UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS FOR
HETERODOX ECONOMISTS
Compiled by
Fred Lee
University of Missouri-Kansas City
December, 2004
The economics department at Bucknell offers a
balanced curriculum with courses in mainstream and heterodox economics. Students are exposed to heterodox economics
at every level of the curriculum. In
principles of economics, students are introduced to the ideas of a variety of
economists, including Marx and Veblen, and several theoretical approaches to
the discipline. At the intermediate
level, students take a course on intermediate political economy along side
intermediate microeconomics and intermediate macroeconomics. And the department offers a host of elective
political economy courses, including: Classical Marxism, Unemployment and
Poverty, Political Economy of the Caribbean, Political Economy of Africa,
Political Economy of Global Resources, Political Economy of the Media and
Advertising, Comparative Economic Systems, Economic Geography, and Marxian
Economics. Department offerings reflect
faculty backgrounds in various heterodox perspectives, including Marxian,
Institutionalist, Feminist and Social Economics. The department regularly brings in speakers
who reflect our diverse perspectives.
Recent speakers at Bucknell include Robert Pollin, Michael Zweig, and
Doug Henwood.
For more information: http://www.bucknell.edu/Academics/Colleges_Departments/Academic_Departments/Economics/
The Economics & Finance Department at Buffalo
State offers non-traditional perspectives to theory and policy, including Post
Keynesian, Institutionalist, and Marxist approaches to economics. We have undergraduate programs in both economics
and finance, and an MA program in Applied Economics. We are a collegial and diverse group of
faculty with graduates from the Universities of California at Berkley and
Riverside, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, and the
New School for Social Research. Undergraduate
courses include Economic Development, History of Thought, Women in the Economy,
Labor Economics, Comparative Economic Systems, Money & Banking, etc. We also offer a fairly traditional finance
program that includes courses in Investment Management, Bond Markets,
Derivative Securities, etc. Our MA
program offers tracks in policy analysis, finance, and education.
For more information: http://www.buffalostate.edu/economics
The Economics Department at California State University, San Bernardino has a longstanding commitment to a heterodox curriculum. We offer both a minor in Political Economy, and a Political Economy track in the Economics B.A. The PE track requires principles of microeconomics, principles of macroeconomics, statistics, intermediate microeconomics and intermediate macroeconomics, as well as Political Economy and History of Economic Thought. In addition, students must select seven upper division econ electives, three of which must come from the following: Social Economics; The Political Economy of Women: Money, Race, Sex, and Power; The Political Economy of Poverty and Discrimination; Economic History of the United States; and Economic Development. We are in the process of adding the following courses: Political Economy of Latin America; Political Economy of Chicanas/os; and Political Economy of LGBTs.
The faculty consists of an eclectic mix of liberal mainstream economists and radical political economists. Four of the eight faculty are active members of one or more of the following associations: the Union for Radical Political Economics (URPE), The Association for Evolutionary Economics (AFEE), The International Association for Feminist Economics (IAFEE), The Association for Institutional Thought (AFIT), and the Association for Social Economics (ASE).
For more information: http://economics.csusb.edu.
In spite of being only 8 people, a wide variety of
interests and points of view are represented in the department, including
Marxist, Post-Keynesian, and neo-classical. These varied viewpoints find their
ways into many of our courses, but they do not affect the working environment.
We are basically a congenial group of faculty whose research and teaching
interests do not much overlap. Because we are a liberal arts college, we get a
lot of students for whom Economics is a surrogate business major, one perceived
as “relevant” and helpful in securing work. The major itself is pretty
traditional, and many courses count toward other majors at the college,
including International Relations and Environmental Studies. Most courses have
a significant policy orientation, informed by departmental expertise on
environmental and labor issues, plus experience in Africa, Latin America, and
Vietnam. When the department fills new positions, it looks for fields and
expertise, not ideology.
For more information: http://www.conncoll.edu/academics/departments/economics/
Our undergraduate economics program covers heterodox
as well orthodox economics. Our curriculum encourages students not to take in
received knowledge as the truth but to examine and question it. We emphasize
presenting alternative approaches to economic analysis and the historical and
present day relevance of the material. The program begins with an alternative
introduction to economics course that emphasizes history of economic
arrangements and ideas throughout the history by reading the primary sources.
In addition, we emphasize essay writing in this course. These goals are pursued
at the upper level courses that cover both the claims and deficiencies of
received theory. Some of the courses our program offer are neoclassical
economics, origins of modern economics, economic history, the history of
economic thought, public finance, international and development economics,
environmental economics, urban and regional economics, money and financial
economics, industrial organization, and health economics. The program provides skills and credentials
necessary to work as an economist and preps students who want to go to a
graduate program, and is especially suitable for those wanting to find out more
about economics and to explore alternative approaches to economics.
For more information: http://www.du.edu/econ/.
