Bachelor of Arts in Economics

The courses in economics are designed to acquaint students with the economy in which they live and to relate these courses to all other social sciences. The analytical approach in the economics courses provides the students with the tools of analysis necessary to solve problems and make decisions in the private and public sectors. The major courses cover topics such as economic fluctuations and growth, income distribution, international trade and finance, urban problems, industry analysis, and the economics of the environment. Students who perform especially well are encouraged to pursue graduate work in preparation for professional status as economists in business, government, or the academic world. A major in economics, in combination with selected courses in political science, communications, and business, provides excellent preparation for law school and MBA or MPA programs. Undergraduate Business Foundation: Demonstrate critical thinking and analytical skills; Demonstrate competent oral and written communication skills; Demonstrate competent leadership skills; Demonstrate understanding of the body of knowledge encompassed by the UG Business Foundation courses. Economics (ECON): Identify, and describe to the lay person, the important institutions and determinants of economic activity at the local, regional, national, and international levels, including the basics of fiscal and monetary policy and how each affects the economy; Explain to the non-economist the fundamental economic problem of scarcity (and tradeoffs);the meaning of a market economy and how markets allocate society's scarce resources; what it means for markets to fail and the role of government in finding solutions for market failure; Analyze the ethical and social justice dimensions of market and policy outcomes.