Program Description
Two separate majors are offered: economics and business economics. Both majors require prerequisite courses in statistics, calculus and computer science. Also both majors provide students with a solid foundation of economic analysis or the economic way of thinking by requiring two courses in economic principles and two courses in economic theory. Beyond these requirements, the economics major requires five courses in economics chosen by the student, depending on his or her interest. The business economics major is more structured and requires two courses in accounting, a choice of two courses from finance, management, or business law and two economics courses chosen by the student.
The business economics major is designed for students who aspire to positions of leadership in the business world. Its purpose is not to provide vocational training in specific business functions or simply to describe current business practices. Business practices are constantly changing, and students with too specialized training may soon find their education obsolete. Rather, it provides the broad analytical skills which will be relevant to many different situations and changing business practices.
Students may major in both Economics and Accounting and in both Economics and Finance. Students may not major in both Business Economics and Economics, or Finance, or Accounting, or Intercultural Studies for Business.
Career Opportunities
Most graduates enter management training programs of a wide variety of businesses. In these programs they learn the specific procedures and practices of a particular company or industry. About one-fifth of the economics and business economics majors will eventually enter graduate school to pursue an M.B.A. or other degree related to business. Many graduates enter law school or seek a combined business and law degree. More and more law schools require economics of their students, and it is widely recognized that economics provides one of the best backgrounds for the study of law.