Economics Department has been a pioneer (since 1985)
in integrating heterodox economic perspectives into the required undergraduate
economics curriculum. The Economics major allows exploration of a variety of
disciplinary and interdisciplinary views on economic questions and policy. The
Economics faculty represents an unusually wide range of specialties as well as
a variety of traditional and non-traditional approaches to economics, including
Neo-Classical, Radical, Feminist, Post-Keynesian, Austrian, Institutional, and
Ecological economics. Our courses are part of and the economics faculty
participate in most all the interdisciplinary programs at Dickinson including
American Studies, Environmental Studies, Latin American Studies, International
Studies, International Business & Management, Policy Studies, and Women's
Studies. As a result of this intellectual depth and breadth, Economics majors
learn to think critically about economic issues and problems facing the
world.
For more information: http://www.dickinson.edu/departments/econ/
DREW
UNIVERSITY
The Economics
Department at Drew University has a long history of heterodox economics. All
majors are required to take courses in heterodox perspectives, including
history of economic thought, contemporary political economy, or the political
economy of race, class and gender. Ethical, institutional, Marxist, feminist
and other critical perspectives are part of most economics courses. There is a
strong emphasis not only on political economy and history but also on
ecological and development economics. Faculty members in the department
represent humanistic, ecological, Marxist, feminist and post-Keynesian economic
perspectives.
For more information: http://depts.drew.edu/econ/
The Evergreen State College has a thriving set of
programs connected to political economy and a group of faculty committed to
doing teaching and research in this area. The entry-level program, Political
Economy and Social Movements is a 32 credit program that students take
full-time in fall and winter quarter. It is usually taught by three faculty and
incorporates a historical analysis of the development of U.S. capitalism, with
an emphasis on the development of class, gender and race relations. Students
are introduced to Marxist and neoclassical
economic analysis, In the second quarter, global capitalism is analyzed.
A focus on both quarters is how social
movements have resisted the
dominant power. There are many
academic programs that build on this one
such as alternatives to capitalism, political economy of the media, and
studies in globalization.. Education at Evergreen is interdisciplinary
with a strong emphasis on internships and independent study. Many students
whose emphasis is political economy find work as organizers, and working for
social justice after completing their studies. There are currently about seven
faculty whose main emphasis is political economy and non-neoclassical
economics.
For more information: http://www.evergreen.edu
The Economics Department at Franklin & Marshall College offers students a strong undergraduate education in economics within a contemporary liberal arts tradition, emphasizing a well-rounded curriculum in both orthodox and heterodox economics, historical and institutional context, and multiplicity of perspectives. The faculty is diverse, with specialization in a variety of areas and schools of thought, including Marxian, Institutional, neoclassical, postmodern, postcolonial, and feminist approaches. As a recent graduating senior stated, in one year he learned about "real business cycle theory," and "post structuralist ways of looking at things." Two courses introduce students to economics: Introduction to Economic Principles discusses neoclassical models of economic behavior, market structures, and aggregate economic performance. Introduction to Economic Perspectives gives an introduction to economic institutions, history, and ideologies. At the intermediate level, in addition to micro and macro theory, students are required to take a course on the analytical foundations of heterodox economic theories. Examples of elective courses offered:
Marxian Political Economy
Postcolonial Perspectives on Development
Feminist Economics
Globalization: History of the World Economy
Economics of the European Union
Game Theory
For more information: http://www.fandm.edu/Departments/Economics/default.html
Students at Hampshire College design their own major field of study, with an emphasis on critical thinking and writing. Within the social sciences they often choose political economy as a core component of their concentration, which may address such areas as "Public Health in Latin America," "Economics and the Environment," or "Women and Social Change." Students who plan graduate study in economics will take the expected courses in economic theory and mathematics. We teach economics in historical and social context, challenging the narrowness of mainstream approaches, but drawing on economic reasoning and concepts that bridge both orthodox and heterodox modes of inquiry. As well, students may freely enroll in courses at Smith, Amherst, Mt Holyoke, or the University of Massachusetts, where a range of fine courses in political economy can be added to their program of study. The capstone of a Hampshire career is a year-long senior research project that results in an extended essay of 60 to 100 pages. Typically, students in political economy select well-defined topics within such areas as globalization, labor organizing, community development, campaign finance, prisons, international economic development, and alternative business.
For more information: http://www.hampshire.edu/cms/index.php?id=2883
Hobart and William Smith are coordinate liberal arts
colleges (Hobart for men; William Smith for Women) of 1800 students. They are
strongly committed to interdisciplinary studies, gender studies, and global
studies including off-campus programs. The economics department’s offerings are
designed to reflect these commitments as well as provide depth in the orthodox
approach to economics. Our goal is to encourage our students to develop a
broader perspective on economic issues and acquire a more nuance worldview than
that usually provided by majoring in economics. Our heterodox offerings include
courses at the introductory and advanced levels in Institutionalist, feminist,
Marxist, and related approaches. The economics major includes a required core
course in Political Economy, sequenced after intermediate orthodox theory
courses, and providing a comparative approach to economic theory and
methodology. Research by faculty involved in the heterodox components of the
curriculum includes work on gender and development, community economic
development from a radical perspective, alternatives to traditional forms of
economic development, and institutional theory and methodology.
