Department of Economics

 

 


 

 Economics is the study of scarcity and its implications for the use of resources, production of goods and services, growth of production and welfare over time, and a great variety of other complex issues of vital concern to society.

Economics is a social science with stakes in many other fields, including political science, geography, mathematics, sociology, psychology, engineering, law, medicine and business. The central quest of economics is to determine the most logical and effective use of resources to meet private and social goals. Production and employment, investment and savings, health, money and the banking system, government policies on taxation and spending, international trade, industrial organization and regulation, urbanization, environmental issues and legal matters (such as the design and enforcement of property rights), are just a sampling of the concerns at the heart of the science of economics.

Macroeconomics studies how the economy behaves as a whole, including inflation, price levels, rate of growth, national income, gross domestic product and changes in employment rates. Some of the important questions American economists try to answer include: “In a nation as rich as the U.S., why are so many people under-employed?” and “Who determines how much money is circulating in the U.S.?” From politicians to educators to journalists to urban planners, a thorough understanding of macroeconomics has a strong impact on leadership skills, decision-making and the ability to plan for a flourishing social future. To meet this need, the Department of Economics has designed a multidisciplinary curriculum that prepares students to maneuver seamlessly from one area of focus to another.