Economics

The mission of the Department of Business is to provide experienced, skilled and supportive faculty who offer relevant curricula that will help prepare students to thrive in and face the challenges of an ever-changing world. More specifically, the department strives:

• to prepare students for ethically and socially responsible roles in business, not-for-profit organizations and society in general;
• to develop in students the ability to recognize, analyze, and solve problems;
• to prepare students to speak and present in front of various audiences in an articulate and compelling manner;
• to help students achieve their personal and career goals; and
• to prepare students for entry-level positions in either the private or public sector and/or to prepare students for coursework at the graduate level.

The Economics minor provides students with a foundation in economic theory and analysis with courses in Macroeconomics and Microeconomics. Students build on that foundation by learning to apply concepts, techniques and analysis in topics areas such as Environmental Economics, Ecological Economics, Economic Development of the United States, Health Economics, Money Credit and Banking, International Trade and Finance, and International Political Economy.

MINOR IN Economics

A student with a major in any department may, with the permission of the Business and Communications Department Chair, minor in Economics.

1. Economic minors must earn a minimum of a 2.0 GPA ("C") in the two required courses and the four 300 or 400-level economics elective courses.

Accreditation

All degree programs offered by the Department of Business and Communications are accredited by The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).  The Business Administration Degree Program in the Department of Business and Communications  is additionally accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

Economics Minor Learning Outcomes

1. Explain how individuals and businesses respond to market incentives and how incentives resolve in real world situations.
2. Demonstrate the conditions under which the market allocates resources efficiently and under what conditions it fails to produce socially optimal outcomes.
3. Demonstrate the assumptions and limitations of the neoclassical school of thought reflected in both micro and macroeconomic models.
4. Identify and explain the key concepts in macroeconomic analysis and be able to demonstrate how they are impacted by external events and policy using the Keynesian model.
5. Explain the factors that have determined productivity trends in the history of U.S. economy development with reference to theory and empirical data.

We offer qualified students the option of participating in our Honors Program and graduating with Honors. This includes significant research, scholarship or creative activity under the direction of a faculty member.

See Undergraduate Admissions.

See Undergraduate Admissions.

TUITION AND FEES

Tuition and fees for subsequent years may vary. Other expenses include books and housing. For more information regarding tuition and fees, please consult the Financial Information section of this catalog.