Exclusive Partnership with Chesterton Schools Network

Early College Program

A flexible, fully online program that allows Chesterton Academy students to earn transferable college credit through an authentically Catholic university.

Apply Now for Spring 2026

$600

Total Course Cost

College Credits

100%

Online & Flexible

Material Fees

Questions? Please contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@avemaria.edu or (239) 280-2500

ECON 202 - Microeconomics

Course Overview

Your Instructor

Dr. Gabriel X. Martinez

Doctor of Philosophy in Economics: University of Notre Dame

Master of Arts in Educational Technology Leadership: George Washington University

Dr. Gabriel X. Martinez has served on the Ave Maria University faculty since 2002 and brings extensive experience in both traditional and online instruction. He currently directs the University's Online Education initiatives, and his work in teaching innovation has appeared in the International Review of Economics Education. A committed Catholic educator, he integrates Catholic Social Teaching throughout the course. Dr. Martinez lives in Ave Maria, Florida, with his wife and six children.

Course Details

Format: Fully online, asynchronous

Credits: 4 Credits

Time Commitment: 4 hours per week

Topics Covered

Thinking Like an Economist: Learn the core habits of economic reasoning.

Comparative Advantage: Understand what individuals and societies gain through specialization and trade.

Supply and Demand: See how prices emerge from the interaction of buyers and sellers.

Elasticity: Explore how responsive consumers and producers are to price changes.

Perfectly Competitive Supply: Examine how highly competitive firms make production decisions and shape market outcomes.

Games and Strategic Behavior: Study strategic decision making.

Efficiency, Exchange, and Invisible Hand in Action: Analyze how voluntary exchange can allocate resources effectively.

Monopoly, Oligopoly, and Monopolistic Competition: Investigate how firms with market power set prices, limit output, and influence consumer welfare.

Externalities and Property Rights: Understand how actions that affect third parties create unintended consequences.

The Economics of Information: Look at how information shapes decisions, markets, and incentives.

Labor Markets, Poverty, and Income Distribution: Explore wages, why income varies, and how poverty and opportunity are shaped.

View Syllabus

Program Benefits

Exceptional Value

Only $600 for a four-credit course—a significant discount from standard tuition of $1,322/credit hour.

Accredited

Credits transfer to nearly every accredited college or university in North America.

Flexible Schedule

Fully online, asynchronous format allows students to complete work at their own pace—evenings, mornings, or weekends.

Ready to Get Started?

Take the next step in your academic journey with Ave Maria University's Early College Program, in partnership with Chesterton Schools Network.

Apply Now for Spring 2026

Questions? Contact our dedicated admissions coordinator: Maria Lugue at maria.lugue@avemaria.edu

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible for this program?

Junior and seniors enrolled in a Chesterton Academy with a minimum GPA of 3.2 on a four point scale. Students may not take more than one Ave Maria University course per semester prior to graduation from high school, or more than four courses total. Students must earn a final grade of C or better to remain eligible for future courses.

Can parents track their children's progress in the class?

Yes. We will send regular reports and we will allow you to enter the learning management system to keep track of your student.

Will this course count for college credit?

Yes: four credits at Ave Maria University.

Can I transfer this course to other universities or colleges?

Yes. Microeconomics is taught at practically every institution of higher learning. You will cover a standard curriculum. Ave Maria University is accredited by SACS-COC, practically guaranteeing transferability.

How many hours of homework does this course require per week?

4 hours, on average.

What is the cost of textbooks and materials?

Zero. It will all be provided by the instructor.

How will the students learn?

Through instructor-provided videos with in-video mini-quizzes, textbook written by the instructor (which students annotate), regular learning checks, three quizzes, three tests, and short essays applying what they learn to a business firm of their choosing.

Do students have to meet at a particular time of the week?

No. To accommodate a variety of schedules, the course is taught fully online in an asynchronous manner. Students are free to access the course content and complete the assignments at any time during the day.

If this course met on campus, how often would it meet?

When the course is taught face-to-face, it meets three times a week.

What support is available for students?

Students will be assigned to a student support advisor who will monitor their progress and attendance. The professor responds to emails within 24 hours and offers evening office hours by appointment. Parents or guardians will be contacted if students fall behind.

How does this course integrate the Catholic faith?

At every opportunity, the course highlights the connections (and disconnections) of microeconomics with Catholic social teaching. For example, it points out that utility maximization is not the goal of a complete life; it summarizes Thomas Aquinas's teaching on private property; it demonstrates the value of the life-long marriage contract using game theory; it shows how the concept of efficiency, central to economics, overlaps but contrasts with John Paul II's teaching in Centesimus Annus; and it highlights how the "market" for human work is quite different from other markets. That said, this is not a course in Catholic social teaching. It is a course in microeconomics, and the credits transfer to nearly every accredited college or university in North America.

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