About the Program
Professors: Nora Ann Colton (chair), Fred Curtis
Associate Professors: Jennifer Olmsted, Bernard Smith, Marc Tomljanovich
Assistant Professors: Fadhel Kaboub, Daniel Lawson, Maliha Safri
The Drew Economics Department has established three broad objectives for its economics curriculum. It teaches students analytical tools for understanding the functioning of economic systems, familiarizes them with the origin, character, and operation of economic institutions, and enables them to make informed judgments about economic policy.
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Requirements for the Major (44 Credits)
I. Required Courses (24 credits)
ECON 5/Economic Principles: Microeconomics (4)
ECON 6/Economic Principles: Macroeconomics (4)
ECON 102/Intermediate Microeconomic Theory (4)
ECON 103/Intermediate Macroeconomic Analysis (4)
ECON 104/Economic Statistics and Introductory Econometrics (4)
MATH 3/Introductory Statistics (4)
Students must pass ECON 102, ECON 103 and ECON 104 with a grade of C- or better in order for these courses to satisfy requirements for the Economics major.
II. Electives (20 credits)
All majors must take an additional five 4-credit courses, at least two of which must be at the upper or advanced level and one in the area of critical or historical perspectives.
All majors must take one of the following four courses in the area of critical and historical perspectives which can count as an elective:
ECON 112/History of Economic Thought (4)
ECON 117/Contemporary Political Economy (4)
ECON 134/American Economic Development (4)
ECON 136/Political Economy of Race, Class, and Gender (4)
ECON 129/Selected Topics in Economics (4)-as appropriate and with the approval of the department chair)
Students have the option of taking the five courses as pure electives (any five courses they choose). They also have the option of taking courses in one of three areas of concentration which will be noted on their transcripts. The options are thus:
A. General option (no concentration noted on the transcript)
Any five economics courses, at least two of which must be at the advanced level.
B. Concentration in the Economics of Business, Money and Finance
Majors choosing this concentration must take any four of the courses listed below - at least two of which must be at the upper level - and one additional elective economics course:
ECON 38/Economics of Labor and Trade Unions (4)
ECON 42/International Business (4)
ECON 47/Economics of Business and Sustainability (4)
ECON 49/Wall Street and the Economy (4)
ECON 50/Colloquium on Wall Street: Practical Realities and Recent Issues (4)
ECON 118/Industrial Organization and Public Policy Toward Business (4)
ECON 119/Money, Banking, and the Macroeconomy (4)
ECON 120/Corporate Finance (4)
ECON 129/Selected Topics in Economics (4)-as appropriate and with the approval of the department chair
ECON 137/Seminar in Laber Economics
C. Concentration in Development and International Economics
Majors choosing this concentration must take any four of the courses listed below-at least two of which must be at the upper level-and one additional elective economics course:
ECON 29/Selected Topics in Economics (2-4) – as appropriate and with the approval of the department chair
ECON 40/Economic Development (4)
ECON 41/Global Economy (4)
ECON 42/International Business (4)
ECON 63/The Economics of European Integration (4)
ECON 124/International Trade (4)
ECON 125/International Finance (4) [Note: ECON 124 is prerequisite]
ECON 145/Sustainable Development (4)
ECON 129/Selected Topics in Economics (4)-as appropriate and with the approval of the department chair
D. Concentration in Economic Policy
Majors choosing this concentration must any four of the courses listed below-at least two of which must be at the upper level-and one additional elective economics course:
ECON 29/Selected Topics in Economics (2-4) – as appropriate and with the approval of the department chair
ECON 38/Economics of Labor and Trade Unions (4)
ECON 45/Environmental Economics (4)
ECON 62/Poverty and Policy (4)
ECON 111/Public Finance Economics (4)
ECON 118/Industrial Organization and Public Policy Toward Business (4)
ECON 119/Money, Banking, and the Macroeconomy (4)
ECON 129/Selected Topics in Economics (4)-as appropriate and with the approval of the department chair
ECON 130/Topics in Economics and the Environment (4)
For students planning postbaccalaureate work in economics, the following courses are strongly recommended:
CSCI 6/Introduction to Computer Science: Functions and Simple Variables (4)
CSCI 9/Introduction to Computer Science: Compound Variables and Sequences (4)
MATH 2, 7, 8, 17/Calculus and Analytic Geometry I, II, III (4, 4, 4)
MATH 103/Linear Algebra (4)
Students planning postbaccalaureate education or a career in business are strongly urged to take the following courses:
INTR 50/Internship Project (2-4)
SOC 117/The Sociology of Management (4)
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Requirements for the Minor (24 Credits)
I. Required Courses (12 credits)
ECON 5/Economic Principles: Microeconomics (4)
ECON 6/Economic Principles: Macroeconomics (4)
ECON 102/Intermediate Microeconomic Theory (4) OR ECON 103/Intermediate Macroeconomic Analysis (4)
(ECON 102 or ECON 103 must be passed with a grade of C- or better to satisfy the requirements for the Economics minor.)
II. Three additional economics courses, at least one at the upper level (12 credits).
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Advanced Placement (AP) examinations
A student receiving a score of 4 or 5 on the examination in economics may exempt either ECON 5 or ECON 6, with the appropriate course for exemption selected in consultation with the department. See pages 15-16 for further information about AP credits.
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Off-Campus Programs
The Wall Street Semester
The Wall Street Semester, offered in the spring, gives students a thorough introduction to financial markets and institutions. Students spend two days per week in New York City, attending presentations and discussions by prominent executives, government officials, institutional shareholders, economists, and other members of the financial community, and participating in a course offered by the program director, a member of the Drew faculty. This eight-credit program focuses on the operation of the financial sector located in the Wall Street area and considers the impact of Wall Street on the U.S. economy at all levels (local, state, national, and global). It offers students a solid background in the relationship of Wall Street to the rest of the economy, centering on finance but also including macroeconomic, historical, and ethical dimensions. Two semesters of introductory economics are prerequisites for participation in the Wall Street Semester, which is open to students majoring in any discipline.
The European Semester
The European Semester is offered in Brussels, Belgium, each fall semester. It allows students to explore the politics, economics, sociology, and history of the EU and NATO, as well as the member states of these organizations. The program is directed by a Drew faculty member and courses are taught by a distinguished European faculty. Guest speakers and field trips to prominent European historical, political, and artistic settings are central to the European Semester experience. After spending 9 weeks in Brussels, students will travel to individual countries for the final weeks of the term, in order to explore a national perspective on Europe and its issues.
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