11.202 Gateway: Planning Economics, Fall 2004

Abstract

Planning Economics (11.202) is a course that runs for the last one-third of a semester and covers economics topics of particular interest to city planning students: location theory, the interplay between externalities and zoning, international trade and globalization, and housing finance. Few incoming students have had prior exposure to these topics.The first two-thirds of the semester is given over to Microeconomics (11.203). It is designed for incoming city planning students with little or no economics background. Incoming students take a voluntary microeconomics test-out at the beginning of the semester. Those that pass the test-out are exempt from taking Microeconomics.To minimize disruption, Planning Economics is positioned as the last third of a semester long core course on Planning Institutions and Economics. All students are required to take this final segment of the semester, including students who have tested out of microeconomics.