This document outlines the syllabus for an introductory microeconomics course taught at Alfaisal University. It provides information about the instructor, class times and locations, required textbook, course description and objectives, assessment methods, policies on attendance, plagiarism, and grading. Students will learn basic microeconomic concepts through lectures, readings, videos, and exams. Grades are based on three exams during the course and in-class assignments, with the option to take a comprehensive final exam. University policies on attendance and academic integrity are also summarized.

1. ECO 101 Microeconomics Alfaisal University
Fall 2013 College of Business
Instructor: Gale L. Pooley, Ph.D.
Email: gpooley@alfaisal.edu
Phone: 215-7706
Office: B3-36
Class Location and Time
Section 1: Sunday & Tuesday 9:00 – 10:30
Rooms: B1.027 and B2.022
Section 2: Sunday & Tuesday 10:30 – 12:00
Rooms: B1.027 and B2.022
Office Hours:
Men: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday 12:00 – 1:00
Women: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday 1:10 – 3:00
or by appointment
Course Textbook
Principles of Microeconomics,
N. Gregory Mankiw & Mohamed H. Rashwan
ebook online only
http://www.cengagebrain.co.uk/shop/en/GB/storefr
ont/emea?cmd=CLHeaderSearch&fieldValue=1408
064308
Websites
afecon101.blogspot.com
elearning.alfaisal.edu
Description
Economics is the Study of Choice. Economics is
everywhere because choices are everywhere.
Economics is generally divided into two categories:
microeconomics and macroeconomics. This
introductory course in microeconomics studies the
behavior of individual economic agents such as
consumers and businesses. Analytical tools are used
to study consumption and production decisions.
Pre/Co-Requisites
None
Objectives
Expected outcomes of this course include:
1. Apply basic mathematical tools to model and
solve economic problems.
2. Demonstrate the economic way of thinking by
applying marginal analysis to decision-making.
3. Understand how the laws of demand and supply
interact daily in markets to allocate resources
and be able to analyze the impacts of market
and non-market (i.e. government intervention)
forces on market equilibria and efficiency
including the computation, understanding and
interpretation of measures of responsiveness of
demand and supply to changes in key factors,
i.e. own-price, cross-price, income elasticities.
4. Explain the theoretical building blocks of
consumer behavior (utility maximization and
budget constraints) and firm decision-making
(cost minimization, production functions, short
and long run costs).
5. Explain how factor markets (particularly, derived-demand
for factors of production) differ from
those for goods and services and illustrate how
this affects firm decision-making.
6. Compare, contrast, and analyze the different
behavior exhibited in perfectly competitive and
imperfectly competitive (monopoly, monopolistic
competition, oligopoly) markets, including the
implications for efficiency and equity when
market failures arise in imperfectly competitive
markets and the potential role for government
oversight (i.e. antitrust).
7. Understand the reasons for, and implications, of
other market failures (i.e. when externalities,
public goods, common resources, and imperfect
information exist) and be able to propose and
evaluate possible market and government
solutions.
Learning Outcomes
In common with all courses taught at the Alfaisal
University College of Business, this one is taught in
accordance with the learning outcomes prescribed by
the KSA Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE).
Alfaisal University ECO 101 Microeconomics
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2. Teaching and Learning Methodology
We will use a variety of methods including lectures,
reading, videos, and taking quizzes and exams.
Assignments and Methods of Assessment
Grades are based on examinations and in-class
assignments. There are four examinations, three
during the course and a comprehensive final.
Examinations are typically multiple choice and short
essay format covering the terms, concepts, and
calculations of the material covered.
You can drop your lowest exam. There are no
makeup exams.
The three highest exams will provide 75% of the
grade. This means that each exam is worth 25% of
your grade. The in-class assignments and quizzes will
provide 25% of the grade.
Assessment Points
Exam 1 100
Exam 2 100
Exam 3 100
In-Class 100
Total 400
Grading
The grading for assignments and the examinations is
in accordance with the following Alfaisal University
policy:
Examination Policy
Since you can drop one exam, there are no make-up
exams. There are no cell phones allowed during
exams.
Final Examination
The fourth examination is the final. The time and
location of the final exam will be announced. You
may elect to take the final examination if you believe
it will improve your grade. The final examination is
comprehensive and covers the whole course.
Laptops and Cell Phones
Please refrain from using cell phones or laptops
during class. Occasionally, we may have an
assignment that requires the use of a laptop. Our
class is a no-text zone.
Attendance
The Ministry of Higher Education requires that you
attend 75 percent of the classes to get credit. If you
miss more than 25 percent of the classes for any
reason, you will not receive credit and will be
required to repeat the course.
Grade Points Percent
A 380 95%
A- 360 90%
B+ 344 86%
B 332 83%
B- 320 80%
C+ 304 76%
C 292 73%
C- 280 70%
D+ 264 66%
D 252 63%
D- 240 60%
F <240 <60%
Alfaisal University ECO 101 Microeconomics
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3. Alfaisal University ECO 101 Microeconomics
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4. Standards and Policies
Attendance
A student who misses more than 25% of classes can be given an automatic N.D. grade by the instructor. This grade
means the student receives no credit and no grade for the course.
Course Evaluation
Students are required to complete a course evaluation for the course before a grade can be released.
Al-Faisal Academic, Plagiarism and Grading Policies
University policies relating to attendance, punctuality and appropriate behavior in class, avoiding plagiarism in
assignments and so forth can be found in the Alfaisal University Student Affairs Undergraduate Student Guide *:
http://www.alfaisal.edu/student/Undergrad_Student_Guide.pdf
In brief, this stipulates that students are responsible for conducting themselves with honor and integrity in fulfilling
course requirements. Penalties and/or disciplinary proceedings may be initiated against a student accused of
scholastic dishonesty or plagiarism.
Academic Policies
1. As set forth in the Student Guide (Section 8.3), a student who misses more than 25% of classes can be given an
automatic fail grade by the instructor. This can lead to administrative withdrawal of the student not only from the
course, but also from the University.
2. Signing an attendance sheet for another student is forbidden under Section 3.2 of the Student Guide as this
constitutes falsification of an academic record. Such cases will be referred to the Dean of the College of Business
and may lead to expulsion from the course and the University.
3. Cheating in a quiz, test, essay assignment or examination is strictly forbidden. A very complete definition of what
is meant by this is described in Section 3.3 of the Student Guide. The College of Business has zero tolerance for
such misconduct, and all cases of cheating will be reported initially to the Dean and may lead to a variety of
penalties being imposed (see below).
4. This reminder of the way we should behave at Alfaisal is needed only for a small minority of our students. It does
not apply to those who are aware of the rules and regulations that govern our university and who conduct
themselves with honour and integrity.
Plagiarism
All students should familiarize themselves with, and abide by, the policies for academic honesty and plagiarism
outlined in the Student Guide (Section 3.3). Plagiarism is defined there as:
The appropriation and the unacknowledged incorporation of another’s work or idea into one’s own work offered for
academic credit. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to: failing to properly acknowledge a statement, idea, or
statistic made by another individual in the body of the work; taking a whole section of someone else’s work and
placing it in the body of your own work without properly acknowledging the contributor; and representing someone
else’s entire or partial work as that of your own.
The College of Business also regards any assignments that are presented as your own original work but have been
written, in whole or in part, by someone else as plagiarism.
Plagiarism will be subject to a range of sanctions including, but not limited to, a zero mark being awarded for the
plagiarized test, assignment or examination. Those who engage in repeat acts of plagiarism may receive a Fail mark
for the entire course and also face possible expulsion from our program.
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