Economics

Economics Home | Courses | Curriculum | Contact Information

Economics is the foundation science of modern business decision-making, forming the basis for finance, management, marketing and international business. In today’s rapidly changing business environment, the economist is well equipped to analyze the economic conditions affecting every business organization and every individual.

Career Opportunities

The field of economics is a broad professional area with a wide array of job opportunities. Economics graduates are in demand by private industry, non-profit organizations, financial institutions, and federal, state, and local government. Economists are employed in supervisory and advisory positions in policy-making and research and in corporations that require critical economic analysis. Individuals with Economics degrees are in demand in such areas as product development, insurance, banking, medical administration, international trade, real estate, and a wide variety of management and marketing positions.

Faculty

Economics faculty members are active teachers and scholars. Faculty research findings are published in various regional, national, and international journals and their research papers are frequently presented at meetings of professional organizations. Several current and past faculty members have published books in their areas of special interest and concentration. The non-academic experience and talent of the faculty ranges widely and includes government agency research and administration, private industry employment, and independent consulting.

The Learning Environment

The Department offers a high quality educational experience that is challenging and provides opportunities for achievement.

The Classes

Student-Faculty ratios are kept low in order to benefit students not only in course-work, but also in personal interaction with the faculty. This encourages participation and involvement in the classroom, and allows the students the opportunity to share their experiences. In these classes, students encounter case studies, lectures, small group projects, and other innovative methods of learning.

Student and Professional Organizations

The Student Honor Society of Economics, Omicron Delta Epsilon, offers programs of professional and social interest to Economics majors. In addition, there are College of Business organizations open to majors, such as Delta Sigma Pi.

Economics majors are eligible for special membership status in the American Economic Association, Southern Economic Association, Southwestern Social Science Association, and many other national and regional organizations in related business and social science fields. Almost all of them hold special student section meetings in conjunction with annual conferences.

Campus Resources

The Edith Garland Dupre’ Library houses more than 860,000 volumes and 5,800 current periodicals. All library holdings are accessible through the LIBIS Computerized card catalog, within the library or from office or home terminals. Dupre’ also has several special collections and a wide range of audiovisual materials and equipment which can be used both in and out of the classroom. Economics students are also encouraged to take advantage of the College of Business Administration’s computer facilities, which include four labs, more than fifty personal computers, and economics related software.

Curriculum

Economics majors take basic courses in macroeconomics and microeconomics. The former studies the working of economy as a whole, and includes extensive analysis of the government sector. The latter analyzes individual markets, including issues concerning firms, consumers, resource markets, and different industry structures. Additionally, courses are offered which examine specific economic applications, such as Money and Banking, Managerial Economics, Economic Development, International Economics, International Business Issues, Forecasting, Labor Economics, Economics of Political Behavior, Public Finance, and Econometrics.