About Economics

Question: What do Mick Jagger, John Elway, and George H. Bush all have in common?
Answer: They all majored in Economics!

There are many reasons why you should major in economics at Southern Oregon University, and one of them is career potential.

Besides providing excellent preparation for many entry-level positions as administrative or management trainees, the skills that economics students bring to the labor market will help them find jobs as financial managers, actuaries, securities and financial service sales workers, credit analysts, loan officers and budget officers. Economics courses explore how to reduce unemployment, control inflation, analyze tax policies, and confront problems as diverse as productivity and environmental decay. The program draws from history, psychology, mathematics, philosophy, and other disciplines to prepare individuals for responsibilities ranging from household management to business decision making. Economics majors can also find jobs as financial planners, stockbrokers, urban planners and investment bankers. Economics careers in government include those with the Federal Reserve System, the Department of Commerce, and state and local administration. Students interested in world issues can find jobs with the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and United Nations agencies.

An undergraduate economics major is also an excellent preparation for a number of graduate school programs.

For example:

• M.B.A. – All the major MBA programs in the United States (e.g. Stanford, MIT, Harvard, Wharton, Chicago and Northwestern) use economics as the core of their curriculum and many of the faculty members of these programs are economists.
• Law – Students who major in economics and then go to law school usually find themselves at an advantage over other students because economic reasoning is used many of the law courses you will take.
• Public Administration – In different areas of public administration like health and urban studies, an economics major prepares the student for the extensive use of economics that is integral to these programs.
• Economics – And, of course, the economics major prepares our students for graduate school in economics. Through our course offerings and capstone experience, the economics department at Southern Oregon University will prepare you for graduate work.

Additionally, the economics major allows the student a great deal of flexibility in choosing courses and offers the choice of two degrees, the BA and BS degrees. The economics department also offers a special program with the Business School: a Certificate in Applied Finance and Economics (CAFE). We also have a program for students who are interested in a minor in economics.