Students who major in Economics experience a rigorous curriculum that will prepare them to think critically in almost every enterprise. This program addresses how individuals and firms make decisions in a world of scarcity and uncertainty while also presenting opportunities to learn how to analyze the performance and interaction of national economies. The curriculum is designed to promote the development of quantitative skills as well as written and verbal communication ability so students are equipped to critically examine the effects of economic factors on market participants in the private and public sectors. Because of the growing complexity of the global economy, there is an increase in the demand for individuals who can provide and communicate quantitative analysis of economic variables and their effects on forecasting sales, managing costs, allocating budgets, and choosing investment options. Since Economics provides the framework for how firms and governments operate, a minor offers business students the understanding of how markets - domestic and global - operate.
Major Requirements
In addition to the core curriculum and business curriculum, each student must take courses specific to their declared major. These requirements are listed below.
Required Courses
and one of the following options:
Option #1
Plus two Economics courses numbered ECO 3000 or higher (except ECO 3108)
Option #2
Plus three Economics courses numbered ECO 3000 or higher (except ECO 3108)
Minor Requirements
Required Courses
Plus one Economics course numbered ECO 3000 or higher (except ECO 3108)
Student Societies and Extracurricular Activities
Students who study Economics have many opportunities to learn outside the classroom, such as the annual Joseph L. Lucia Public Policy Lecture which has featured lectures by Nobel Laureates James Buchanan, James Tobin, and Joseph Stiglitz. Students also participate in department research seminars, field trips, internships, study abroad programs, the Villanova Economics Society, and the Villanova Chapter of Omicron Delta Epsilon - the international economics honor society.
Internships/Coops
In addition to internship opportunities, Economics majors are eligible to apply to two unique CoOp programs - the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office Forensic Accounting/ Economic Crimes CoOp and the Johnson & Johnson Finance/Accounting CoOp.
Type of Job Opportunities
Students who major in Economics are hired as analysts (research, financial, or investment), management trainees, sales associates, auditors, or consultants. Students often continue with graduate work in economics, law, public policy, health sciences, or pursue careers on Wall Street or in Fortune 500 firms, hedge funds, federal and state government agencies, or consulting firms.
Economics majors are prepared to pursue a wide variety of careers in industries such as banking and financial services, private and public sector management, financial and economic consulting, teaching, law, government or corporate research, health service administration, and information services.
Companies
The following is a selection of companies that have hired economics students for full-time and internship positions:
- Bank of America Merrill Lynch
- Barclays Capital
- Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Citigroup, Inc.
- Deloitte
- Federal Reserve Bank
- IHS Global Insight
- ING Bank FSB
- Internal Revenue Service
- Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc.
- KPMG
- Morgan Stanley
- Navigant Consulting
- The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