For more information: http://academic.hws.edu/econ/
The economics department at Lewis and Clark College offers a broad and politically diverse curriculum, which provides a supportive environment for those interested in alternatives to mainstream economics. For example, we teach classes on political economy -- including radical political economics and the political economy of race, class and gender-- and support a political economy minor. Areas of faculty interest and strength include economic history, third world development, international economics, and environmental economics. We pride ourselves on offering small, intellectually rigorous classes with considerable student involvement and participation. The capstone to our program is a year long senior seminar class, in which students research and write, with faculty support, a thesis based on their interests; the results are also presented orally to all economic faculty, seniors, and interested members of the community. The college also offers a wide ranging program of international study; many members of the department have participated in this program by leading trips.
For more information: http://www.lclark.edu/~econ/
UNIVERSITY OF
MANITOBA
DEPARMENT OF
ECONOMICS
UNDERGRADUATE
PROGRAM
The Department of Economics offers a 3-year B.A.
degree, a 4-year B.A. (Advanced) degree, and a 4-year B.A. (Honours) degree in
Economics. The broad, pluralistic composition of the Economics faculty at
Manitoba enables the department to offer a range of undergraduate courses
through which students are exposed to both mainstream and alternative
approaches to economics. These include institutionalist, Post-Keynesian, and
Marxist approaches, as well as the neoclassical mainstream. Selected courses in
economic history are available at the second and third year level, but
attention is given to the institutional and historical framework in the
intermediate theory courses as well as in many other, more specialized courses.
All honours students are required to have at least one course in alternative
macroeconomic theory, and they are also required to complete a full course in
the history of economic thought.
The stimulating intellectual environment at Manitoba is further enhanced through the activities of the University of Manitoba Undergraduate Economics Society. This student organization provides a range of activities for its members and the larger university community, including a speaker series, a reading room, tutoring services and its own highly acclaimed magazine, The Invisible Hand. Students can also benefit from the department’s close association with the Labour and Workplace Studies Program and with the Global Political Economy Program, both of which are established interdisciplinary programs at the University of Manitoba. For Honours students, there is a monthly Honours Salon, in which students hold informal discussions on selected topics in a relaxed environment. The department also sponsors an annual two-day retreat on Lake Manitoba at which Honours students present and discuss their own papers and research.
For more information: http://www.umanitoba.ca/faculties/arts/economics/
The department regularly
offers courses in Marxist and non-Marxist political economy, taught by leading
scholars in each of their respective areas. Faculty include those of
Marxist (orthodox and post-modernist), feminist, Post-Keynesian, and Institutionalist
persuasions, all of whom are actively engaged in research and teaching.
Department holds seminar in political economy weekly, which attracts leading
international and domestic heterodox scholars. Both undergraduates and
graduate students receive a broad range of viewpoints on questions of political
economy, and learn rigorously neoclassical mainstream economics to complete
their study of political economy as a collection of endlessly contesting
theories struggling for hegemony.
For more information: http://www.umass.edu/economics
The Department of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Boston offers students a heterodox approach to economic issues. In our core introductory and theory courses, we provide students with a grounding in neo-classical and Keynesian analysis, as well as providing a critical perspective on these approaches. We require our majors to take at least two courses that develop an “alternative approach” to economics; we offer many courses that meet this requirement, including an “Introduction to Marxist Economic Analysis.” We have attempted to build a department with a focus on “urban social problems,” and many of our courses and the research of many of our faculty focus on issues of income distribution and poverty, racial discrimination, the economic position of women, problems of social welfare, and inequality in the world economy.
For more information: http://www.economics.umb.edu.
From the early 1970s until the early 1990s the
Economics Department at the University of Michigan was one of the few
nationally prominent departments offering the opportunity to pursue radical
economics: it had a graduate program field called Political Economy and a
regularly-offered undergraduate course in Marxist Economics, as well as
versions of several more standard courses incorporating left-heterodox perspectives. Although the graduate field no longer exists
and the Marxist Economics course has not been taught for some time, it remains
true that undergraduates can include within an economics major courses in
development economics, economic history, the history of economic thought,
economic policy, and philosophy & economics that present distinctly
critical heterodox viewpoints. Outside
of the Economics Department undergraduates can find a considerable range of courses
more or less complementary to radical economics – most especially in the
Residential College, but also in the Philosophy, Sociology, Anthropology, and
History Departments and in the Women’s Studies, American Culture and
Afroamerican & African Studies Programs.
Michigan retains as well a vibrant undergraduate left-political milieu,
with a particularly strong focus on labor issues.
