Program Overview

Economics Program

The Economics program at Vanderbilt University is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of economic principles and their applications. Economists are interested in the choices people make when they shop, when they choose jobs, and when they vote, as well as the choices made in state capitols, at the Federal Reserve, and on Wall Street.

Curriculum

The B.S. in economics begins with principles of macroeconomics followed by principles of microeconomics. The program offers a range of courses that have only introductory courses as prerequisites, including:

• Labor economics
• Money and banking
• Latin American development
• Economic history of the U.S.
• Strategic analysis Students must take a statistics course, with calculus as a prerequisite. Students must complete Calculus II before moving to intermediate level courses.

Requirements

Students who major in economics must take:

• A semester of intermediate microeconomics
• A semester of intermediate macroeconomics
• One econometrics course Majors must complete five electives in economics, at least three of which have either intermediate microeconomics or macroeconomics as prerequisites. The upper-level electives address a wide range of issues in economics, such as:
  • The development of third-world countries
  • International trade and finance
  • Health economics
  • Urban growth
  • American and European economic history

Honors Program

Students in the departments Honors program write an original thesis under the guidance of a faculty member. The Honors program begins with writing a project proposal in the junior year. Students then work on the project through their senior year. Honors students have designed their own thesis topics on a wide range of topics.

After Vanderbilt

Many economics majors find employment in a wide range of industries, including:

• Finance
• Consulting
• Insurance
• Government
• Technology Some students found their own businesses or join start-up companies. About sixty percent of economics majors intend to complete MBA degrees after graduation, and understand that several years of significant work experience is necessary before enrolling in an MBA program.

Faculty

The 40 faculty in economics are experts in their field, with particular strength in:

• Micro theory, including game theory
• International economics
• Econometrics
• Applied microeconomics
• Economic history Dedicated researchers and teachers, they have won teaching awards at Vanderbilt and elsewhere and offer courses from introductory classes with 250 students to seminars with 15 students.