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Economics (B.A.)

Economics is a social science that seeks to understand human behavior by analyzing how changes in incentives affect the choices individuals and groups of individuals make. The basic challenge of economic decision-making involves satisfying unlimited human wants with limited resources. Exploring this central economic concept becomes even more complex when a specific society’s values, objectives, and institutions are considered. Marymount’s B.A. in economics uses this economic framework to understand a broad range of diverse issues including business operations, environmental policy issues, poverty, law, financial institutions, and international trade, among others.

Marymount’s location in the metropolitan Washington, DC area provides the perfect setting for real-time analysis and experience via site visits, internship opportunities, and guest speakers from think tanks and government agencies. Small class sizes allow extensive individual interaction with professors.

A degree in economics prepares students for careers in government, consulting, and business. Indeed, average starting salaries for undergraduate economics majors are routinely among the highest among all undergraduate programs. Studying economics also provides an excellent foundation for graduate studies in law, public policy, international studies, or business.

Students majoring in economics will be encouraged by advisors to choose their elective courses with specific postgraduate goals in mind. The economics degree provides ample elective credits for students to explore additional academic interests in fields like business, politics, mathematics, history, English, sociology, philosophy, and psychology.

Marymount’s economics program seeks to prepare graduates to

understand economic analysis and use its concepts to provide insight into a wide range of human concerns;
communicate economic information and concepts effectively in both written and oral forms of communication; and
work effectively as an entry-level research or policy analyst and develop opportunities and techniques for lifelong professional development.

Internship Prerequisites: A minimum of 90 credits in the program with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 and a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in all 300- and 400-level economics courses are required in order to register for the internship (ECO 490). Students should also have completed a minimum of 9 credits in 300- and 400-level economics courses. Students should consult their academic advisor and the internship director in the School of Business Administration for more information.

Residency Requirement: Students must complete a minimum of 18 credits from the 300/400-level major degree requirements at Marymount.

Degree Requirements — Economics (B.A.)

Liberal Arts Core and University Requirements

See University Requirements and the Liberal Arts Core for details.

Major Requirements

To fulfill the requirements of the major, all students in this program will take the following coursework in a sequence determined in collaboration with a faculty advisor. All students must also fulfill Liberal Arts Core and University Requirements, and some of the following courses may also fulfill those requirements.

ECO 210 Principles of Microeconomics

ECO 211 Principles of Macroeconomics

ECO 330 Managerial Economics

ECO 431 Contemporary Issues in Macroeconomics

ECO 485 International Economics

ECO 490 Internship (3-6 credits)

MA 132 Statistical Analysis

An additional 12-15 additional credits of economics (for a total of 33 economics credits) would be required.

Sample Degree Plan — Economics (B.A.)

Please note that this is a sample plan; all students must consult with an advisor in making course selections.

Year One — Fall

EN 101 Composition I (WR core course)*

Natural Science (NS) core course*

TRS 100 Theological Inquiry (TRS-1 core course)*

DSC 101 DISCOVER First-Year Seminar*

One (1) elective (MGT 123 recommended)

Year One — Spring

ECO 211 Principles of Macroeconomics (SS-1 core course) § *

One (1) Introductory Social Science (SS-1) core course in politics, psychology, or sociology*

EN 102 Composition II (WR core course)*

Introductory History (HI-1) core course*

One (1) elective (MA 151 Quantitative Methods for Business, MA 171 Calculus with Precalculus A, or MA 181 Calculus recommended)

Year Two — Fall

ECO 210 Principles of Microeconomics (SS-1 core course) § *

MA 132 Statistical Analysis (MT core course) § *

Introductory Literature (LT-1) core course*

Two (2) electives

Year Two — Spring

ECO 330 Managerial Economics §

PH 200 Introduction to Philosophy (PH-1 core course)*

Theological Ethics (TRS-E) core course*

One (1) Introductory Social Science (SS-1) core course in politics, psychology or sociology or a second Natural Science (NS) core course §§ *

One (1) elective

Year Three — Fall

ECO 431 Contemporary Issues in Macroeconomics (SS-2 core course, WI course) § *

One (1) 300/400-level economics course §

Fine Arts (FNA), Advanced History (HI-2), or Advanced Literature (LT-2) core course*

Two (2) electives

Year Three — Spring

ECO 485 International Economics §

One (1) 300/400-level economics course §

PH 301 Social and Political Philosophy or PH 305 Business Ethics (PH-2 core course) §§§ *

Two (2) electives

Year Four — Fall

Two (2) 300/400-level economics courses §

Fine Arts (FNA), Advanced History (HI-2), or Advanced Literature (LT-2) core course*

Two (2) electives

Year Four — Spring

ECO 490 Internship § #

Zero or one (1) economics course §#

Three (3) electives

§ Requirement for the major

§§ Students must take an Introductory Social Science (SS-1) core course in another field (politics, psychology, or sociology) different from their earlier non-economics SS-1 elective or else take a second Natural Science (NS) core course.

§§§ Students can elect to take another Advanced Philosophy (PH-2) core course instead, but they must ensure they also take an Ethics (ETH) elective course as part of their curriculum.

* Fulfills Liberal Arts Core/University Requirements. See University Requirements and the Liberal Arts Core and Course Descriptions for further information.

# Internship may be taken for 6 credits or 3 credits plus one (1) economics course. ECO 490 fulfills the university Experiential Learning (EXP) requirement.

Note: Students must take at least two (2) Writing-Intensive (WI) courses in addition to ECO 431.