Official sources position the class as an intermediate theory course, but Rutgers students often describe it as more manageable than intermediate micro or econometrics.

The sample syllabus uses six homework assignments and three exams, which suggests a meaningful but not extreme semester workload.

The course moves from preliminaries to growth, saving and investment, business cycles, and policy issues in one term, so the model sequence builds quickly.

The official syllabus emphasizes homework sets and exams rather than labs, term papers, or substantial project deliverables.

Three exams together account for 65% of the sample syllabus grade.

Calculus is required, but student discussion repeatedly says the course leans more on graphs and theory than on heavy computation.

Student-perspective sources stress understanding models and graph shifts more than memorizing definitions alone.

Income determination, growth, IS/LM, and stabilization policy are taught through broad macro models rather than mostly concrete procedural tasks.

Rutgers requires intro micro, intro macro, and calculus, and the course assumes students can already read core economic graphs and policy language.

The syllabus assigns a standard macro textbook and posted homework material, but the visible burden is more model practice than unusually heavy reading.