Business Economics (BA)
Gain the tools to make informed decisions and compete in the global marketplace.
MBU students can declare a major in Business Economics until August 2024.
Students who have already declared a major or will declare one from the existing course catalog prior to August 2024 will be able to complete their major on schedule through courses offered at Mary Baldwin.
Obtain a business degree with the superpowers of economic analysis. Business economics blends organizational behavior knowledge and theory with an economics approach to problem solving. You’ll learn to apply specialized methods and techniques to understand the transactions and behaviors of firms, nonprofits, and government agencies.
- Time to finish
- 4 years
- Format
- In-person
- Degree(s)
- Bachelor of Arts
Next steps
Why Study Business Economics at Mary Baldwin?
You’ve probably heard the saying, “data is the new oil.” That’s because now more than ever, our organizational decisions need to be data driven to succeed. But, like oil, what comes out of the ground needs to be processed to become fuel. Enter the business economists, trained in methods of analysis that turn spreadsheets into strategy and metrics into action. You’ll learn the foundations of marketing, finance, human resource management, and information systems, but with tools to fuel your organization’s incentives and strategy.
Mary Baldwin’s business economics majors are active members of our campus community, often serving as treasurers for campus organizations and routinely volunteering for organizations like VITA, the low income tax preparation service. When you’re here, you’ll join a lively and talented community of students who want to make a difference.
Features & Benefits
- Small class sizes
- Discussion-based learning
- Data analysis skill development
- Work with faculty on organizational research projects
- Internships and professional experience
- Senior thesis project to use in job or grad school applications
Next steps
“I’m amazed by all the opportunities that helped me build up my skills and prepare me for a successful career.”
June Schlereth Class of ’22, business economics major, currently a tax associate with Aprio
Students love our courses
Don’t expect a tired lecture at Mary Baldwin. Our courses are full of surprises.
Here’s a sampling of what you’ll take as a business economics major:
Students play games to learn about incentives, strategy, and how markets work. They analyze data that they create and compare it to the predictions of classic economic models. Students can even use their class “winnings” to buy their way out of some assignments, so the games get competitive. Be prepared for a rowdy, noisy environment.
This gateway course introduces students to our unique business perspective and curriculum. You’ll learn to use our model — people, planet, purpose, and profit — for strategy and decision-making.
This course focuses on the challenges and opportunities that face the BIPOC community who wish to become entrepreneurs.
Unique student support
The McCree Center for Life Success assists current students and alumni in finding the best opportunities throughout their career development. We work closely with both faculty and employers to identify how your valued education best matches the needs of today’s evolving marketplace.
What you can do with a Business Economics Degree
Business Economics students get great positions within a variety of businesses, agencies, and nonprofits, often with an accounting or management focus.
Career choices that inspire:
- Data Scientist
- Economic Consultant
- Actuary
- Researcher
- Policy Analyst
- Business Strategist
- Market Research Analyst
Looking ahead to graduate school?
Our students seek graduate education in business management or public administration. They also go into diverse fields such as law, medicine, and government.
Cost & Financial Aid
A great education is worth it. Here’s how Mary Baldwin helps you pay for it: Generous financial aid packages, a broad range of scholarships, transferring maximum credit hours from previous coursework or relevant work and life experiences — the list goes on. Our mission is to help you level up and bring your aspirations to life.
MBU helps you fast-track your path to a bachelor’s degree with the opportunity to transfer up to 18 credits (6 courses) through direct course equivalents from the Virginia Community Colleges System.
- Cost per credit hour: $486
- Credits required for a bachelor’s degree: 120