[Ward Home Page | Economics Courses | Entry Page]

387 Human Resources and Employment
Reference #00000
Fall 1999
Class meets in Rm 000 Haag Hall  at 00:00 MWF

HUMAN RESOURCE ECONOMICS
Economics 387
Instructor: Dr. John Ward, Rm 310 HH, telep.235-1309
TTH 4-5:15pm

Text
The Economic Approach to Human Behavior, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1976.
Readings:
Texts: Gary Becker, Human Capital, Chicago: Univ. of Chicago Press, 1975
Lester C. Thurow, Investment in Human Capital, Wadsworth, 1970.
	Chapt. 1.  Introduction
	Chapt. 2.	The Definition and Measurement of Human Capital
	Chapt. 3.	The Price of Human Capital
	Chapt. 4.	The Production of Human Capital
	Chapt. 5.	Individual Investment Decisions
Sar A. Levitan, et. al., Human Resources and Labor Markets, Harper, 1981.
Other readings will be assigned on a weekly basis.
The Thurow and Levitan books are out of print.  I will make copies of relevant chapters available
 to a member of the class.  You will have the responsibility for arranging copying of these chapters.

Important Dates
August 26 - classes start
September 2 - Closed, labor day
November 27 - holiday begins for Thanksgiving, Courses 					resume Dec.2
December 13 - last day of classes
December 20 - Final Exam

Missed Classes, Tests, Papers, and Makeups
I will audio tape each class and maintain the tapes for your use as a study aid for missed classes 
and review. Tapes can be checked out for one day.  I do not take class attendance but class 
participation will count in your grade.

There will be two short essay tests during the term, two take home problems,  
one short paper (2 pages), a term paper (8 pages) and a final exam. 
Short Essay tests will be worth 50 points each, take home problems will be worth 20 points each, 
the short paper will be worth 20 points, the term paper will be worth 50 points and the final will be 
worth 75 points.  Total points are 285 and your grade will be determined by a class curve. 
Class participation will be considered in rounding up grades.
All makeups will be given at a time determined by the instructor.

Organization of Material

Chapt. 2	Work Life, Worktime and Mobility
Chapt. 3	Labor Force Participation and Unemployment
Chapt. 4	Shifting Composition of Employment
Chapt. 7	Education in Human Resource Development
Chapt. 8	Education for Employment
Chapt. 9	The Role of Higher Education
Chapt. 17  The Emergence of Employment and Training Prog.
Chapt. 18  Work and Welfare
Chapt. 19   Combating Discrimination in Employment
Chapt. 20   Lessons from Employment and Training Prog.

Blau & Ferber -"Career Plans & Expectations of young Women & Men", 
Journal of Human Resources (JHR)

Ward & Sanders-" Nutritional Determinants and Migration in the Brazilian Northeast", 
Economic Development and Cultural Change.

Corcione & Thornton, " Female Work Experience", 
Journal of Forensic Economics, (JFE)

Hersch & Viscusi, " Cigarette Smoking, Seatbelt Use & Differences in Wage-risk Tradeoffs"  
JHR

Viscusi,  "The Value of Life", JFE

Ireland and Ward, " Valuing the Life of a Child"

Tests - Two Short Essay Tests

Papers - 0ne 2 page paper and a Term Paper

Makeup
smakeup'sSection One
The Economic Approach to Human Behavior and Alternative Views (Becker part1 and part 3)

Section Two	
support
Normal

Human Resources and Human Capital ( Thurow and Becker)
	Structural changes in the U.S Economy
	The Human Capital Model
	Measuring and creating Human Capital
	Individual Investment decisions
	
Section Three
The Labor Market Model: Methods and Shortcomings (b-p2)

Section Four
Human Resources and the Labor Market
	Work Life, Worktime & mobility 	    	 	

Section Five
Topics in Human Capital Analysis
	Nutrition and Human Capital
	Human Migration
	The Value of Life
	Investment Value of Children
	Theory of Family and Fertility 
 



[Top of Page | Ward Home Page | Economics Courses | Entry Page]