Bachelor of Art in International Economics Major

About

The International Economics degree program equips students with the skills necessary to succeed in the international world of business and economics, while emphasizing the skills to develop orderly and critical thinking. It stresses both theoretical and applied concepts, quantitative and qualitative reasoning, communication skills and basic computer literacy.

We also expect our students to appreciate and draw from their knowledge of other disciplines, other cultures and other languages. The pluralistic approach taken by the department allows students to connect the content taught in the economics classes with the occurrences in the real world, thereby preparing them for diverse and challenging work environments. To concretize that connection, the Franklin Frank Program was created to foster service learning and to develop a student “economy” that can provide reflection on the nature of money and job creation.

In today’s world of economic uncertainty, a deep understanding of economics is more vital than ever. A major in economics translates into job opportunities in various fields including teaching, government services, finance, banking and insurance, think tanks, non-governmental organizations, public administration and management. Many of those opportunities also offer important salaries.

Major

Analyze and think critically about economic issues.

The International Economics major prepares students to think critically about economic issues, with special emphasis on international and comparative matters. Greater economic integration and the process of “globalization” of economic and business affairs increasingly call for an international approach to economic education.

The growing mobility of people and resources in a world of rapid technological progress in communications requires a greater knowledge and understanding of the differences among people and economic systems that persist even in a highly integrated world. In this spirit, the International Economics degree gives students a solid background in the fundamentals of economic analysis, while adopting a pluralistic approach to economic education that exposes students to a wide spectrum of theories and systems of thought comprising the different facets of the discipline.

Special emphasis is given to economic policy issues and economic institutions. Students are made aware of the institutional differences that exist across countries, of their evolution and reforms, through an appreciation of the institutionally based nature of the market system. In this context, the discipline of economics is presented as a logical, and yet practical and creative field.

The emphasis in Political Economy provides an opportunity for students to focus on a set of courses that analyze the complex inter-relationships between economics and politics in an increasingly globalized world. Political economy, as an interdisciplinary field of study, explores issues centered on the ways in which political institutions affect the performance of economic systems as well as the ways in which economic interests affect the form of institutions and policies. It entails a variety of approaches, to include the application of economic theories to political choice, historical analysis, and models drawn from game theory applied to political institutions.