Understanding Real-World Problems

Major: Economics
Minors: Economics | Quantitative Economics

Economics is the study of how people make decisions in a world where resources are scarce. The field examines important questions that are at the heart of many debates in our modern world, and teaches students to utilize theoretical models and factual information to craft responses to these questions. Economic theory provides students with the theoretical foundations necessary to understand real-world problems. Strong quantitative reasoning skills help students to carefully analyze complex problems, skills needed for success in life and future careers. Economics is a useful background for a wide variety of occupations, including business, finance, marketing, policy, law, non-profits, teaching, and public service.

Student Opportunities

  • Collaborate with faculty on a project.
  • Combine a major in economics with a second major or a minor in business or accounting to create an interdisciplinary academic experience.
  • Participate in a distinctive internship for departmental credit.
  • Become an Institute for Management Studies Scholar.
  • Work toward induction into Omicron Delta Epsilon International Economics Honor Society.
  • Explore career options and network with alumni during the economics department’s annual trip to destinations such as Vanguard, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.
  • Gain teaching experience as a course tutor.
  • Take a European Business Experience class and travel to London and Prague during May Term.
  • Present research at regional undergraduate research conferences.
  • Attend movie nights, bowling, and social gatherings as a member of the Economics Club.

Why Lycoming?

  1. Small class sizes allow for individual attention from professors and a personalized education experience.
  2. Classes are taught by professors with the highest degree in their fields.
  3. Quantitative skills are central to the curriculum leading to highly competitive placement after graduation.
  4. Career exploration and professional development skills are embedded into the economics curriculum, and students work with advisors to establish goals and develop a plan to achieve them.
  5. Students have access to a valuable network of successful alumni who guest lecture in upper-level classes and are willing to assist economics majors in finding a job or choosing a graduate program.
  6. Students have the option of pursuing one of three tracks: Economics, Managerial Economics, or Quantitative Economics.
  7. The managerial track in the economics program is tightly interwoven with the Institute for Management Studies, and students receive a well-rounded business curriculum, unlike other similar institutions.
  8. Ties to the community are strong, with faculty often working with local government and businesses to conduct research into the possible effects of proposed policy changes.
  9. International students majoring in the Economics – Quantitative track are eligible for the Department of Homeland Security’s STEM OPT extension, enabling them to work in the United States for three years after graduation.

Why Lycoming is the Right Choice →