Introductory Macroeconomics  An introduction to macroeconomics: a consideration of macroeconomic problems such as unemployment and inflation. Theories and policy proposals of Keynesian and classical economists are contrasted. Topics considered include: banking, financial institutions, monetary policy, taxation, government spending, fiscal policy, tradeoffs between inflation and unemployment in both the short run and the long run, and wage-price spirals.

Globalization and US Inequality Does globalization increase inequality in the United States?  In this course we will study how trade, automation, immigration, and financial integration relate to the distribution of income, wealth, and employment in the US over the last century.  In the first part of the course we will study theoretical frameworks to shed light on this question.  In the second part, we will turn to the data and read peer-reviewed articles, discussing evidence for and against globalization increasing US inequality.  Lastly, we will debate policy prescriptions, to address these issues.

Senior Research Workshop II In this second semester of the senior research workshop sequence, the focus is on the execution of the research plan developed in ECON 0701.  Most instruction is now one-on-one but the workshop will still meet as a group to discuss and practice the presentation of results in various formats (seminars, poster sessions, et cetera) to the rest of the workshop and others in the college and broader communities. Feedback and critiques from such presentations will be incorporated into the project, which will culminate in a research paper in the style of an economics journal article.

Senior Research Workshop I In this first semester, students will design and begin their projects. Emphasis will be on designing a novel research question (while making the case for its importance) and an appropriate strategy for answering it. This requires immersion in the academic literature on the topic. General research principles and tools will be taught in class, as a group, while those specific to individual projects will be covered in one-on-one meetings. By the end of the term, students will outline their plan for completing the project, including demonstrating that it is a feasible research question for which the necessary information (e.g., data or source materials) is available or can be generated by the student (e.g., lab or other experiment).

Federal Reserve Challenge In this course we will study the tools of monetary policy to achieve the Federal Reserve’s dual mandate of maximum employment and stable prices.  We will use macroeconomic theory, data, and cutting-edge research to analyze current economic conditions.  The class will formulate a monetary policy recommendation for the U.S. central bank, emulating the Federal Open Market Committee, and five members of the class will present this recommendation in the annual Fed Challenge Competition at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.  For a final project, each student will design their own mock monetary policy briefing and present it to the class.

Erin Wolcott

Reviews and ratings for Erin Wolcott at Middlebury College.Erin Wolcott teaches Intro Macroeconomics, Globalization & US Inequality, Senior Research Workshop II and more.  Explore top rated instructors and find the best for you.Is Erin Wolcott good ? Find out on MiddCourses.

This course was a great overview of the economy as someone who didn't know much before. Professor Wolcott was great at incorporating her research and real world info to the course to make it interesting, and was clearly very passionate about what she teaches and very organized. While I learned that econ isn't for me, the course was a pleasant experience.

Professor Wolcott was a bit boring but very clear and knowledgeable. The exams and weekly problem sets were fairly easy. You can get away with skipping many of the readings as she goes over them in class. 

This class was very good and engaging. The professor explained everything clearly, made learning enjoyable, and cared about students’ understanding. I really enjoyed and learned a lot from this course!