Economics

The economics major provides students with an understanding of economic theories, tools, and applications in the fields of microeconomics and macroeconomics to address real world problems and policies in a broad range of disciplines. The goal of the major is to prepare students for employment or graduate study in economics, business, finance, or professional employment by equipping students with strong quantitative skills, written and oral communication.

Why Economics?

You may not realize it, but you already use economics every day. When you decide if it is time to study or go to bed, spend your money or save it—you are using economics. Economics is the study of how individuals and societies choose to utilize the resources available to them. On a larger scale, economics includes the study of labor, goods and services, investments, taxes, and government spending. As an economics major you will learn the principles of economic analysis and how to apply these tools in real-world situations.

What do economists do?

What makes being an economist exciting is the opportunity to work in so many different fields. The analytical skills economics majors possess are valued in everything from small business and prestigious financial institutions to international non-profits, or even food science and product development. Still more economics graduates go into roles in state and federal government, collecting data and analyzing policy. Whether you choose to forecast trends or work as a consultant for a major investment firm, economists are everywhere. An economics degree is valued in many fields beyond economics and provides a lot of flexibility in terms of future professional and academic careers.

What are my employment prospects with an economics degree?

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of economists of projected to grow 14% from 2012 to 2022.

Businesses and organizations across many industries are increasingly relying on economic analysis…and quantitative methods to analyze and forecast business, sales, and other economic trends. Demand for economists should grow as a result of the increasing complexity of the global economy, additional financial regulations, and a more competitive business environment."

Bureau of Labor Statistics

U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition

What are former Economics students doing today?

Students graduating from our program have been very successful in their academic and professional careers. Our economics graduates have found employment in a wide variety of organizations including:

  • International Data Corporation
  • ITR Economics
  • Moody’s Analytics
  • Thrive Networks

How to major/minor in Economics?

The Economics major gives students a tremendous amount of flexibility. Economics majors take 7 specific courses plus 5 electives, for a total of 12 courses. Combined with their 10 General Education courses, students majoring in Economics can have as many as 10 free electives.

The Department of Economics offers a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) major in Economics. Economics majors can also choose to declare a concentration in Business or Finance.
FSU students can also minor in Economics. Each minor consists of five courses. Adding a minor allows students to complement their major, explore new areas of interest, and enhance their marketability.

Any questions, please contact any of our faculty members.

Program Learning Objectives

  1. Students will be able to understand economic terminology, fundamental principles and theories in the fields of microeconomics and macroeconomics.
  2. Students will be able to apply economic theory to critically analyze the real world, societal problems, and/or policies.
  3. Students will be able to create effective communication of economic ideas through written and/or oral presentation.
  4. Students will be able to analyze and evaluate ideas, arguments, and points of view using economic theory.