Essential MOOC Courses In Business For October

Power of Microeconomics:  Economic Principles in the Real World

School: University of California-Irvine

Platform: Coursera

Registration Link: Power of Microeconomics:  Economic Principles in the Real World

Start Date: October 6, 2014 (11 Weeks)

Workload: 2-4 Hours Per Week

Instructor: Dr. Peter Navarro

Credentials:  Dr. Navarro, who has taught at the University of California-Irvine for over 25 years, is a well-known author and politician. Profiled on 60 Minutes and serving as a commentator for outlets like CNN and CNBC, Navarro’s work has also been published by The Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. In addition, he has published over 10 books, including classics like The Well-Time Strategy, Always a Winner, and If It’s Raining in Brazil, Buy Starbucks.

Graded: This course includes graded and ungraded tracks. Students who successfully complete the quizzes and final exam will receive a signed certification of completion.

Description: Like his macroeconomics MOOC, Navarro covers the microeconomics principles “normally taught…to college undergraduates or MBA students.” Each weekly lecture covers a particular topic, including supply and demand, consumer behavior, competition models, labor and capital markets, and government regulation. However, the lectures are designed to be as practical as theoretical, showing students how microeconomic concepts can influence issues like their career choices or how to price their products. The course is taught through video lectures, relying heavily on PowerPoint slides and charts, with students evaluated on weekly quizzes and a final exam.  Concepts are also covered in a review guide, which is available to students at no charge.

Review: “Microeconomics was new to me, but I was very interested in it. Unfortunately, the presentation style of this class just isn’t very engaging. It’s slide after slide of dry text and the professor reading the slides. He seems very knowledgeable, and in a live class might be fine, but just staring at the powerpoint while someone talks was not working for me.

If you’re just after a certificate, though, it’s terribly easy. Just open the quiz up as you watch the lectures and answer them as you go. It’s word-for-word the same thing as in the lecture, and they’re pretty much in order.” For additional reviews, click here.

Additional Note: Dr. Navarro recommends Microeconomics by McConnell, Brue, Flynn, and Barbiero to students interested in learning more about the concepts covered in this course.