ECON 16
Fed Challenge Winter 2024

This is not the current course catalog

Should the Fed raise interest rates to fight inflation? Or cut them to prevent a recession? You decide! In this class, you will find out what it takes to advise the Fed’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) on the best course of monetary policy. You will learn about the Fed’s objectives, policy tools, and the ways in which its actions affect the economy. You will become familiar with key macroeconomic indicators and economic forecasting techniques. You will gain experience writing policy memos and making persuasive presentations. And, you will have an opportunity to join the Williams College Fed Challenge Team and compete against other colleges in the fall at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston – and if successful, vie for the championship in Washington DC.