Economics Program

What is economics? Why study economics?

Economics is the study of rational choice and the allocation of scarce resources in light of social values and competing needs and wants. Economics is used by everyone–individuals, businesses, and governments–and examines fundamental issues faced by societies: what goods and services should be produced; how should they be produced; and how should they be distributed in today’s interconnected world. Studying economics develops methods of thinking that can be directly applied to a wide variety of problems in many different areas. Economics graduates possess analytical and problem-solving skills that enable them to understand economic phenomena and make optimal economic decisions.

Graduates with a bachelor’s degree in economics are employed in a wide variety of jobs in both the private and public sectors of the economy. Recent economics graduates have obtained positions at Snap-On Tools, Komatsu, Modine Manufacturing, Humana Healthcare, US Bank, Northwestern Mutual, Educators Credit Union, Case-New Holland, Hewitt Associates, the U.S. Veteran’s Administration, Prudential Financial, Runzheimer International, and Johnson Bank. A recent Wall Street Journal article (April 8, 2008, D1, 3) reported that the average starting salary for economic majors ranked fourth among 16 majors, behind computer programming and engineering, but ahead of accounting, business management, finance, and marketing. The economics program also provides an excellent background for graduate work in business, law, or the social sciences.

The Economics Department supports the Economics Club and participates in the College Fed Challenge, a national economics competition sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank.

The Economics Major

The Economics Department offers three courses of study within the major: the general major; the monetary and financial economics concentration in the major; and the quantitative concentration in the major.

The General Major
The general major is intended for students who seek a broad experience in economics and do not expect to study economics in graduate school. Please see the UW-Parkside catalog (PDF) for the course list, credit and GPA requirements.

The Monetary and Financial Economics Concentration
The monetary and financial economics concentration is designed for students who are interested in positions in the financial and banking sectors. Please see the UW-Parkside catalog (PDF) for the course list, credit and GPA requirements.

The Quantitative Concentration
The quantitative concentration is recommended for students who expect to study economics in graduate school or seek a career using quantitative methods. Please see the UW-Parkside catalog (PDF) for the course list, credit and GPA requirements.

The Economics Minor

The economics minor is intended for students who wish to develop a core understanding of economics that will complement their primary field of study, be it biology, communication, environmental studies, history, geography, political science, or business. An economics minor is valuable and marketable because it demonstrates a basic knowledge of the economy and the ability to apply economic analysis to economic phenomena and problems. Please see the UW-Parkside catalog (PDF) for the course list and credit and GPA requirements.

Teacher Licensure

Students seeking teacher licensure in the economics major or minor must fulfill Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction requirements. For more information about the teacher education program and additional requirements for licensure, please contact the Teacher Education Advisor at 262.595.2180 or visit the Teacher Education website.