For more information: http://www.econ.lsa.umich.edu
Like most applied departments of economics, the
Department of Agricultural Economics takes a broad approach incorporating many
perspectives. The first course in the
Environmental Economics and Policy major is entitled Community Economics and
addresses basic issues of property rights, power, and institutional
design. This is followed by courses in
ecological economics, environmental economics, and world food and poverty. Gender issues are explored in a course on Women
and Work.
For more information: http://www.aec.msu.edu/agecon/undergrad/eep.htm
The Economics discipline at the University of
Minnesota, Morris (UMM) is a rigorous program with a deliberate heterodox
emphasis and a liberal arts orientation. The theory courses are taught
critically and in in historical context, and there is an ample opportunity for
students to engage in an inter-disciplinary conversation in our field
courses. In addition to regular courses,
The Economics curriculum also offers Political Economy since 2000-2001 academic
year. Finally, UMM offers an undergraduate Management Program that is
critically influenced by the Economics curriculum and its heterodox
orientation.
For more information: http://www.mrs.umn.edu/academic/economics/
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-KANSAS CITY
The economics department at UMKC is a pretty heterodox friendly place. In our economics major students get introduce to heterodox economic ideas in the introductory and intermediate theory courses and are required to take a course in the history of economic thought and a course in Institutionalist theory. Other courses with heterodox content are offered on gender, race, the environment, radical economics, and monetary theory. All majors in economics have a capstone course that has a community service component. Our ethos is to provide students with the capability to engage and understand both neoclassical and the range of heterodox theories and then let them make their own choices. The department brings in outside speakers, frequently has international visitors from Mexico, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and elsewhere, and sponsors the Post Keynesian summer school and conference.
For more information: http://iml.umkc.edu/econ.
The undergraduate program in economics at the
University of Notre Dame is jointly administered by two departments: Economics
and Policy Studies (ECOP) and Economics and Econometrics (ECOE). Because of the
efforts of the members of ECOP, the undergraduate program is open to a wide
range of heterodox perspectives. We regularly teach courses on political
economy (theory, U.S., and international), Marxist economics, feminist
economics, and Post Keynesian macroeconomics. Heterodox perspectives are also
taught in courses on labor, development, public policy, poverty, and
international economics. Students in the program are encouraged to work in
conjunction with other programs, including the Center for Social Concerns
(especially for community-learning initiatives), Peace Studies, the Higgins
Labor Research Center, Gender Studies, the Hesburgh Program in Public Service,
Science, Technology, and Values, and Philosophy, Politics, and Economics.
For more information: http://www.nd.edu/~economic/undergraduate/index.html
A heterodox-friendly department that includes
faculty members working in and teaching a variety of theoretical perspectives,
including Institutionalist, Marxist, Feminist and Latin American Structuralist,
as well as neoclassical. We offer a political economy minor, and an honors
thesis option. We regularly teach Marxist Economics, Institutional Economics
and the History of Economic Thought, as well as a number of electives that
include multiple approaches, including courses on transition, economic
development, labor, women, race & ethnicity, the environment and others
targeted to regions, including Asia and Latin America. We have a monthly
department seminar open to the public.
For more information: http://www.econ.pdx.edu
Ramapo College offers discerning students the
atmosphere of a private college with the affordability of a public institution.
Nestled in scenic northern New Jersey, Ramapo's safe, suburban campus is
convenient to all the cultural, educational, and entertainment attractions of
New York City. The economics major at RCNJ is split between the School of
Social Sciences, which focuses on Marx, Veblen, Rousseau, Polanyi, and Keynes,
and the School of Administration and Business, which offers a Hayekian/Coasean perspective.
Ramapo offers a BA and a minor in economics.
For more information: http://www.ramapo.edu
Rollins College, a comprehensive liberal arts
college, has 1750 fulltime undergraduate students. The economics department, currently with 8
full time faculty serving 80-100 junior/senior majors, has offered heterodox
courses and introduced alternative economic perspectives in traditional courses
for two decades. Recently, a new
three-course sequenced introduction to the major was created: an historical approach presenting key tools
and concepts, mostly orthodox but some heterodox; a micro/macro survey using
some of the earlier heterodox material; and an alternative economic
perspectives course which examines important economic policy issues from
several ideological views. Some upper
level courses require all three as prerequisites. Consensus on concepts and
tools in the three-course sequence was achieved with weekly discussions for a
year, and these continue. Each course
leaves space for individual faculty to introduce their own content. The goal is
to expose the student to a broader understanding of economics so that upper
level courses, including intermediate macro and micro, can address ideas and
issues from a variety of positions, and provide students the opportunity to
gain greater facility with critical thinking.
The evolution of the major is ongoing, responding both to the teaching
experience of the faculty and the feedback received from students.
For more information: http://www.rollins.edu.
