# Economics (ECON) courses

Butte College · 2026-2027 Catalog · 5 courses

Source: https://butte.curriqunet.com/catalog/iq/25393/28400/27974

"Offered" lists sections in this catalog year's class schedules: Fall 2026, Winter 2027, Spring 2027.

### ECON 20 — Economic History of the U.S.

- **Units:** 3
- **Hours:** 51 hours lecture
- **Transfers to:** CSU, UC
- **Offered:** Fall 2026, 1 section (/c/butte-college/schedule/fall-2026/econ.md); Spring 2027, 1 section (/c/butte-college/schedule/spring-2027/econ.md)

This course provides a comprehensive exploration of U.S. economic history from colonial times to the present, focusing on key events, policies, and transformations that shaped the nation’s economic landscape. Students will examine the development of capitalism, the role of slavery in early economic growth, and the impact of the Industrial Revolution on labor, technology, and productivity. The course covers major economic crises, including the Great Depression and the 2008 financial crash, analyzing their causes, consequences, and responses to them. It will also explore the rise of the United States as a global economic power through periods of war, industrialization, and the creation of financial institutions such as the Federal Reserve. Special attention is given to the evolution of labor markets, income inequality, and the role of government intervention in the economy. Key themes include the effects of westward expansion, the New Deal, post-World War II prosperity, and the emergence of modern consumerism. Students will engage with primary sources, economic data, and historical debates to connect historical events to contemporary economic challenges. The course includes lectures, discussions, and research projects that encourage critical analysis of how U.S. economic history informs current policy decisions.

### ECON 25 — Introduction to Economics

- **Units:** 3
- **Hours:** 51 hours lecture
- **Transfers to:** CSU
- **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026, Winter 2027, Spring 2027 schedules

This course provides a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between societal institutions and the critical issues of poverty and unemployment. Students will explore how economic theories and terms clarify the socio-economic challenges we face today. The curriculum examines the trade-offs and social values that influence both public and private policies, assessing their effectiveness in addressing these challenges. Through critical analysis, students will evaluate the performance of government, markets, and institutions, and their decisions regarding current economic problems such as unemployment, inflation, poverty, and environmental pollution. This course aims to deepen understanding of the complexities involved in organizing society to provide essential goods and services while highlighting the impact of economic structures on social outcomes.

### ECON 95 — Special Studies-ECON

- **Units:** 1-3
- **Hours:** 51-153 hours independent study
- **Prerequisite:** Permission of instructor
- **Transfers to:** CSU
- **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026, Winter 2027, Spring 2027 schedules

Supervised study in researching an area in the student's academic major. Any student interested in registering for a Special Studies course should contact a full-time instructor or chair/coordinator in the appropriate area no later than the last day of the tenth week of instruction. Students may not petition for a Special Studies course until they have completed satisfactorily 12 units of study at Butte College. 51-153 hours Independent Study. This course may be repeated to a maximum of 3.00 units to complete the entire curriculum of the course.

### ECON C2001 — Principles of Microeconomics

- **Units:** 3
- **Hours:** 51 hours lecture
- **Prerequisite:** Placement as determined by the college’s multiple measures assessment process or completion of a course taught at or above the level of elementary algebra.
- **C-ID:** ECON 201
- **Transfers to:** CSU, UC
- **Offered:** Fall 2026, 7 sections (/c/butte-college/schedule/fall-2026/econ.md); Spring 2027, 7 sections (/c/butte-college/schedule/spring-2027/econ.md)

An introductory course using microeconomic models to understand individual decisions by consumers and firms, market outcomes including market failure, elasticity, market structures, labor markets, inequality, and the impact of government policies. Market equilibrium will also be discussed. (C-ID ECON 201).

### ECON C2002 — Principles of Macroeconomics

- **Units:** 3
- **Hours:** 51 hours lecture
- **Prerequisite:** Placement as determined by the college’s multiple measures assessment process or completion of a course taught at or above the level of elementary algebra.
- **C-ID:** ECON 202
- **Transfers to:** CSU, UC
- **Offered:** Fall 2026, 5 sections (/c/butte-college/schedule/fall-2026/econ.md); Spring 2027, 6 sections (/c/butte-college/schedule/spring-2027/econ.md)

An introductory course using models of the domestic and international economy to understand national income, unemployment, inflation, economic growth, inequality, the financial system, and monetary, fiscal, and other economic policies. (C-ID ECON 202).