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Program Overview
Economics majors in the Dolan School of Business will test the claims of theory against the everyday experience of the marketplace. Courses develop reasoning capacity and analytical ability in students, while internships and service learning courses prepare students for a variety of jobs in business, finance, and government. The major builds on the strong foundation provided by the Dolan School of Business core curriculum, and engages students in a variety of professional development activities across all four years of undergraduate work.
The department's individualized counseling encourages majors to tailor their study to career and personal enrichment goals. A major in economics provides an excellent background for employment in the business world while maintaining the objectives of a liberal education. The economics degree pairs nicely with a wide variety of double majors and minors, including finance, math, international studies, area studies, and other social sciences. In fact, many economic elective courses “double count” towards other major, minor, and core requirements. Economics majors regularly use a variety of up-to-date analytical tools, including Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint, and are introduced to Stata, a sophisticated statistical package. The economics major also prepares students for advanced study in graduate or professional schools.
Contact Us
Dina Franceschi
Professor
Economics
x2850
Office of Undergraduate Admission
P: (203) 254-4100
F: (203) 254-4199
admis@fairfield.edu
Fairfield Dolan Rankings
#3
#9
#28
Requirements & Curriculum
The curriculum of the Department of Economics blends basic economic concepts and their applications with contemporary issues. Courses develop reasoning capacity and analytical ability in students. By focusing on areas of application, students use economic principles to stimulate their powers of interpretation, synthesis, and understanding. The department's individualized counseling encourages majors to tailor their study to career and personal enrichment goals. A major in economics provides an excellent background for employment in the business world while maintaining the objectives of a liberal education. The economics degree pairs nicely with a wide variety of double majors and minors, including finance, math, international studies, area studies, and other social sciences.
Required Courses
| Business Core Requirements |
| Intermediate Microeconomic Theory |
| Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory |
| Four (4) Economics Electives |
| Introduction to Microeconomics |
| Introduction to Macroeconomics |
| Three (3) Economics Electives |
Visit our our academic catalog for detailed course descriptions and more information.
Stag Spotlight
Greg Burke
Class of '12
Major: Economics and Accounting
Minor: Philosophy and Math
Completed the University Honors Program
"The quantitative skills were incredibly valuable in creating a critical thinking model I could apply to anything, whether it be in business or life."
What inspired you to major in Economics?
For me the big draw to pursue Economics was the ability to use a study to make connections in a practical and academic way. To investigate and see connections that I never anticipated – that cause and effect relationship – is what drew me in. I liked the idea of studying something that I could see and apply in real life.
How has your Economics major contributed to life after Fairfield?
Upon graduation I took a job with PwC in Boston working in their audit practice. Studying Economics and topics such as Econometrics gave me strong quantitative and analytical skills that helped me as an auditor. The quantitative skills were incredibly valuable in creating a critical thinking model I could apply to anything, whether it be in business or life, to understand what’s happening in the world. A degree in Economics helps you make connections in a practical and academic way and it develops valuable skills for any kind of career you want to pursue.
What led you back to Fairfield?
During my second year at PwC I was approached by my high school to take students to Ecuador for a service/immersion trip, something I had participated in myself as a high school student. After that experience I knew I wanted to try living a life of “mission” for a year. So after a year or so of discerning, I left PwC to volunteer for Rostro de Cristo, a non-profit foundation that serves communities on the margins of Ecuador.
During my time in Ecuador, I received an email from Dr. Joan Lee informing me of an opening for a professor of the practice in the Accounting department. The opportunity presented itself at a time when I knew I wanted a supportive community at my side as I transitioned out of my time in Ecuador. I liked the idea of working at a Jesuit institution where community, justice, and the search for truth is valued and supported through academics and extra-curricular activities.
I’ve really enjoyed being back at Fairfield. Since returning, in addition to my regular teaching, I am currently doing research with Dr. William Vasquez, associate professor of Economics, and Engineers Without Borders to assess the feasibility of providing a potable water system to a group of indigenous communities in rural Guatemala.
More About Economics
Career & Professional Opportunities
Career & Professional Opportunities
The Dolan Career Development Center provides professional development services for undergraduate and graduate students that enrich their academic experiences and inspire tomorrow's business leaders. These opportunities allow students to learn about themselves, and about the business world, as well as to apply what they're learning in the classroom.
Diversity and Inclusive Excellence
Diversity and Inclusive Excellence
As a Jesuit, Catholic university, Fairfield is dedicated to diversity and inclusion; to radical hospitality in service of racial, social, and economic justice.
Economics Department Highlights
Economics Department Highlights
Dr. Phil Lane and Dr. Ania Aksan display their teaching innovations at a recent faculty forum.
Fed Challenge Team: Joe Weber (Deloitte and Touche LLP), Katie Simalchik (St. John’s Law School), Casey Barry (PwC), Sarah Greenwood (Reuters), and Matt Parron (J.P. Morgan). Dr. Phil Lane, faculty advisor.
Frank ’09 (Google), and Vin ’14 (Goldman Sachs), spoke about “Life After Fairfield” at the annual Economics Department awards dinner.
Sarah Greenwood ’17, winner of the William J. Hohmann, S.J. Award for excellent work in Economics.
The 2017 speaker at the Omicron Delta Epsilon, the international honor society for Economists, reception and graduating seniors. Mr. Tom Mantione ’93, CFP, CIMA, CPWA. Senior Vice President – Wealth Management, The Shantz Mantione Group, UBS. Tom has been an internship supervisor and mentor for many economics students over the past twenty years.
Faculty
Faculty
Fairfield University’s Charles F. Dolan School of Business boasts experienced Economics faculty who teach students the fundamentals, ethics, and new developments in business on a local and global scale, supported by our amazing administration.