This page is not intended as a substitute for the catalog. Please consult with your advisor and the catalog for the year in which you were admitted.
As an economics major at JMU, you’ll gain a solid foundation of economic theory and policy that can lead to a wide variety of career options, including financial analysis and trading, consumer advocacy, economic analysis, communications and public administration. Our curriculum will develop your skills in critical thinking, research, writing and analysis. We emphasize a commitment to lifelong learning, which is critical in an ever-changing global economy.
Internships and externships are important steps in preparing for a career in your field of study. They can also enhance your transcript and even be used for academic credit.
Any student admitted to JMU can declare any major offered by the College of Business. However, students must make satisfactory progress in order to be formally admitted into the College of Business. Requirements to continue pursuing a B.B.A. degree, often referred to as progression standards or formal admission, can be found in the undergraduate catalog.
Students are encouraged to develop their individualized academic plans in consultation with an academic advisor, taking into account unique skills, interests and goals.
Economics majors choose from a B.A., B.S. or B.B.A. degree. The B.A. and B.S. degrees are traditional liberal arts degrees that lead to a variety of career and graduate school options; the B.B.A. is designed to prepare students for careers in business.
For specific course listings, please refer to the program of study in the undergraduate catalog:
Major coursework topics include: macro and microeconomics, quantitative analysis in economics and econometrics, calculus and statistics.
TBD
The B.A. in economics is intended for students who wish to sharpen their communication and writing skills, especially through a foreign language.
ECON’s B.A. classification as a STEM program has been approved by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV).
Upper-level economics courses are the same for all three degrees and students are equally prepared to pursue graduate studies.
The differences with the B.A. degree are:
- Foreign language required through intermediate level
- Philosophy course
The B.S. in economics is intended for students who wish to foster their analytical skills.
ECON’s B.S. classification as a STEM program has been approved by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV).
Upper-level economics courses are the same for all three degrees and students are equally prepared to pursue graduate studies.
The differences with the B.S. degree are:
- Additional quantitative requirement
- Additional scientific literacy requirement
The Department of Economics offers six concentrations:
- The Environmental and Natural Resource Economics concentration is a multi-disciplinary program of study helping students learn how economics can be combined with the hard sciences to analyze environmental and natural resource controversies.
- The Financial Economics concentration provides students with a better understanding of financial markets, corporate finance, personal wealth management and the government’s role in markets.
- The International and Development Economics concentration is designed for students who have a particular interest in learning more about the international economic environment, theory and practice in the international market and careers in global business.
- The Political Economy concentration exposes students to political and economic philosophies and to the consequences of specific public policies, combining political and economic inquiries and approaches.
- The Socioeconomics concentration focuses on how economic activity affects and is affected by social processes.
- The Quantitative Economics concentration is intended for majors who want to strengthen their quantitative skills. It is especially suitable for students going on to graduate study in economics or finance.
Students may select an economics concentration in consultation with an advisor. Courses required in the concentration will satisfy the ECON electives requirement. For specific course listings, refer to the undergraduate catalog.