Studying economics at Roosevelt University goes beyond the conventional economics taught at most universities in the United States. From the first year of study to the last, students at Roosevelt engage in heterodox and pluralistic conversations about economics. Whether the topic is theory, philosophy, history, policy, or practice, studying economics at Roosevelt University is an “education in the practice of freedom.” Students can study economics from Institutionalist, Post Keynesian, Feminist, Libertarian, Marxist, quantitative, literary, and rhetorical points of view. At the same time, Neoclassical theory and other mainstream points of view are required, mastered, and compared.
Often the small yet distinctive faculty teaches courses in their fields of research expertise. Students have ample opportunity to work with faculty on research projects and in a number of unique research centers, such as the Mansfield Center for Social Justice, the Center for New Deal Studies, the St. Clair Drake Center for African American Studies, and the Institute for Metropolitan Affairs.
Roosevelt University is a diverse, private, and non-sectarian institution located in the heart of downtown Chicago. Internships and meaningful work can be found within walking distance or with a brief commute by bus or train.
For more information: http://www.roosevelt.edu
Shawnee
State University has a Social Science Department that has an economics minor as
well as a major in International Relations.
Courses that integrate various heterodox perspectives include US
economic history, economic development, international political
economy, international trade, comparative systems, state of the world (which focuses
on the interaction of ecology, culture and social systems), and cultural anthropology.
For more information: http://www.shawnee.edu
The Department of Economics at the
University of Southern Maine is a heterodox friendly program offering both
the BA and the BS in economics. The Department (with five and one-half faculty
members) is housed in the College of Arts and Sciences where we offer a variety
of options for students working to complete general education courses. At the
one-hundred level, for example, we have a variety of innovative course
offerings that includes several with the provocative title "Critical
Thinking About ... " "the Economics of Race and Gender," or
"the Economics of Health Care," or "Economic Democracy," or
"Economics and Business." Also at the one hundred level we
teach "A Novel Approach to Economics." A three hundred level course
in "Political Economy" is required for both the BA and the BS.
Faculty are encouraged to develop upper level courses that challenge students
to bring neoclassical and heterodox economic approaches into conversation ...
thus we presume that students will learn and understand both the received
doctrines of the discipline, the major critiques of the orthodoxy, and the
positive contributions of alternative approaches.
For more information: http://www.usm.maine.edu.
SOUTHERN
OREGON UNIVERSITY
Southern Oregon
University, located in beautiful Ashland, is part of the Oregon University
System. The Economics Department is located in the School of Social Sciences
and offers four options in the major (International Economics, Applied
Economics and Public Policy, Economics and Finance, and General Economics). The
faculty is a heterodox group, having received PhDs from UC Berkeley, U. of Utah,
Stanford U., U. of Oregon, and Carnegie-Mellon U., and participating in Post
Keynesian, Feminist, and Latin Americanist research and professional
organizations. Majors in economics have
a capstone course that gives them the opportunity to engage the history of
economic thought at an advanced level, culminating in a better understanding of
both neoclassical and heterodox approaches.
For more information: http://www/sou.edu/ECONOMICS/
The Economics Department has gone through a
transformation, and is in the process of renaming itself to “Humane Economics
Department” to reflect a more complete image of self and society. Unlike the Darwinist assumptions of
conventional economics, a humane economics curriculum recognizes that humans
possess the all-encompassing attributes of competition and cooperation, trust
and distrust, and are conflicting as well as compassionate. Further, humans not only tend to actively
work towards material welfare, but also aspire towards the non-material, and
the study of economics has to integrate self and society into a complex
analysis of how humans can consciously forge ahead to a better world for self
and others. Our curriculum therefore
includes core conventional economics courses, but also offers courses such as
“Introduction to Humane Economics”, “Economics, Freedom and Human Values”, and
“Poverty and Microcredit.” Students are
also required to participate in our Microcredit Program, CHOMI, which is the
only university based microcredit program in the world. In this program, students teach business
development workshops to poor entrepreneurs in the local African-American
community, and support clients as they develop their businesses. This latter component of our program has been
a vital learning tool of real world economics for our students.
For more information: http://www.stetson.edu/artsci/economics/
Alternative perspectives are encouraged here. The faculty includes doctorates from
respected heterodox graduate departments such as Notre Dame, Riverside, Utah,
Wisconsin, and the New School. An
introductory course in political economy is required of all majors (in addition
to the usual micro and macro principles), and a concentration in international
political economy is available. Also,
students from other majors can take a minor in political economy. Heterodox courses include comparative
political economy, comparative systems, Marxian economics, economic
development, ecological approaches to environmental economics, political
economy of women, and the political economy of race and class. Moreover, we have beautiful green mountains
and nice long snowy winters for reading Joan Robinson or Volume III of Capital.
