. 75-79)

PS 3 | solutions
6. Market equilibrium and price adjustments
    (pp. 81-84)
#4
#18
(0:00-8:30 only)
PS 4 | solutions
Exam 1 - Thurs., Sept. 25, 9:25-10:40, Bell 403
* covers all material so far *
7. Economic efficiency in markets
    (pp. 87-100)
#19
PS 5 | solutions
8. Price controls and resource allocation
    (pp. 101-109)
#20
Husock, Mamdani and NYC rent controls
Stossel, In praise of price gouging
9. Application:  U.S. drug control policy
    (pp. 111-112)
#18
(8:30-11:00)
11. Protectionist trade policies
      (pp. 113-120)
#15 PS 6 | solutions
Q-6
Tu, 11/4
Bastiat, A petition
Krugman, In praise of cheap labor
12. Market failure: externalities and public goods
     (pp. 121-127)


Stossel, Thanksgiving
Stossel, Enough crony capitalism!
The Economist, State and Market
Exam 2 - Thurs., Nov. 6, 9:25-10:40, Bell 403
* covers all material since Exam 1 *
15. Macroeconomic measurement and growth
     (pp. 139-143)
Q-7
Th, 11/20
16. Credit markets (pp. 145-148) 
      & exchange rates (p. 151)

17. Monetary and fiscal policy
     (take notes on 11/20; you can skip the text!)
Personal finance, etc. Stossel, Mamdani's bad ideas, part 1 & 2
Final Exam - Thurs., Dec. 4, 10:30 - noon
* The exam covers all the material since Exam 2, plus ch. 12 (market failures) and related "other readings."
There will also be a comprehensive section that will cover all material through Exam 2,
EXCEPT (1) the "other readings" from the begining of class through ch. 11, and (2) the Ricardian trade model from ch. 3. *