Spring 2027

Principles of Microeconomics

Principles of Microeconomics covers economic problems of individuals, firms, and industries, emphasizing value, price, and income distribution.

offering recorded4 credits
Recorded instructors · Spring 2027 David Johnson4.5/5Alan Sorensen4.0/5Gregory Pac3.8/5

Summary

1 / 6

Past student reviews · Gregory Pac

Gregory Pac’s course included five midterms with the lowest score dropped. Some students found the midterms difficult to study for, noting that practice questions did not always match the exam style.

What you’ll be able to do

  • Explain basic economic concepts such as scarcity, opportunity cost, supply and demand, and market failure.

  • Recognize how households and firms respond to incentives and make economic decisions.

  • Identify and apply mathematical models to answer economic questions.

  • Express relationships among economic variables verbally, graphically, and numerically.

  • Read current news articles and recognize and critique economic arguments.

  • Apply marginal analysis and cost-benefit analysis in a variety of settings.

Source: UW Guide

Grade history

↗
average GPA
letter grades
A
AB
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All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors

Prerequisites

Course map

Satisfied Quantitative Reasoning (QR) A. Not open to students with credit forECON 111.

    • Satisfied Quantitative Reasoning (QR) A
    • not eligible with
    take all
ECON 101 used by

“Used by” includes alternatives; linked courses may have other requirements. This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.

Prerequisite text tree
  • All of
    • Satisfied Quantitative Reasoning (QR) A
    • Not eligible with

Professors

Spring 2027

David Johnson

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 4.53/5 from 314 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

For this course: 4.6/5 raw quality · 3.5/5 difficulty · 251 reviews

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Past student reviews · David Johnson

David Johnson's problem sets were described as challenging but manageable in groups, while test questions closely mirrored the problem sets. He provided prerecorded lecture videos covering the same material as in-class sessions. One student noted his grading curves felt almost overly generous.

Recent recorded grades — Fall 2024: 3.24 GPA, 49.6% A/AB (n=343 letter grades); Spring 2025: 3.22 GPA, 52.2% A/AB (n=203 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.22 GPA, 47.4% A/AB (n=171 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 4.06/5 from 67 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

For this course: 4.0/5 raw quality · 3.3/5 difficulty · 66 reviews

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Past student reviews · Alan Sorensen

Alan Sorensen delivered clear lectures focused on definitions, but exams required numerical calculations that students felt were not explicitly taught. One student found the course more math-based than concept-based and harder than other sections, while another noted that discussion sections were not very helpful.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2020: 3.33 GPA, 60.1% A/AB (n=203 letter grades); Spring 2022: 3.02 GPA, 41.4% A/AB (n=321 letter grades); Spring 2025: 3.01 GPA, 43.1% A/AB (n=246 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 3.79/5 from 103 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

For this course: 4.4/5 raw quality · 3.1/5 difficulty · 40 reviews

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Past student reviews · Gregory Pac

Gregory Pac taught ECON 101 with five midterms where the lowest score was dropped, alongside a final exam that students described as difficult. Opinions on his teaching varied; while some found his lectures engaging or accessible, others found them boring or unhelpful, noting that practice problems often did not reflect the actual exam questions.

Recent recorded grades — Fall 2024: 3.39 GPA, 55.6% A/AB (n=9 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.00 GPA, 33.3% A/AB (n=18 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.08 GPA, 47.1% A/AB (n=280 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.

Historical instructors & teaching patterns

Past student reviews · Geoffrey Wallace

Past students found Geoffrey Wallace's lectures occasionally dragged but noted he was funny and exams were relatively easy, especially when studying from past questions. They reported that attending discussion sections and paying attention in lectures made it easy to earn a B or higher.

ALAN SORENSEN is recorded teaching in Spring 2012, Spring 2014, Spring 2018, Spring 2020, Spring 2022, Spring 2025. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

DAVID JOHNSON is recorded teaching in Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2023, Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

ELIZABETH KELLY is recorded teaching in Fall 2006, Fall 2007, Fall 2008, Spring 2009, Fall 2009, Fall 2010, Spring 2011, Fall 2011, Fall 2012, Fall 2013, Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2022. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

GEOFFREY WALLACE is recorded teaching in Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2010, Fall 2010, Fall 2011, Fall 2012, Fall 2014, Fall 2016. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

GRZEGORZ PAC is recorded teaching in Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Fall 2022, Fall 2023, Fall 2024, Fall 2025, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

GWYN PAULEY is recorded teaching in Fall 2017, Spring 2019. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

JOHANNA J HERTEL is recorded teaching in Spring 2007, Fall 2007. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

KANIT KUEVIBULVANICH is recorded teaching in Fall 2013. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

MARK COLAS is recorded teaching in Spring 2013, Fall 2013. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

REBECCA GLAWTSCHEW is recorded teaching in Fall 2019, Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Spring 2023, Fall 2025. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

STEVE TROST is recorded teaching in Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Fall 2025, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

WENDY EUDEY is recorded teaching in Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Calendar & sections

Spring 2027

Schedule loads here as you scroll.

