Drew University

Wall Street Program

Note: This program is only available to Drew students.

Certainly, New York City is the nerve center of the United States economy and, to a large extent, the world’s. Step away from the frenzy of the trading floor, however, and few people can really explain the mechanics-the economics-of Wall Street, why its influence is so vast and what the fluctuations in exchanges and markets mean to the average person. Fewer still have the opportunity to explore New York’s financial world close up, to hear from the men and women who make the decisions, execute the trades, manage the funds, plan the mergers, and regulate the activity.

The Wall Street Semester brings Drew University students into the financial district to learn from professionals who work in the financial world, and to visit the places that are so integral to the U.S. economy. You will take a critical look at Wall Street’s operations, learn the economics behind the transactions, explore the district’s history, and discuss ethical and moral issues. At the end of the semester, you will have a deep understanding of the role of Wall Street within the rest of the economy, as well as an appreciation for topics and controversies affecting New York’s financial sector.

Required Courses

ECON 49/Wall St. and the Economy (4 credits)
Through this course, students gain an understanding of the operations and institutions of financial markets; their role in financing new investments, pensions, etc; their impact on local, national and global economies. The economic history and ethical dimensions of Wall Street and its relations to macroeconomic policy are also explored.

ECON 50/Colloquium on Wall St.: Practical Realities and Recent Issues (4 credits)
The practical day-to-day operations of the financial markets and institutions located in New York City. Talks by guest speakers drawn from the finance industry itself, as well as from corporations, government regulatory agencies, and institutional investors, shareholder activists, academics and others. Field trips stock brokerages, the New York Stock Exchange, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and various commodity exchanges. Speakers, field trips, and student projects explore recent issues, such as the impact of derivatives and other financial innovations.

To complete a full, sixteen-credit semester, you may enroll in courses normally offered on campus.

Program Director

Professor Marc Tomljanovich, Professor of Economics

Program Calendar

The Wall Street Semester runs during Drew’s spring semester, from late January through mid-May, with a mid-term break in March.

Eligibility

To participate in the Wall Street Semester, you must:

  1. be a sophomore, junior or senior at Drew University
  2. have taken Principles of Microeconomics and Principles of Macroeconomics

Cost

The program fee includes tuition, round-trip transportation to New York City twice a week, and program-related events and excursions.

Financial Aid

Drew students will maintain the regular financial aid package to which they are entitled.