One-Semester Principles and Student Performance in Intermediate Theory Courses

Abstract

The Economics Department at California State University Northridge had the unique experience of replacing its two-semester principles course with a one-semester principles course. This was done on a large scale as the principles course, along with intermediate micro and macroeconomics, was required of all business and economics majors. The timing of course offerings made it impossible for students to select the one-semester principles course over the two-semester course. This environment allows us to investigate whether completion of a one-semester, rather than the standard two-semester, introductory course lowers student performance in intermediate micro or macroeconomic theory courses. Regression analysis indicates that students who complete the one-semester course earn slightly lower grades in both intermediate micro and macroeconomics.