Economics

How you spend your time, what you buy, and where you work all impact the economy. As an economics major, you will learn to analyze the choices people make about using resources, such as time and money, and you will come to understand how these decisions and other social factors affect economies around the world.

Economics majors in the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) may pursue a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), which includes foreign language study, or a Bachelor of Science (B.S.). The B.S. Economics degree offers two options: 

1. A main course of study in economics with the usual CLASS core requirements, or;
2. Study in economics accompanied by a second area of concentration, in some cases simply an academic minor. In this case, the curriculum concentration replaces the CLASS core requirements. This option allows students in social science, humanities, science, mathematics, statistics, engineering and other areas to combine an economics education with training in related fields of interest or application.

As an economics major, you will study economic systems, such as socialism and capitalism. You will take social science courses and explore important economic drivers, including supply and demand, inflation, international trade, unemployment and governmental policies. The program aims to build strong critical thinking, analytical, and research skills. You will develop a broad liberal arts education that will open doors to many career opportunities.

Prepare for Success

If you are fascinated by current global issues and events, and you want to know more about what drives economies around the world, a degree in economics may be for you. The field requires excellent analytical and critical thinking, as well as good problem solving. You should also have strong research and communication skills.

Your First Year

During your first year as an economics major in the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences, you may take:

• Econ 201 – Principles of Macroeconomics
• Econ 202 – Principles of Microeconomics
• Comm 101 – Fundamentals of Public Speaking
• Engl 101 – Intro to College Writing
• Engl 102 – College Writing and Rhetoric
• Math/Statistics (10-11 credits)
• Natural and Applied Science (7-8 credits)
• Core Discovery I & II

What You Can Do

With a degree in economics, you may become a: 

• Auditor
• Credit analyst
• Financial analyst
• Industrial market analyst
• Loan officer
• Market analyst
• Bond trader
• Economic analyst
• General manager
• Chief executive officer
• Insurance agent
• Lobbyist
• Purchasing analyst
• Budget analyst
• Environmental planner
• Import/export agent
• Investment broker
• Management consultant
• Real estate appraiser

Opportunities

An economics degree opens doors to a variety of career opportunities. Graduates are prepared to pursue opportunities in business, government, public administration, law, education, journalism, foreign service, consulting and politics. Many of our nation’s top executives and politicians hold degrees in economics. The degree is also excellent preparation for law school or graduate school in many disciplines.

Current Research

Faculty members in economics are conducting research in the following areas:

• Macroeconomics as it relates to airline profitability
• Increasing productivity in economics education
• Economic prosperity in small communities

Activities

Economics Club : Learn more about the major by attending the club’s regular meetings throughout the year. The club coordinates guest speakers who are practicing economics in a variety of careers.

International Economics Honor Society: The Economics Club sponsors a chapter of Omicron Delta Epsilon, an international honors society in economics. To be eligible for membership, you must have at least 12 credits in economics courses with a 3.0 grade point average in these courses.