Sample classes
The traditional way of teaching economics is deductive, explains Lars Osberg, Chair of the Economics Department. You start from first principles and talk ideas out logically. In this method, students learn how economic theory fits together.
“We try to have a mix of classes: some of which are deductive, and some of which are more inductive or problem-oriented,” he says. Combining these two approaches is what we aim for in an economics education at Dalhousie.
Inductive classes are thematic. Take global warming, for example. It's a huge problem for humanity, so how would we approach it as economists? In ECON 2850, students learn to develop the tools to analyze this problem.
The classes we offer reveal a comprehensive strength of the program, reflecting a faculty with a wide breadth of expertise that can cater to your interests.
Inside the classroom
- Teaming up to tackle global warming
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Ruth Forsdyke's class, the Economics of Climate Change, always generated heat. This year, it became even more engaging. She teamed up with Glen Lesins from the Department of Physics to teach a joint class called ECON 2850, the Science and Economics of Climate Change. Taken by students from many different science programs, the class delves into the science behind global warming and explores economic solutions to a crisis we all face.
