Economics (BA)
Study human behavior through the lens of competition and cooperation.
MBU students can declare a major in 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.
Economics is about more than money and math. It’s the study of how we make decisions, including when to cooperate with and when to compete against each other. Economic theories
are used to understand history and headlines alike. You’ll learn about markets, transactions, politics, and trust.
- Time to finish
- 4 years
- Format
- In Person
- Degree(s)
- Bachelor of Arts
- Minor
- Economics
Next steps
Why Study Economics at Mary Baldwin?
Economics studies how humans both compete and cooperate to achieve success and prosperity. Many people think that “economist” is another word for “mathematician,” but instead, economists combine philosophy, psychology, sociology, and statistics to discover our essential patterns and question assumptions.
At Mary Baldwin, our courses are policy-focused and practical, with a few games and experiments mixed in. Students learn how to use theories and data analysis techniques to choose among competing policy ideas. You will discover how the field of economics addresses society’s most important issues, such as climate change, race, healthcare, online markets, pre-K education, and poverty.
Features:
- Small class sizes
- Discussion-based learning
- Data analysis skill development
- Work with faculty on cutting-edge economics research.
Benefits:
- Internships and professional experience
- Senior thesis project to use in job or grad school applications
Next steps
“Moving forward, my goal is as it has always been, to help as many people as possible. This means representing underserved communities and those without agency as well as continuing to promote civic engagement, tolerance, and ultimately acceptance.”
Francesca Bergeret ’20, economics and political science double major at MBU, who went on to law school at Case Western Reserve University
Students Love Our Courses
Don’t expect a tired lecture at Mary Baldwin. Our courses are full of surprises:
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.
Students have a nice balance of discussions, talks, and activities. Students play out scenarios to learn about how economic opportunities and skills influence income distribution. Students work together to calculate different poverty thresholds. At the end of the course, all students participate in lively debates on policy solutions.
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.
A Future that Counts
Economics majors have serious career opportunities. Our graduates go on to become:
- Economists
- Data Scientists
- Policy Analysts
- Urban Planners
- Market Research Analysts
They also go on to graduate school to study in fields such as:
- Law
- Public Policy
- Economics
- Statistics
Next steps
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