For more information: http://www.cortland.edu/economics
TELE-UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY
OF QUEBEC
The Labour, Economics and Management Department of Télé-université, university of Quebec, Canada counts a certain number of courses that have a heterodox perspective. Economics of Québec (eco 2011 Industrial and regional economics of the province), Labour Economics (eco 3003), Economic development and employment (eco 3005), Training and competitiveness (eco 3004) and Local economic development (eco 3007) are the main courses identified as economics courses, but there are also some that are identified Industrial relations or management that have a strong political economy component: Work-life balance and social times (rin 2013), Innovation issues (rin 4120)Aging and work (rin 2015), Seminar on human resources management (adm 4025) and International Human resources management (adm 4015). Our courses are given through distance education in many countries throughout the world, but mainly Canada. We have 3 Research chairs on heterodox perspectives, amongst which one Canada Research Chair on the socio-organizational challenges of the Knowledge Economy (www.teluq.uquebec.ca/chaireecosavoir), and the Bell-Teluq-Enap Chair on Technology and Organizational change(www.teluq.uquebec.ca/chaireecosavoir). We have a heterodox journal in Economics: www.teluq.uquebec.ca/interventionseconomiques and a Political Economy Association (PEA), which organizes an annual conference as well as publish the annual proceedings: www.unites.uqam.ca/aep.
For more information: http://www.teluq.uquebec.ca
.
The faculty of the Economics Department at TCU take
very seriously the teacher-scholar model and the ideals of a liberal arts
education. We view teaching as our most
important job and encourage our students to explore alternative points of view
and to develop the tools necessary for independent analysis of economic
arguments. While our course descriptions
sound very standard, we have built a faculty wherein neoclassicists are in the
minority. Hence, one might take an
economic history course with a New Institutionalist, intermediate micro with an
Austrian, development theory with a Post Keynesian, intermediate macro with a
Marxist, and international monetary economics with an "Old"
Institutionalist (it is very likely that we will soon develop a course with a
feminist bent, as well). We offer three
degrees: a BA, a BS, and a BS in International Economics (the last is new and
has become very popular). Students
pursuing either BS have a capstone course.
Economics also has a dedicated computer lab. We are a very collegial group and are known
for being very student friendly.
For more information: http://www.econ.tcu.edu
The Economics Department at University of Utah is
one of the few research universities that has a heterodox PhD program in
economics in the US. The heterodox research interests of its faculty are also
reflected in its undergraduate program, which provides a broad and pluralistic
education. In addition to teaching rigorously standard economics and
quantitative tools of analysis, the standard courses are covered critically and
diverse points of view are presented. Students can also take classes in Post
Keynesian, Feminist, environmental and Marxist economics. In addition, students
also have the option to take a number of classes that include community work
with various local non-profit organizations that focus on issues such as
poverty and income distribution.
For more information: http://www.econ.utah.edu.
The Economics Department at the University of Vermont is a heterodox
department. Our faculty of 12 has the
distinction of being half female. We regularly teach courses that include
Post-Keynesian, Feminist, and Insitutionalist perspectives, and a majority of
faculty is broadly knowledgeable across a variety of heterodox approaches. Our
goal is to teach economics from a critical perspective, providing students with
the capability to engage and understand both neoclassical and the range of
heterodox approaches. Many of our courses have a policy focus, and our faculty
has worked with a national governments and international policy organizations,
including the governments of South Africa and Nicaragua, the AFL-CIO, United
Nations, World Bank. Faculty members have been active in such policy issues as
living wage campaigns, labor standards, and welfare. The Department has an
economic history seminar series that brings in outside speakers several times a
year. Further, a number of our faculty are active in Women’s Studies and ALANA
(African, Latin and Native American) Studies, and through collaboration with
these programs, we are able to bring in nationally and internationally renowned
heterodox economists each year.
For
further information: http://www.uvm.edu/~econ
The University of Washington, Tacoma has a Liberal Arts School that is a interdisciplinary department consisting of about 40 faculty members. Within the department there is a small concentration in Political Economy offered by three faculty members. Courses are offered on utopian thought, Veblen, the esoteric economics of Rudolf Steiner, the economics of the Mafia, crime and drugs, 20th Century US-UK imperialism in Eurasia, Asian development, and US policy.
For more information: http://www.tacoma.washington.edu.
We teach courses in Political Economy, Sweatshops
and Globalization, Women in the Economy, and the Economics of Race and
Racism, a seminar on political economy and development, as well as a course in
the History of Economic Thought. We off a minor in political economy as
part of the economics major.
For more information:
http://www.wheatonma.edu.
The Economics Department is fairly diverse in terms of faculty. We had three active members of the International Association for Feminist Economists (one just retired) and two faculty members which would consider themselves to be heterodox economists. We offer a regular course on Political Economy by a faculty member who has written a text on the subject, as well as a course on comparative economic systems, history of thought, and women in the US economy. The faculty members are quite active as a group and although the majority come from neoclassical backgrounds, they are open to discussion. We are working on building the major and creating a capstone course, but this is not yet completed. We recently revamped the two principles courses completely, moving away from the standardized approaches. The Department brings in outside speakers and has a small fund dedicated to bringing in Nobel Laureates, which has included Douglass North.
