ECON 330 | Course Introduction and Application Information - Department of Economics

Course Name

Environmental Economics

Code	Semester	Theory (hour/week)	Application/Lab (hour/week)	Local Credits	ECTS
ECON 330	Fall/Spring	3	0	3	5

Prerequisites	None
Course Language	English
Course Type	Elective
Course Level	First Cycle
Mode of Delivery	-
Teaching Methods and Techniques of the Course	-
National Occupation Classification	-
Course Coordinator	Prof. Dr. İBRAHİM HAKAN YETKİNER
Course Lecturer(s)	Prof. Dr. İBRAHİM HAKAN YETKİNER
Assistant(s)	Arş.Gör. ECE TAHMİNCİ

Course Objectives	This course adopts a broad ecological economics perspective to critically examine the economy as a subsystem of the biosphere. The objective of this course is to introduce students to the theoretical foundations, analytical tools, and policy debates of environmental economics by integrating insights from economics, ecology, and the social sciences. Emphasis is placed on understanding planetary boundaries, biophysical limits to growth, and the interdependencies between economic activity, ecological integrity, and human wellbeing. By linking global socioeconomic developments with life-supporting Earth systems, the course encourages students to critically assess dominant growth-oriented paradigms and to explore alternative economic approaches such as sustainability transitions, circular economy, sufficiency, and post-growth strategies. Ultimately, the objective of the course is to equip students with the conceptual and analytical capacity to evaluate environmental and sustainability policies across different temporal and spatial scales, and to contribute to the design of more just, resilient, and regenerative economic systems.
Learning Outcomes	The students who succeeded in this course; Identify different perspectives on natural and environmental problems and their characteristics. Evaluate nature and environmental management policies through normative criteria. Describe the methods used to value environmental goods and services. Utilize the necessary methods to value environmental goods and services. Describe the working principles of market-based natural resource and environmental policy instruments (such as emission pricing).
Course Description	Environmental economics is a transdisciplinary field of economics dedicated to transcend disciplinary boundaries by bringing together and re-embedding the natural and social sciences in nature to understand and address the complex and intertwined economic, social, and ecological crises and opportunities of the 21st century. Environmental economics studies the planetary boundaries of our planet and aims to provide solutions to manage human impacts on them by fostering sustainable, just, efficient, resilient, regenerative and sufficient long-term post-growth wellbeing economies. The main objective of this course is to address linking global socioeconomic developments with life-supporting Earth systems and incorporating feedbacks between them.
Related Sustainable Development Goals

Course Category	Core Courses
	Major Area Courses	X
	Supportive Courses
	Media and Management Skills Courses
	Transferable Skill Courses

Week	Subjects	Related Preparation
1	Course Introduction	Review syllabus and course expectations.
2	Discuss syllabus questions; brainstorm potential research topics	Prepare 2-3 potential research ideas for discussion
3	Develop research question and analytical framework	Draft a preliminary research question and identify potential methodologies.
4	Refine research question and analytical framework	Revise research question and framework based on feedback.
5	Submit initial proposal	Submit a 2-3 page proposal outlining the research question, methodology, and timeline.
6	Continue research and writing / Econometrics review session	Begin data collection and analysis; attend econometrics review session.
7	Continue research and writing / Econometrics review session	Continue data analysis and draft sections of the paper.
8	Midterm Exam Week – No class (Continue research and writing)	Work on data analysis and draft sections of the paper.
9	Submit expanded written proposal	Submit a 5-7 page expanded proposal with detailed methodology and preliminary results.
10	Complete data analysis	Finalize data analysis and begin writing the results section.
11	Continue research and writing	Revise and refine the draft paper.
12	Final revisions	Incorporate feedback from the supervisor and finalize the paper.
13	Submit full paper	Submit the complete research paper (15-20 pages).
14	Formal presentation to section (15 minutes + 10 minutes Q&A)	Prepare presentation slides and rehearse.
15	Review of the Semester
16	Review of the Semester

Course Notes/Textbooks

Project-specific readings collected by the student and approved by the instructor.

Suggested Readings/Materials

The Craft of Research by Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams.

Econometric Analysis by William H. Greene (for methodology review).

Department-specific style guides for formatting research papers.

Lecture notes.

Semester Activities	Number	Weigthing
Participation
Laboratory / Application
Field Work
Quizzes / Studio Critiques	1	15
Portfolio
Homework / Assignments	1	20
Presentation / Jury	1	20
Project	1	35
Seminar / Workshop	1	10
Oral Exams
Midterm
Final Exam
Total

Weighting of Semester Activities on the Final Grade	5	100
Weighting of End-of-Semester Activities on the Final Grade
Total

Semester Activities	Number	Duration (Hours)	Workload
Theoretical Course Hours (Including exam week: 16 x total hours)	16	3	48
Laboratory / Application Hours	16		0
Study Hours Out of Class	16	2	32
Field Work			0
Quizzes / Studio Critiques	1	12	12
Portfolio			0
Homework / Assignments	1	12	12
Presentation / Jury	1	14	14
Project	1	26	26
Seminar / Workshop	1	6	6
Oral Exam			0
Midterms			0
Final Exam			0
		Total	150

#	Program Competencies/Outcomes	* Contribution Level
#	Program Competencies/Outcomes	1	2	3	4	5
1	To be able to acquire a sound knowledge of fundamental concepts, theories, principles and methods of investigation specific to the economic field.	-	-	X	-	-
2	To be able to apply adequate mathematical, econometric, statistical and data analysis models to process economic data and to implement scientific research for development of economic policies.	-	-	-	-	-
3	To be able to participate in academic, professional, regional, and global networks and to utilize these networks efficiently.	-	-	-	-	-
4	To be able to have adequate social responsibility with regards to the needs of the society and to organize the activities to influence social dynamics in line with social goals.	-	-	X	-	-
5	To be able to integrate the knowledge and training acquired during the university education with personal education and produce a synthesis of knowledge one requires.	-	-	-	-	-
6	To be able to evaluate his/her advance level educational needs and do necessary planning to fulfill those needs through the acquired capability to think analytically and critically.	-	-	-	-	-
7	To be able to acquire necessary skills to integrate social dynamics into economic process both as an input and an output.	-	-	X	-	-
8	To be able to link accumulated knowledge acquired during the university education with historical and cultural qualities of the society and be able to convey it to different strata of society.	-	-	-	-	-
9	To be able to take the responsibility as an individual and as a team member.	-	-	-	-	-
10	To be able to attain social, scientific and ethical values at the data collection, interpretation and dissemination stages of economic analysis.	-	X	-	-	-
11	To be able to collect data in economics and communicate with colleagues in a foreign language ("European Language Portfolio Global Scale", Level B1)	-	-	X	-	-
12	To be able to speak a second foreign language at a medium level of fluency efficiently.	-	-	-	-	-
13	To be able to relate the knowledge accumulated throughout human history to their field of economics.	-	-	-	-	-