Bachelor of Science Major in Economics

Economics is a social science which, at its root, is the study of behavior--of individuals, firms, organizations and governments. Economics studies how these groups make choices and the implications of their choices for themselves, for markets, and for the local, national and global economies. Economics is not a collection of information to be learned, rather, it’s a way of thinking and a set of analytical tools that helps better understand everything from banking to baseball. The world is changing rapidly, jobs that students aspire to today may not exist tomorrow; but an understanding of the core concepts of economics will continue to provide students with the ability to conduct meaningful, valuable analytical work across a wide variety of occupations, even those that do not yet exist.All Economics majors will take the same core classes, providing them with a solid foundation in the concepts, tools and analytical methods of economics. Students can then choose to pursue a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree, both of which are structured to give students a greater depth of understanding in a few areas of Economics and experience applying their analytical skills and economic knowledge to real-world issues and problems.The Bachelor of Science degree also allows students to pair their study of Economics with other disciplines, but has greater quantitativeanalytical requirements than the Bachelor of Arts. Within the Bachelor of Science degree, students can choose one of two tracks: 1) the Applied Economics track, which is ideal for students interested in both Economics and Business and includes several courses, such as accounting and business law, from the Eberhardt School of Business; or 2) the Mathematical Economics track, which is designed for students interested in Applied Math or for those preparing to attend graduate school in Economics and includes several courses from the Department of Mathematics as requirements.Students who successfully complete an Economics degree, will have achieved the following Program Learning Outcomes:1. Thinking critically from an economic perspectiveApply the theory and tools of microeconomic and macroeconomic analysis to explain historical outcomes and to critique contemporary policy from an economic perspective.2. Conducting economic analysisInform decision-making by developing an analytical framework to conduct research—working independently and as part of a team—including identifying, compiling, and synthesizing relevant information and interpreting data using appropriate statistical analysis.3. Applying quantitative reasoning to economicsApply mathematical tools, concepts or approaches, as appropriate, to enhance comprehension of economic concepts and models.4. Communicating economic concepts and analysisClearly, concisely, and accurately communicate—orally or in written form—the process, results, and implications of economic analysis to a range of audiences.