Question

In many universities, graduate students are employed to teach introductory undergraduate courses, even though the full professors at these universities have more experience and could potentially teach these courses better. Which of the following best explains why universities choose to hire graduate students instead of full professors to teach their introductory courses?A. The opportunity cost of teaching an introductory course is higher for graduate students than for full professors.B. The opportunity cost of teaching an introductory course is higher for full professors than for graduate students.C. Graduate students are cheaper.D. Introductory classes are the best place for graduate students to build their teaching skills.

Answer 1

Answer:

The correct answer is letter "A": The opportunity cost of teaching an introductory course is higher for graduate students than for full professors.

Explanation:

Opportunity cost represents the return of the choice taken compared to the return of the option left behind. For a university professor, the opportunity cost of giving an undergraduate class is lower than the opportunity cost that reflects teaching the undergraduate class to graduate students. This is because graduate students are starting to obtain experience but professors have it already.