For more information: http://perth.uwlax.edu/ba/eco/index.html
Worcester Polytechnic Institute is the third oldest university of engineering, science, and technology in the United States. It is located 40 miles from Boston and is the place where Robert Goddard received his undergraduate training and conducted his first experiments in modern rocketry.
The Department of Social Science & Policy Studies at WPI offers bachelor of science degrees in "Economic Science," "Psychological Science," and "System Dynamics." The theme of the Economic Science program is "heterodox & computational economics." In addition to traditional training in neoclassical economics and econometrics, students can study the history of economic thought, economic methodology, Post Keynesian economics, institutional economics, economics & psychology, and Marxian economics. Further, the program emphasizes the use of cutting-edge computational tools (e.g., system dynamics computer simulation modeling, agent-based modeling, neural networks) for the creation of economic models that are based on economic reality and actual human decision making. At all times, the program emphasizes policy design and the improvement of real economic systems.
WPI's undergraduate program is project-based. In addition to their coursework, all students must complete three major projects. The sophomore-year project (equivalent to six courses) is in the humanities, the junior-year project (equivalent to three courses) examines the interaction of technology and society in some fashion, and the senior-year project (equivalent to three courses) is in the student's major area of study. Frequently, WPI students conduct their projects off campus at a WPI project center in another country. Economic Science majors have, for example, used system dynamics computer simulation modeling to (1) examine sustainable water use and farming policies in Australia, (2) develop sustainable fishing policies in Norway, and (3) analyze the effects of urban transportation systems on sustainable development in Brazil. Other opportunities include project work with the Millennium Institute of Arlington, Virginia (with direct ties to the World Bank, IMF, and the Carter Center), and the Center for Full Employment and Price Stability at the University of Missouri - Kansas City.
For more information: http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/Depts/SSPS/
The Department of Economics at the University of Athens has a long tradition of teaching economics as a social science. Indeed, first year students still take two semester courses in Political Economy, in addition to the traditional Economic Analysis Ec101-type courses. Another interesting departure from mainstream formats is that students are obliged to take courses in Economic and Social History (taught by historians) and Mathematics (taught by mathematicians, rather than by economists). In addition, the Department offers (A) three more Political Economy courses, (B) two electives in Marxist Economics, (C) two electives in the History of Economic Thought, plus (D) a number of courses on the philosophy of science and economic methodology. The Department invites outside speakers at least twice a year. Last year, in association with our Doctoral Program (see www.UADPhilEcon.gr) we hosted Professors Joseph Halevi (Sydney), Christian Arnsperger (Louvain), Anwar Shaikh (New School), David Laibman (CUNY) and Tony Lawson (Cambridge). Please note that most courses are taught in Greek but that there are a number of courses in English which are aimed at Erasmus students.
For more information in Greek: http://www.econ.uoa.gr
CAMPUS XOCHIMILCO
UNIVERSIDAD AUTÓNOMA METROPOLITANA, CAMPUS XOCHIMILCO, in
Mexico City has three campuses and in all of them the programs in economics can
be considered heterodox because they include some courses on classical
economics and Marxism. But the program at the Xochimilco campus is a lot more
open. To begin with, the program is built around "problems", not
"theoretical fields" like "macro". For example, the first course on macroeconomics
deals with Keynes's views about crisis and the need of public intervention. The
theory of prices comprises two subjects, one from a neoclassical view and
another from a classical-Marxian view. Macroeconomics is studied in two
subjects, one is strictly orthodox, the second Post Keynesian. International
economics is taught with a strong emphasis on the problems of
globalisation and underdevelopment. Our students are requested to
produce a short "research" paper every term, in which they work on a
particular issue which is relevant to the subject they are studying. Generally
this makes them a lot more sensitive to complex social realities.
For more information: http://cueyatl.uam.mx.
STATE UNIVERSITY OF CAMPINAS- UNICAMP
BRAZIL
Our undergraduate course of Economics integrates an historical approach and solid training in empirical methods from a critical perspective in the study of economic theory. We emphasize the historical roots of economic ideas and their application to international contemporary economic policy debates, linking economic, political and social perspectives. The program strengths are in the areas of economic history, economic development, and international economics because it is deeply committed to analyze the specific nature of capitalist expansion in underdeveloped countries, particularly in Brazil, so as to discuss policy implications.
In the core theory courses, students are provided a critical review of neoclassical theory and then introduced to heterodox approaches to macroeconomics, microeconomics and political economy. Our courses cover a wide range of school of thought: Keynesian and Post Keynesianism, the classical political economy of Smith, Ricardo, Marx, besides the contributions of neoclassical and Institutional economists. The program combines the possibility of taking courses in specialized fields, such as: Finance, Public Policy, Agricultural Economics, Urban and Regional Economics, Labor Economics, Business and Industrial Organization, Economics of Environmental Resources. Our goal is to help students to develop knowledge and skills in heterodox economic theory and in economic and social issues.
