Academic Programs Catalog

James Madison College

Minor in Political Economy

The Minor in Political Economy, administered by James Madison College, is available as an elective to students who are enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs at Michigan State University. The minor is intended to instill a fundamental understanding of political economy and to allow students a choice of policy areas for focused study.

To achieve this breadth and depth of knowledge in political economy, students must complete at least 22 credits. Students in anthropology, economics, international relations, or public resource management will find this specialization especially appealing as preparation for graduate study or public-policy positions.

Requirements for the Minor in Political Economy

The student must complete  (22 to 27 credits):
1. Core Courses. One course selected from each of the following areas (10 or 11 credits):
Intermediate Economics
EC 301 Intermediate Microeconomics 3
EC 302 Intermediate Macroeconomics 3
Foundations of Political Economy
MC 341 Politics and Markets 4
Supplemental Political Economy Courses
EC 360 Private Enterprise and Public Policy 3
MC 221 International Relations II: The Politics of International Economic Relations 4 
MC 349 Economics of Legal Relationships in Comparative Perspective 4
MC 361 Political Economy and Comparative Public Policymaking 4
MC 380 Social Policy 4
MC 381 American Politics and Equality 4
MC 430 Applied International Development 4
A student may not count any of the supplemental courses twice in the specialization.
2. Economic Analysis Methodology. One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
EC 420 Introduction to Econometric Methods 3
MC 293 Methods for Strategic Analysis in Public Affairs 4
MC 295 Research Design and Quantitative Analysis in Public Policy 4
MC 364 Policy Evaluation 4
STT 315 Introduction to Probability and Statistics for Business 3
3. Policy Areas. Two courses must be completed in one of the following areas, and one additional course completed in a separate area (9 to 12 credits):
Law and Political Economy in Policymaking
EC 335 Taxes, Government Spending and Public Policy 3
EC 360 Private Enterprise and Public Policy 3
EC 425 Law and Economics (W) 3
EC 435 Public Expenditures (W) 3
EC 436 Public Revenues (W) 3
GBL 323 Introduction to Business Law 3
MC 348 Educational Policy 4
MC 349 Economics of Legal Relationships in Comparative Perspective 4
Society and Political Economy in Policymaking 3
EC 380 Labor Relations and Labor Market Policy 3
EC 438 Urban Economics (W) 3
EC 485 Economics of Education (W) 3
EC 495 Economics of Poverty and Income Distribution (W) 3
EC 498 Economics of Health Care (W) 3
EEP 255 Ecological Economics 3
EEP 320 Environmental Economics 3
EEP 404 Public Sector Budgeting and Program Evaluation (W) 3
FW 445 Biodiversity Conservation Policy and Practice 3
GEO 415 Location Theory and Land Use Analysis 3
LB 334 Science, Technology and Public Policy (W) 4
MC 348 Educational Policy 4
MC 367 Global Cities and Urbanism 4
MC 380 Social Policy 4
MC 381 American Politics and Equality 4
MC 384 Metropolitan Society 4
SOC 331 Political Sociology 3
UP 353 Land Use Planning 4
Political Economy in International Relations
ABM 400 Public Policy Issues in the Agri-Food System 3
EC 310 Economics of Developing Countries 3
EC 406 Economic Analysis of Russian and the Commonwealth of Independent States (W) 3
EC 410 Issues in the Economics of Developing Countries (W) 3
EC 412 Economic Analysis of Latin America (W) 3
EC 413 Economic Analysis of Asia (W) 3
EC 414 Economic Analysis of Sub-Saharan Africa (W) 3
MC 221 International Relations II: The Politics of International Economic Relations 4 
MC 320 Politics, Society and Economy in the Third World 4
MC 324A Regional Politics, Cooperation, and Conflict in the Middle East 4
MC 324B Regional Politics, Cooperation, and Conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa 4
MC 324C Regional Politics, Cooperation, and Conflict in Latin America and the Caribbean 4 
MC 324D Regional Politics, Cooperation, and Conflict in Asia 4
MC 324E Regional Politics, Cooperation, and Conflict in Europe 4
MC 361 Political Economy and Comparative Public Policymaking 4
MC 430 Applied International Development 4
MC 450 International Environmental Law and Policy 3
Political Economy and Public Affairs in Comparative Perspectives
EC 306 Comparative Economic Systems 3
EC 410 Issues in the Economics of Developing Countries (W) 3
MC 320 Politics, Society and Economy in the Third World 4
MC 324A Regional Politics, Cooperation, and Conflict in the Middle East 4
MC 324B Regional Politics, Cooperation, and Conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa 4
MC 324C Regional Politics, Cooperation, and Conflict in Latin America and the Caribbean 4 
MC 324D Regional Politics, Cooperation, and Conflict in Asia 4
MC 324E Regional Politics, Cooperation, and Conflict in Europe 4
MC 361 Political Economy and Comparative Public Policymaking 4
MC 430 Applied International Development 4
PLS 342 Comparative Political Economy 3
SOC 362 Developing Societies 3