Economics and Public Policy (B.A.)

The School of Business Administration offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Public Policy.

This major is designed as an interdisciplinary program of studies, combining coursework in Economics and Politics. The B.A. in Economics and Public Policy can serve either students interested in a career in applied economics or students contemplating continuing their education beyond the undergraduate level, either in law school or in a business or economics graduate program.

Students in Economics and Public Policy are also encouraged to consider a minor in Mathematics.

Educational Goals

At the completion of the degree in Economics and Public Policy, the student will be able to utilize his or her professional knowledge, a variety of research skills (bibliographic, quantitative, and computerized information), and communications skills to:

analyze how markets establish equilibrium, identify ethical issues of these market solutions, and present this analysis in formal and informal oral and written reports;
work effectively as an entry-level financial or policy economist and continue lifelong professional development;
be able to describe the process by which consumers and businesspeople make economic decisions; and
be able to describe the political environment within which the economic policy is designed and implemented and assess the economic costs and trade-offs of these policy options.

Degree Requirements

Each student will plan the program of study with a faculty advisor in the School of Business Administration. The B.A. in Economics and Public Policy consists of the Liberal Arts Core, required courses in Economics, Politics, and related fields, and elective credits so that the total program is at least 120 semester credits.

Liberal Arts Core requirements: All Liberal Arts Core requirements must be fulfilled. It is recommended that students work with an advisor to ensure compliance because some of the required major courses will fulfill Liberal Arts Core requirements.

Economics course requirements (18 credits): ECO 199 Principles of Macroeconomics, ECO 210 Principles of Microeconomics, ECO 401 Economics of Regulation, ECO 431 Contemporary Economic Issues, two additional ECO 300/400-level courses approved by an advisor.

Politics and Law course requirements (18 credits): POL 204 American Government, POL 225 Comparative Government I, LA 280 Introduction to the Legal System, LA 409 Public Law and Procedures, and three additional POL courses approved by an advisor.

Other requirements (27 credits): MA 142 Accelerated Precalculus, MA 181 Calculus I, MSC 202 Applied Business Problem Solving, MSC 300 Business Statistics, COM 300 Report Writing, PH 301 Ethics and Public Policy or PH 305 Business Ethics, ECO 490 Internship.

Electives (24 credits): A minimum of 6 elective credits must be from outside the fields of economics and politics.

The Economics Minor

Sophomore students whose cumulative grade point average is 2.0 or better may declare a minor in Economics. The minor consists of ECO 199 Principles of Macroeconomics, ECO 210 Principles of Microeconomics, and five Economics courses approved by an advisor assigned by the School of Business Administration.