For more information: www.eco.unicamp.br
The Political Economy major at New South Wales has
courses in political economy, Australia in the global economy, political
economy and the state, the theory and practice of development, development
economics, sustainable development, globalisation and the third world, economic
growth, technology and structural change, and European integration.
For more information: http://www.unsw.edu.au.
There
are several Marxists and heterodox economists within the economics ‘team’ at
Nottingham Trent University. Our more mainstream colleagues do not hate us, and
generally enjoy working in an open and inclusive environment. Many compulsory
and optional modules on the economics undergraduate degrees include heterodox
content — in particular, Austrian, Institutionalist, Marxist and Post Keynesian
ideas. We also offer dedicated modules on Political Economy and Critique of
Political Economy, the latter essentially organised as a Capital reading group. With members of the university’s
Politics ‘team’ we share the teaching on an honours degree in Political
Economy.
In
addition to offering undergraduate degrees with a heterodox content, we also
offer a masters course which is similarly pluralist and can provide PhD
supervision on topics from a heterodox economic perspective.
We have
fairly regular staff seminars. Recent speakers include Philip Arestis, Keith
Cowling, Ben Fine and Malcolm Sawyer. We received a very nice letter
from Amartya Sen, declining our invitation to speak to us.
Fore more information: http://www.ntu.ac.uk.
SCHOOL OF
ORIENTAL AND AFRICAN STUDIES (SOAS),
UNIVERSITY OF
LONDON
The Department of Economics at SOAS offers a wide
range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees as well as a doctoral
programme. All combine sound foundations in mainstream economics (theory and
techniques) with thorough presentation of alternative perspectives, including
classical political economy, Marxist economics, and Keynesian and
Post-Keynesian approaches. The aim is to enable students actively to engage
with contemporary mainstream economics while also equipping them with the tools
and insights provided by alternative theoretical systems of thought in
economics. Against this broad background, the particular expertise of SOAS
arises from its long-standing preoccupation with the political economy of
economic development. Thus, students at all degree levels have access to a
unique pool of regional expertise and can take course options that cover
diverse aspects of economic and social development in Africa, Asia and Latin
America. At the undergraduate level, students can choose between a BSc in
Economics, a BSc in Development Economics and joint degrees that combine
Economics with, for example, the study of a foreign language or other social
sciences, such as anthropology.
For more information: http://www2.soas.ac.uk/Economics/degrees/index.html.
The
University of Sydney is the principal centre for the study of alternatives to
orthodox economics in Australia. Sydney
itself is a great city, with great beaches and plenty of cultural,
entertainment and sporting facilities and events. The University of Sydney is Australia's
oldest University and is conveniently located close to the city centre. It is at this University that struggles against
the dominance of conventional economics were led by progressive staff and
students from the 1970s onwards, leading to the establishment of a full program
of Political Economy courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate
levels. Students can study Marxist, institutional, feminist, environmental and
post-Keynesian economics and see how a blend of these approaches helps to
understand how the modern capitalist economy works.
The
Political Economy program within the Department of Economics has become and independent
discipline/department (in the Faculty of Economics and Business of the
University of Sydney, department are now called disciplines). It has therefore a 3 year pass program and a
4th year honours program entirely centered on heterodox teaching. The first
year includes an introductory course to economics where students are introduced
to Classical, Marxian, Neoclassical and Keynesian ideas which are then
developed further in second year which includes also a course on the social
foundations of modern capitalism. The
first year undergraduate textbook, written by one of the academic staff, sums
up this approach in its title: Political Economy: the Contest of Economic
Ideas. The teaching encourages all students to develop a critical
engagement with the subject, recognising the diversity of analytical approaches
and how these relate to different social values. In the remaining
years the department/discipline also offers courses on policy issues, on
development, on the political economy of human rights on the social foundations
of modern capitalism. Graduates from the
program go on to a wide range of careers - in journalism, public service,
teaching, working in NGOs and with international agencies, for example. The staff in Political Economy publishes the
leading Australian journal, the Journal of Australian Political Economy which
contains articles useful to students on current economic policy issues.
For more information: http://www.econ.usyd.edu.au/ecop.
VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSELS
Vesalius College is designed explicitly on the model
of American liberal-arts colleges, and the language of instruction is English.
It offers a three-year European-style bachelor’s degree. The College caters to
students from over 60 different countries. Our economics faculty consists of
one neoclassical fan of D. McCloskey, one economic (“you can’t do economics
without history”) historian, and one student of Kenneth Boulding who is a
member of EAEPE and the post-autistic movement. The latter’s course in
comparative economics covers history of economic thought, his development
course stresses dependency and similar theories, and his international
political economy is explicitly interdisciplinary.
For more information:
http://www.vesalilus.edu.