Departmental Brochure

Economics is an innovative, flexible, challenging, and rewarding major, offering you many pathways to careers or graduate study, a variety of learning experiences, and a minimum of required courses. The major is innovative because much of the course content is contemporary, the use of computer applications is frequent, and the department members are leaders in the use of multimedia technology in the classroom.

Flexibility is evident in the choice between tracks leading to either a bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree and in the array of electives that let you shape a program to your interests. The challenge is in the emphasis on critical thinking and logical analysis, supported at different levels by data analysis, statistical inference, and quantitative analysis.

Many economics majors, with the department's encouragement, spend a semester abroad. All of these strengthen the rich liberal education that you will acquire and the ability you will develop to evaluate and judge the merits of significant real-world events.

Real World Education

Economics is an excellent example of a real-world field, where the claims of theory are tested constantly by the everyday experience of the marketplace.

In economics courses, you can hone your analytic ability and technical competence, including your computer skills. Many courses include a substantial computer component that will help you to gain hands-on experience with software and hardware applications. Your academic work and fieldwork as an intern will give you excellent preparation for employment in many different fields. Good economists are always in demand by large and small businesses, research and teaching institutions, government agencies, and nonprofits.

The Faculty

Members of the department, active in research and consulting, are:

Research and Internships

The University's location near many corporate headquarters provides excellent opportunities for internships. Recently, students have interned as research associates at Peoples Bank, Southwest Connecticut Agency on Aging, Merrill Lynch, Salomon Smith Barney, the Chamber of Commerce, and other local agencies.

Independent study opportunities are available to qualified students who wish to undertake original research. Recent projects have dealt with economic obstacles to development in Brazil, and America's experience with classical liberalism and laissez-faire policies. Two majors each year are eligible to participate in the Economics Policy Seminar at American University in Washington, D.C. This experience includes seminars for credit and a Washington-based internship.

Life After Fairfield

Many economics majors choose to continue their studies in graduate or professional schools, including business and law. Recent graduates have enrolled at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, University of Virginia, Brown, Duke, Cornell Law School, and New York University. Financial and service institutions have been the most popular sources of entry-level jobs. Other graduates have started out with hospital and government agencies. Some have gone into teaching at primary and secondary levels.

Course of Study

The bachelor of arts program in economics prepares students for a wide range of practical applications of economic theory, with an emphasis on policy analysis and business applications. The bachelor of science track emphasizes quantitative applications as used in actuarial work, economic research, and statistical analysis. For either track, you will take the following courses:

EC 11 Introduction to Microeconomics
EC 12 Introduction to Macroeconomics
EC 204 Intermediate Microeconomic Theory
EC 205 Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory

Bachelor of arts students choose six other electives in Economics. Bachelor of science students must take economic statistics, mathematical economics, two lab experiences, and four more electives. Other courses in economics can be chosen from the following categories:

• Applied Microeconomics - such as Managerial Economics, Environmental Economics, Health Economics, The Economics of Sports.
• Applied Macroeconomics - such as Money and Banking, Financial Markets and Institutions, Issues in Economic Policy.
• International/Comparative Economics - such as International Trade, International Economic Policy and Finance, Comparative Economic Systems.
• Poverty and Inequality - such as Economic Development, Distribution of Income and Poverty in America.
• Law and Economics - such as Industrial Organization, Antitrust and Regulation, Law and Economics.
• Statistics and econometrics.

In choosing your courses, you work with a departmental faculty advisor who can also help you to select other relevant courses in the College of Arts and Sciences or the Charles F. Dolan School of Business.

Profiles

Robert Antonelos
Economics major
"An economics degree from Fairfield University provides the conceptual and analytical skills to make educated decisions in the future. It becomes a way of life, not just a concentration in college, and I often find myself applying concepts I've learned to my everyday life. Overall, economics provides the ultimate flexibility when it comes to job opportunity, because having a key understanding of U.S. and foreign economics makes you a valuable asset to your employer. My advice? If you like business and want the consideration of the social aspects that influence it, this is the degree to get."

Blake Petty
Economics major
"Economics appeals to me. In finance, you're just looking at numbers, but in economics you're examining the social science aspect, looking at causes for why things happen, for example. One interesting course I took, The Economics of Sports, we talked about sports and the economics involved, such as where to locate the stadium, beginning a franchise, players' salaries and caps. The classes are small and the professors get their students involved, and we've had some great debates because of it."

For further information, please contact:

Dr. Philip Lane, department chair
Donnarumma Hall 322
Fairfield University
Fairfield, CT 06824-5195
Tel: (203) 254-4000, ext. 2279
E-mail: lane@mail.fairfield.edu