Program Description:
"Economics" comes from the Greek oikos, meaning "house," and nemesis, meaning "to manage." Economics is the social science that studies how people manage their resources. In modern economics this includes an individual deciding how to use her time; a family managing its budget; a small business controlling its costs; a cultural organization planning its priorities; a city balancing a tight budget with demands for services; a large company working to control the cost of health insurance for its employees; a national government fighting unemployment, poverty, or inflation; and the world community reducing air emissions of mercury and climate-altering greenhouse gases.
The economics program equips students to pursue careers in business and government and prepares them for graduate study in economics, business, or law. Our graduates have achieved success as executives in a wide variety of industries and are employed as professional economists in such diverse areas as urban economics, workforce and training analysis, business forecasting, school finance consulting, evaluation of health and delivery systems, budget analysis, market consulting, government planning, banking, and statistical analysis. Some of our graduates continue their education in our master's program in social and applied economics. The program outlined here is designed to give our students both the background that will broaden their future options and the specific skills necessary to apply economic ideas. This includes the ability to express economic ideas clearly and concisely.
Program Outcomes
We offer a Bachelor of Business with a major in business economics through the Raj Soin College of Business or a Bachelor of Arts with a major in economics in partnership with the College of Liberal Arts (CoLA). If you choose the business economics program, you are required to complete a broad foundation in business courses along with completing classes focused on economics and economic issues. The economics program in the College of Liberal Arts requires you to complete the general education classes required by CoLA along with your economics courses.
Both programs equip you to pursue careers in business, government, and nonprofit sector or for graduate study in programs like economics, business, or law. Undergraduate economic majors with junior standing and at least 30 credit hours until they complete their degree can apply for a combined B.A.- or B.S.B-M.S. program. This will accelerate your path to the Master of Science in Social and Applied Economics, allowing you to take two graduate-level economic electives during senior year that will count toward your bachelor’s and master’s degree.