Programs

The department of Economics and Business offers a major in economics and supports several interdisciplinary majors including mathematical economics, international political economy, and environmental science. The college’s location, resources, and unique Block Plan calendar allow the faculty to offer students truly extraordinary learning experiences. Many of the department’s courses incorporate experiential learning opportunities, including guest lecturers, executives-in-residence, and field trips. Field trips range from one-day visits to Denver to visit with the executives of high-tech telecommunications firms and the front offices of professional sports franchises to extensive one- to two-week field trips throughout the Southwest to study environmental economics issues. A large percentage of students take advantage of opportunities to study at another college or university in the United States or to study abroad at institutions such as the London School of Economics and the University of Maastricht. The college also has an exchange agreement with the Jönköping International Business School in Sweden.

The department aims to provide students with rigorous grounding in economic principles and business concepts, providing excellent preparation for careers in business and public service. In addition, many of the department’s students attend some of the nation’s finest business and law schools, and pursue graduate study in economics, public policy, and environmental management at leading research universities.

To declare a major in economics, students must complete Principles of Economics (150 or 151 and 152) and Principles of Financial Accounting (160). Other courses required for the major include Methods I (200 or MA117 or 217 or BY220), Intermediate Microeconomic (207) and Macroeconomic (209) Theory, Methods II (303) or Econometrics (408), and three additional units of economics and business courses at the 300 or 400 level. All economics majors also complete an independent senior thesis research project (499 — two units) working closely with a faculty adviser. Majors must also take Mathematics 125 (two units) or 126.

The department regularly offers courses in international economics, environmental and natural resource economics, labor and sports economics, public finance, economic development, and comparative economic systems. For those students who wish to focus on business, the department offers many elective business courses including Intermediate (301) and Managerial (307) Accounting, Theory of Business Finance (316), Investments (317), Entrepreneurship (320), Business and Society (324), Consumer Marketing (326), and Business Policy and Strategy (405). Perspectives on Business in a Changing World — an ongoing program of guest speakers, executives-in-residence, and special programs and symposia — enriches departmental and college-community discussion of business and economics issues and challenges.

Students who excel in the major will find many opportunities to pursue independent research projects or to work collaboratively with department faculty, and the department and college have significant resources to support these research activities. Distinction at graduation and other prizes are awarded by the department faculty to majors on the basis of the senior thesis, overall performance in department courses, and performance in courses outside the department and social science division.