CA Economics: Program Information

CA Economics: Program Information

A. Degree overview:

Consistent with the State of Michigan’s conception of economics, EMU trains students to have a broad training in the discipline, with a focus on scarcity and resulting choices that must be made by consumers, businesses and government. The program also emphasizes the role of trade in both market and non-market economies, and how various choices and government policies influence the economic well-being of different groups in society. This training involves extensive research and inquiry component, often involving real world data and electronic resources, that then student can apply in their own classrooms.

Overall Social Studies knowledge base and philosophy

Within the larger EMU teacher preparation program, economics education has a specific focus on preparing students to meet the needs of both our local and national communities for effective economics and social studies teachers. In order to improve this preparation, the following have been accomplished:

First, the Social Studies methods class, which is taken by majors in economics, has been retooled to reflect both national and state standards in economics and social studies. Extensive consultation by social studies methods faculty with local teachers and administrators has resulted in a focus on ensuring that students graduate with a firm foundation in standards, assessment, lesson and unit design, and the use of technology in the social studies and economics classroom.

Second, involvement in the U.S. Department of Education’s Teacher Quality Grant has enhanced the program’s attention to students’ understanding of the importance of contextual factors in social studies teaching. This program has also focused on the need for students to be able to accurately assess and evaluate student learning in the social studies classroom.

Finally, the program has sought to build ties to local schools and districts in order to better understand what is expected of our graduates. These outreach efforts have helped build greater field opportunities for our students, and have also enabled us to gain feedback on how our student teachers and graduates are performing in the classroom.

B. Sequence of Classes. Candidate preparation involves four phases of coursework and field experience – General studies classes, classes in the major, a professional education sequence, and field experiences that correspond to the professional education sequence.

General Studies Courses
All university students must successfully complete a series of General Studies courses. These include
• 5 courses in Symbolics and Communication
• 3 courses in Science and Technology
• 4 courses in Social Science
• 4 courses in Arts and Humanities.

These classes are designed to give all students an introduction to a broad range of disciplines. All students must also complete one class with a multi-cultural/cross-cultural focus from among the general studies classes. The four courses in the social science area provide a broad range of disciplinary perspectives for future teachers.

Economics Major (36 credit hours):

Required Courses:
GEOG 107 Introduction to Geography or GEOG 110 World Regions
PLSC 112 American Government or PLSC American Government Honors
Econ 201 Principles of Macroeconomics
Econ 202 Principles of Microeconomics
Econ 301 Intermediate Macroeconomics
Econ 302 Intermediate Microeconomics
Econ 310 Economic Statistics or Econ 415 Econometrics
Econ 375 Economic History of the U.S.

12 Credits of Economics Electives including at least two courses from:
Econ 300 Contemporary Economic Issues
Econ 303 Consumer Economics
Econ 327 Economics of Poverty, Inequality and Discrimination
Econ 370 Comparative Economic Systems
Econ 385 Economic Development
Econ 480 International Economics

The economics major for secondary education is designed to give students a broad range of economics concepts to teach their students, as well as to give teachers research and analysis experience in economics. The curriculum includes courses in the related fields of history, political science and geography that are covered in the Michigan Economics Standards.

Professional Studies
Pre-admission Phase: The Learner and the Community
EDPS 322 Human Development and Learning
FETE 202 Field Experience I
SPGN 251 Education of Exceptional Children
Phase I: Curriculum and Assessment and the Social Context
SOFD 328 Schools in a Multicultural Society
CURR 305 Curriculum and Methods, Secondary
EDPS 340 Introduction to Assessment and Evaluation
FETE 302 Field Experience II Secondary
Phase II: Content Methods, Literacy, and Technology
EDMT 330 Instructional Applications of Media and Technology
HIST 481 Methods of Teaching History and Social Studies
RDNG 311 Teaching Reading in the Secondary School
FETE 402 Field Experience III: Secondary

Phase III: Capstone Experience
EDUC 492 Student teaching

Economics Minor (27 credit hours):

Required Courses (15 credit hours):
GEOG 107 Introduction to Geography or GEOG 110 World Regions
PLSC 112 American Government or PLSC American Government Honors
Econ 201 Principles of Macroeconomics
Econ 202 Principles of Microeconomics
Econ 375 Economic History of the U.S.

The economics minor for secondary education is designed to give students a broad range of economics concepts to teach their students, as well as to give teachers research and analysis experience in economics. The curriculum includes courses in the related fields of history, political science and geography that are covered in the Michigan Economics Standards.

Professional Studies
Pre-admission Phase: The Learner and the Community
EDPS 322 Human Development and Learning
FETE 202 Field Experience I
SPGN 251 Education of Exceptional Children
Phase I: Curriculum and Assessment and the Social Context
SOFD 328 Schools in a Multicultural Society
CURR 305 Curriculum and Methods, Secondary
EDPS 340 Introduction to Assessment and Evaluation
FETE 302 Field Experience II Secondary
Phase II: Content Methods, Literacy, and Technology
EDMT 330 Instructional Applications of Media and Technology
HIST 481 Methods of Teaching History and Social Studies
RDNG 311 Teaching Reading in the Secondary School
FETE 402 Field Experience III: Secondary

Phase III: Capstone Experience
EDUC 492 Student teaching

Field Experience

All students must complete 100 field experience hours before student teaching. Sixty of the hours are completed in structured Field Experience (FETE) courses, 55 of these hours in the major. The remaining 40 hours are completed independently in a variety of learning environments.

FETE (Field Experience in Teacher Education) courses are developmental field experiences completed at three points in the students' professional education sequence. FETE courses are taken as co-requisites to core courses in the professional education sequence. Instructors for all FETE courses are practicing educators from area schools.

The structure of FETE courses is as follows: After an initial orientation, all interactions with the instructors are electronic. Students have readings and field assignments contained in course packs. They also have weekly discussions through web caucus. Students are able to discuss their field experiences with both their FETE instructor in the online format and the instructor of the co-requisite course. This combination of practicing professional and teacher education professor feedback provides multiple points of view for reflection.

Student Teaching:

All students take EDUC 492 for 12 hours. This is a full semester of full-time student teaching. It includes writing and teaching a curriculum unit, a reflective journal, and an analysis demonstrating student learning.

C. In HIST 481, Teaching Social Studies, CURR 305 Curriculum and Methods – Secondary and EDPS 340 Introduction to Assessment and Evaluation, students learn a variety of instructional strategies, and are given in depth instruction in utilizing different teaching techniques to match student learning styles in the classroom.

D. Differences between elementary or secondary: Not applicable.

E. The following classes have a significant component of multi-cultural and gender equity:
EDPS 322 Human Development and Learning, FETE 202 Field Experience I, SPGN 251 Education of Exceptional Children, SOFD 328 Schools in a Multicultural Society, CURR 305 Curriculum and Methods, Secondary, EDPS 340 Introduction to Assessment and Evaluation, HIST 481 Methods of Teaching History and Social Studies, READ 311, Teaching Reading in the Secondary School and FETE 402 Field Experience III: Secondary.

Classes such as ECON 201, ECON 202 and ECON 375 help students understand global differences in economic development and living standards, as well as see the international aspects of economics. All EMU are required to take at least one Cross-cultural/Multicultural class as part of their general studies requirement.

F. In EDPS 340 Introduction to Assessment and Evaluation and HIST 481 Methods of Teaching History and Social Studies student learn how to apply different evaluation and assessment techniques (traditional and authentic) to their own classroom.

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