SectionModeEnrolled / capacityWaitlist
LEC 001Classroom Instruction0 / 2880
LEC 002Classroom Instruction0 / 3120
LEC 003Classroom Instruction0 / 3120
DIS 304Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 305Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 307Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 309Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 310Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 321Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 346Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 347Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 348Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 308Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 325Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 326Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 329Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 330Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 349Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 351Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 303Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 327Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 365Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 301Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 302Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 323Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 324Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LEC 004Classroom Instruction0 / 2880
DIS 361Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 362Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 363Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 364Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 368Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 366Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 322Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 352Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 350Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 369Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 328Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 331Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 332Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 344Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 345Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 370Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 371Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 372Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 311Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 312Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 341Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 342Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 343Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 367Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 313Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 333Classroom Instruction0 / 240

Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.

Meeting source records
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Student experience

the class

Past student reviews · David Johnson, Gregory Pac

Students described David Johnson as an energetic professor who makes economics enjoyable, while Gregory Pac was noted for caring about students and providing fair, reasonable homework assignments.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 3.15 GPA, 50.4% A/AB (n=1085 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.17 GPA, 55.4% A/AB (n=1411 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.18 GPA, 50.7% A/AB (n=908 letter grades).

difficulty & workload

Past student reviews · Gregory Pac

Gregory Pac’s course included five midterms with the lowest score dropped. Some students found the midterms difficult to study for, noting that practice questions did not always match the exam style.

Past student reviews · David Johnson

Students appreciated David Johnson’s accessible office hours and engaging teaching style. Problem sets were challenging but manageable in groups, and exam questions closely mirrored the practice problems provided in class.

Topics

  • Scarcity, opportunity cost, supply and demand, and market failure
  • Household and firm responses to incentives and economic decision-making
  • Marginal analysis and cost-benefit analysis

Skills

  • Explain basic economic concepts including scarcity, opportunity cost, supply and demand, and market failure.
  • Apply marginal analysis and cost-benefit analysis in various settings.
  • Express relationships among economic variables verbally, graphically, and numerically.

Grades

Historical instructor

Spring 2027 · Projected

Before grades are released

– average GPA

Approximate 80% prediction interval

About this estimate

The course’s semester-average GPA, not an individual student’s grade. The center uses 5 same-season terms, weighted toward recent results.

The range uses the finite-sample 80th-percentile rank of absolute errors from earlier same-season forecasts. Each forecast uses only records from earlier terms. At least four forecasts are required; bounds are rounded outward and limited to 0–4. This is an empirical estimate: changing instructors or grading policies can reduce its coverage.

8 earlier forecasts · 0.09 GPA average error.

Grades over time

Through Spring 2027

More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data

Where this course fits relative to

Latest available grades · Spring 2026 · all course levels

GPA

Higher than % of other courses in this group.

Course GPAs · red marks this course’s range

letter grades

More recorded grades than % of other courses in this group.

Typical course in this group: letter grades.

About this comparison

1280 courses over the same term, each with at least 30 recorded letter grades. Cross-listed courses count once. GPA is not a measure of difficulty or teaching quality. The typical course is the median by recorded grade count; tied values are not counted as lower. Grade counts describe course scale, not unique students or typical section size.

Descriptions compare GPA with this group’s average: at least 0.20 higher or lower; otherwise close to average. Section size uses median recorded enrollment: small up to 30, mid-sized 31–99, large 100+. Lectures and discussion/lab sections are described separately.

Sources & history

UW–Madison

Catalog & offerings

Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.

Catalog observation history

Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.

Download part 1
Selected offering source records
ECON 101 · Spring 2027

Principles of Microeconomics

Recorded 2026-10-14
Raw records 
[
  {
    "run_id": "20261014T203208-0851c9a1",
    "semester": "1274",
    "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1274:296:005546",
    "course_id": "ECON 101",
    "course_uid": "course_921b4908221d05cbad377045",
    "term_id": "1274",
    "source_course_id": "005546",
    "source_subject_id": "296",
    "title": "Principles of Microeconomics",
    "credits_min": 4,
    "credits_max": 4,
    "typically_offered": "Fall, Spring, Summer"
  }
]
Rate My Professors

Student reviews

Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.

Read original reviews
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Madgrades

Grade history

Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.

Explore recorded grades
Dataset & model

Recorded 2026-10-14

View the dataset on Hugging Face
Model outputs & technical records
Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B
LLM outputs across runs
Download part 1
Full model traces

Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.

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Model & dataset provenance 
{
  "model": "Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B",
  "model_revision": "1d4bf0f2ff6012fd82039f2fa52739d0dd7c60c0",
  "task_version": "17",
  "output_id": "5c3ba07eec9fad6ffc6c32a8a9f0d09f4de640dbc2bb07a2a619d9644e32bbc6",
  "requirements_status": "needs_review",
  "dataset_revision": "fc1811fa52e581ea57a35c0cf3343f8740a8ffbf",
  "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00"
}