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.

The entire semester is dedicated to researching and developing the backbone of your thesis. There is no final grade. The ultimate objective is to have a first draft of your thesis written, so you will just spend the semester researching and having weekly checkin meetings.

Wolcott is a very nice professor who loves her work, but she doesn't always get her point across. There were many times in class when she was stumped by a question or I thought she didn't do the best job explaining a new concept. The class still provided everything a student would need in terms of intro macro.

This course has a good pace is not very difficult. Professor Erin was very nice and adjusted the grading and the pace of the course to accommodate the student's needs. There is a group project that is a big part of your grade.