EC 427: Games and Decisions
Undergraduate course, University of Oregon, Department of Economics, 2020
This class is a more advanced version of my EC 327 class. The first half of the course covers much the same material as the first half of EC 327, at a faster pace and placing a heavier emphasis on the mathematical underpinnings of game theory. The second half addresses topics such as asymmetric information, Bayesian Nash equilibria, beliefs, signaling and screening. Students are expected to complete the course with a solid understanding of game theory, enabling them to form more sophisticated models of strategic interactions; this understanding is also intended to be a solid foundation for students interested in pursuing graduate degrees in economics.
As with my EC 327 course, I use practical exercises throughout the course to give students opportunities to develop their intuition. However, since I most recently taught this course online during the COVID-19 pandemic, it proved impractical to administer these exercises during class. As a replacement, I have used guided exercises revolving around a variety of board games that can be played online, from Chess and Go to Settlers of Catan.
Most Recent Syllabus (Summer 2020) (PDF)
Student Reviews
“This four week class was structured very well in comparison to my other 4 week Economics course this term. Zachary was very helpful in office hours, and provided lots of practice materials promptly before the exam. The problem sets were short and to the point which made them great learning/study material.”
-Anonymous student, Summer 2019
“So organized! More prepared than most professors I have had here.”
-Anonymous student, Summer 2019
“Explained all material clearly and explained everything that was need to be explained if not understood. Also always available for help outside of class time for office hours!”
-Anonymous student, Summer 2019
“Great, interesting course. My favorite 400 level econ course that I’ve taken.”
-Anonymous student, Summer 2019
“Prof. [sic] Kiefer did a great job instructing the class, he was very open to questions and took his time replying to students learning a bit slower than others.”
-Anonymous student, Summer 2018