Department of Economics

For information regarding the GRADUATE PROGRAM, click here.  

What is Economics?

Alfred Marshall, one of the intellectual giants of economics, defined economics as “… a study of mankind in the ordinary business of life”.  As such, microeconomics provides a framework for analyzing decisions made by individuals and firms, especially decisions concerning the allocation of scarce resources and the implications of those decisions for both the decision-maker and the wider society.  Macroeconomics, which uses the foundations provided by microeconomics, focuses on the determinants of economic aggregates like the price level and national output and studies the effects of monetary and fiscal policy on these aggregates.

The Department of Economics is committed to excellence in teaching and research. Our goal is to provide students with analytic skills and a breadth of economic understanding that prepares them for careers in business, government, or for further study in economics, law, or public policy. Our faculty are frequently honored with teaching awards, regularly publish in prestigious professional journals, and several serve as editors of professional journals.

Economics is the study of how people make choices. It examines these choices and provides a way of understanding how to make the best use of natural resources, machinery, and work efforts.

Through economics, the trade-offs between various goals and the anticipation of event outcomes are made more feasible. Training received in the undergraduate program enables one to analyze complex economic problems, think critically about a variety of issues, learn beyond the confines of the classroom, and be adaptable to the ever-changing demands of the workplace.

BS in Economics

A Bachelor of Science in Economics provides the foundations to understand how the global economy functions and gives you the skills to confidently analyze and predict the impact of a variety of market factors. Throughout this 120-hour program, you will discuss the role of markets and public policy, study how monetary and fiscal policies can be used to stabilize the economy, and analyze economic problems using tools of quantitative analysis.

What is International Trade & Finance?

International Trade & Finance is a specialized course of study of the international dimensions of economics. Alfred Marshall, one of the intellectual giants of economics, defined economics as “… a study of mankind in the ordinary business of life”.  As such, microeconomics provides a framework for analyzing decisions made by individuals and firms, especially decisions concerning the allocation of scarce resources and the implications of those decisions for both the decision-maker and the wider society.  Macroeconomics, which uses the foundations provided by microeconomics, focuses on the determinants of economic aggregates like the price level and national output and studies the effects of monetary and fiscal policy on these aggregates. 

BS in International Trade & Finance

The Bachelor of Science in International Trade & Finance enables students to identify the role of supply and demand in a market economy and the conditions needed for those economies to function well. In this 120-hour program, you will understand the economic role of government policy and the Federal Reserve, among several other learning objectives.

Opportunities in Economics and International Trade & Finance

Areas: Economic Advising and Consulting, Industry and Market Analysis, Forecasting, Research, Teaching

Employers: Financial Institutions, Insurance Companies, Non-Financial Corporations, Government Agencies, Educational Institutions, Trade/Labor Organizations

A 2.0 or better GPA is required in all economics coursework in order to graduate with a major in economics or international trade and finance. This requirement applies both to the total economics coursework taken and to LSU economics coursework.

Programs

• Economics, BS
• International Trade and Finance, B.S.