| Mission Working within the context of Duke University's mission, and in the spirit of Trinity College's curriculum and the mission of the Department of Economics to support economics teaching and research, it is the mission of undergraduate studies in economics to support the development in our students of the critical and analytical skills essential for understanding economics and institutions, in both contemporary and historical contexts. Learning Objectives The core coursework of the economics undergraduate curriculum is designed to equip students with an understanding of basic microeconomic concepts such as demand, supply, market structures and pricing, and market efficiency and equilibrium; and of basic macroeconomic concepts such as inflation, unemployment, trade, economic growth and development, and the impact of fiscal and monetary policies. Students will then build on this foundation through further study in upper-level electives from within one of four fields of economics (Finance, History, Macroeconomics, and Microeconomics). This coursework will expose them to the current issues of the area, as well as give them an understanding of the tools needed to undertake research in that area. Students will develop critical thinking skills through learning to apply economic theory and tools to real world applications and economic issues. This will in turn empower them to engage in independent research, applying theoretically sound analysis to important research questions. Pursuit of this curriculum will also allow students to acquire the following specific skills, dispositions and understandings: development of an econometric/statistical tools-set to test economic models, and to quantitatively evaluate financial/economic markets and policies; the ability to conduct data analysis using STATA and other statistical packages as applicable; and the understanding of different quantitative techniques and tools and the assumptions required for these tools to work effectively.
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