Course Syllabus
Below is a syllabus template that includes WSU's required syllabus elements. Please complete all items highlighted in yellow.
Title of Course Environmental Economics and Policy
Prefix and Number EconS 326
Semester and Year Fall 2025
Number of Credit Hours 3
Prerequisites EconS 101
Course Details
Day and Time: [tbd]
Meeting Location: [tbd]
Instructor Contact Information
Instructor Name: [tbd]
Instructor Contact Information: [office location, phone, email] [tbd]
Instructor Office Hours: [click here for best practices] [tbd]
TA Name: [tbd]
TA Contact Information: [office location, phone, email]: [tbd]
TA Office Hours: [click here for best practices] [tbd]
Course Description
This course applies economic principles to understanding and evaluating environmental issues. Economic theory will provide a framework to analyze questions of environmental valuation and optimal regulation of pollution. The class is divided into three segments. First, we introduce the role of markets in influencing and being influenced by pollution in the economy. Market analysis will provide the foundation to evaluate policies regulating pollution under different scenarios. The second segment investigates environmental valuation and benefit cost analysis. We introduce the benefit cost analysis framework as a tool in evaluating the feasibility of a project or program and use environmental valuation as a way to incorporate the monetary value of pollution and other environmental effects into the framework. The last segment takes a macroeconomic view to understand the effect of global pollutants and the different ways to achieve sustainable development in this context
Course Materials
Books:
- Strongly recommended: Environmental Economics and Management: Theory, Policy and Applications. 2010. Scott J Callan and Janet M Thomas. 6th ISBN 1111826676
- Strongly Recommended: Cost Benefit analysis and the environment. 1993. Hanley and Spash.
Other Materials: None
Fees: None
| Critical Thinking |
|
Group Case Analysis and Problem Sets |
| Quantitative Reasoning |
|
Group Case Analysis and Problem Sets |
| Communication |
|
Group Case Analysis and Problem Sets |
| Information Literacy |
|
Group Case Analysis and Problem Sets |
| Depth, Breadth, and Intergration of Learning |
|
Group Case Analysis and Problem Sets |
| Dates | Lesson Topic | Assignment | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Week 1 |
[Defining Environmental Economics and the Role of Markets] | [Chapter 1 problem set] | Successful completion of problem set. |
| Week 2 [dates] |
Market Failure: Public Goods, Public Bads and Externalities | Review Chapter 2 material | Successful completion of problem set. |
| Week 3 [dates] |
[Market Failure: Public Goods, Public Bads and Externalities | Chapter 2 problem set | Successful completion of problem set. |
| Week 4 [dates] |
[Coase Theorem | Chapter 3 problem set | [Successful completion of problem set. |
| Week 5 [dates] |
Pollution Regulation | Chapter 4 problem set | Successful completion of problem set. |
| Week 6 [dates] |
Pollution Regulation | Chapter 5 problem set | Successful completion of problem set. |
| Week 7 [dates] |
Air pollution regulation | Chapter 10 - 12 problem set | Successful completion of problem set. |
| Week 8 [dates] |
[Water pollution regulation | Chapter 14 - 16 problem set | [Successful completion of problem set. |
| Week 9 [dates] |
[Benefit Cost Analysis] | Hanley and Spash Chapter 1 problem set | Successful completion of problem set. |
| Week 10 [dates] |
[Benefit Cost Analysis | Hanley and Spash Chapter 14 problem set | Successful completion of problem set. |
| Week 11 [dates] |
Valuing the Environment: Hedonic Price Methods |
Hanley and Spash Chapter 4 problem set | Successful completion of problem set. |
| Week 12 [dates] |
Valuing the Environment: Household Production Function Approaches | Hanley and Spash Chapter 6 problem set | Successful completion of problem set. |
| Week 13 [dates] |
Constructed Markets Approaches |
Hanley and Spash Chapter 3 problem set | [Successful completion of problem set. |
| Week 14 [dates] |
Global Environmental Management |
Chapter 13 problem set | [Successful completion of problem set. |
| Week 15 [dates] |
[Sustainable Development | Chapter 20 problem set | [Successful completion of problem set. |
Expectations for Student Effort
[Describe how much time students should expect to invest in the course each week. Graduate courses should state: "For each hour of lecture equivalent, students should expect to have a minimum of two hours of work outside of class." Note that Global campus courses will automatically include credit hour equivalents in the syllabus.] [
End of class questions will be presented. Half points for attending. Half points for getting the correct answer. No make up class participation questions will be given.
If you miss class participation points, you can make it up by answering questions I raise in class. Each correctly answered question will earn an equivalent of a perfect score for a class participation day.
If you earn more than the total possible score on class participation, it will only be capped at the maximum amount when calculating your final grade.
]
Grading [add more lines if necessary]
| Type of Assignment (tests, papers, etc) | Points | Percent of Overall Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Midterm Exam | 20% | 20% |
| Final Exam | 20% | 20% |
| Group Case Analysis | 20% | 20% |
| Class Participation | 20% | 20% |
| Problem Sets | 20% | 20% |
| Grade | Percent | Grade | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| A |
[95-100] |
C | [65-69 |
| A- | [90-94] | C- | 60-64 |
| B+ | [85-89] | D+ | 55-59 |
| B | [80-84] | D | 50-54 |
| B- | 75-79] | F | Below 50 |
| C+ | 70-74 |
[Note: Curve (in your favor) may be applied at the discretion of instructor. Incompletes may only be awarded if: "the student is unable to complete their work on time due to circumstances beyond their control".
Attendance and Make-Up Policy
[Provide details on how attendance affects final course grades. Indicate whether and how missed exams, laboratory sessions, etc. can be made up. Sample attendance statement: “Students should make all reasonable efforts to attend all class meetings. However, in the event a student is unable to attend a class, it is the responsibility of the student to inform the instructor as soon as possible, explain the reason for the absence (and provide documentation, if appropriate), and make up class work missed within a reasonable amount of time, if allowed. Missing class meetings may result in reducing the overall grade in the class.” ] Students should make all reasonable efforts to attend all class meetings
Academic Integrity Statement
You are responsible for reading WSU's Academic Integrity Policy, which is based on Washington State law. If you cheat in your work in this class you will:
You are responsible for reading WSU’s Academic Integrity Policy, which is based on Washington State law. If you cheat in your work in this class you will:
- fail the course.
- Be reported to the Center for Community Standards.
- Have the right to appeal my decision.
- Not be able to drop the course or withdraw from the course until the appeals process is finished.
-Be reported to the Center for Community Standards
-Have the right to appeal my decision
-Not be able to drop the course of withdraw from the course until the appeals process is finished
If you have any questions about what you can and cannot do in this course, ask me.
If you want to ask for a change in my decision about academic integrity, use the form at the Center for Community Standards website. You must submit this request within 21 calendar days of the decision.