Economics
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Economics

About

Paul Samuelson, known as the Father of Modern Economics, describes economics as the “study of how societies use scarce resources to produce valuable commodities and distribute them among different people."

Five Reasons to Choose Scranton for Economics

1.
A prestigious brand on your resume.   The Kania School is accredited by AACSB-International which sets the gold standard for business school accreditation. Fewer than 5% of business schools worldwide hold this prestigious distinction. In addition, the School has been included in Princeton Review’s “Best Business Schools.”
2.
Alperin Financial Center.   Here’s your chance to obtain hands-on experience with stock and foreign-currency markets. Our state-of-the-art financial center simulates a trading floor, complete with an electronic ticker displaying data feeds directly from Wall Street, monitors displaying up-to-the-minute financial news, 12 Bloomberg terminals, and computing hardware and software that facilitate sophisticated analyses of equities and currencies.
3.
Annual Henry George Lecture.   As an economics student, you have an enviable invitation to one of the most prestigious public lecture series in the Northeast. Former Henry George speakers include world-renowned economists and several Nobel Laureates.
4.
Faculty who bring the world to you.   It’s virtually impossible to understand economics today without learning about its larger global context. At Scranton, you'll receive an outstanding education taught by some of the best faculty and staff in the industry. Instructors bring international expertise directly into the classroom. Our department includes faculty from key markets around the world including England, China, India, Greece, Pakistan and Armenia.
5.
Jesuit education.   Students are educated in the Jesuit tradition with an emphasis on ethics and social responsibility. Students grow personally and professionally, becoming “men and women” for others.

  • Preparing You For Personal & Professional Success plus or minus

    You’ll gain:

    • Written and verbal communication skills
    • Analytical and critical thinking skills
    • Interpersonal skills
    • Self-awareness
    • Commitment to ethics and social values 

    A degree in economics from The University of Scranton earns you “career capital” in the job market. Our graduates are distinguished and valued by employers for their skills learned at the University.

    Classes feature guest speakers from prominent firms such as JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley. Students not only have the opportunity to meet potential employers, they also polish their social skills and learn how to network effectively.

    Internships:

    Your time at college is exciting, but also a bit nerve-racking. There are so many career options to consider. How do you know if you are going in the right direction? What is the best way to find your dream job? 

    The answer? Internships. For many of our students, they provide an opportunity to make valued connections and “try out” organizations and industries to see if there is a right fit.  There’s far less risk involved with a three-month summer internship than shaking hands on a permanent job offer post-graduation. We strongly encourage our students to pursue internships with these reasons in mind.

    Here are just some of the companies where you can explore possibilities while gaining valuable experience:

    • AXA Equitable
    • Bloomberg LP
    • Federal Reserve Board
    • Morgan Stanley

  • What You'll Learn plus or minus

    Curriculum

    The University of Scranton’s economics program offers a strong foundation in finance, international business and economics for an integrated curriculum that provides learning outcomes valued by employers.

    Click here to see the curriculum for Economics (CAS/Social Science).

    Click here to see the curriculum for Economics (KSOM/Business).

    Faculty-Mentored Research

    Scranton undergraduate students have the unique opportunity to participate in faculty-mentored research. One example of this is an Assessment on Research in International Finance, Exchange Rate, and EU with Dr. John Kallianiotis. By participating in this research, students gain skills in data analysis and learn how to prepare material for publication.

    CFA Investment Research Challenge:

    The business climate today has never been more competitive, but Scranton students are prepared for the challenges ahead. One example? The Investment Research Challenge competition sponsored by the CFA Society of Philadelphia. In this challenge, “students work in teams to research and analyze a publicly traded stock - sometimes even meeting face-to-face with company management. Each team produces a research report on their assigned stock and come up with a buy, sell, or hold recommendation.”

  • Pursue Your Passion and Make a Difference plus or minus

    In today’s world, there is no shortage of economic challenges. Even here in Scranton there are questions, like in any city, of how to allocate scarce resources. Do you expand the tax base? Should you increase the minimum wage? What are the implications?

    As a Jesuit institution, our mission is to educate socially responsible students who are eager to tackle society’s problems on both the local and global front.

    Drs. Jordan Petsas, chair of the department, and Aram Balagyozyan, are wonderful examples of how it is possible to carry out this mission. They teach courses online to refugees abroad through an organization called Jesuit Commons: Higher Education at the Margins (JC:HEM) and both received awards from the University in 2014 for “Excellence in Integrating Mission and Justice into the Curriculum.” 

    There are many ways for students to get involved in service learning on campus as well, and our faculty and staff are here to help guide you.

    However you decide to serve others, you’ll become a more socially aware thinker from your education at Scranton and go on to make a real and tangible impact in the world.

Careers

Where will Economics Take Me?

Economics majors enjoy a broad range of career options including: employment in the financial and banking sector, government, industries, information technology, and law.

At Scranton, students get a head start on career development through the student chapter of Omicron Delta Epsilon, the international honors society in economics. Members receive valuable information on career options and connect with business leaders at events.

Top Graduate Schools

Thinking ahead to a master’s degree or Ph.D.?  You’ve come to the right place. Scranton graduates are admitted to leading universities throughout the country. Here are some examples: 

  • University of California, Berkeley
  • University of Chicago
  • Northwestern University
  • The University of Pennsylvania Law School
  • George Washington University
  • Texas A&M
  • Arizona State University
  • Michigan State University
  • Rutgers University Law School

Employment:

You don’t have to go to a university in New York to end up on Wall Street. These are just a few of the prestigious companies counting Scranton grads among their ranks:

  • AXA Financial
  • FactSet
  • Federal Reserve Board of Governors
  • Goldman Sachs
  • JPMorgan Chase
  • Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
  • Pershing Securities
  • PNC Bank
  • Prudential Asset Management

How Scranton Gives You a Competitive Edge

Competitive Edge

Our dedicated faculty and staff are very active in helping students achieve their career goals. As you walk across campus, you’ll often see students chatting with professors over coffee to bounce ideas off each other. 

Faculty and staff make it their priority to get to know each student on an individual level. Our experienced faculty members are not only top teachers and strong researchers, but also advocates for you professionally.

Accreditation

AACSB logo

The Kania School of Management is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

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Get the Facts

View PDF with Program Overview
& Curriculum

For More Information

Office of Admissions
The Estate
Scranton, PA 18510
1-888-SCRANTON or (570) 941-7540
570-941-7572
admissions@scranton.edu

Department of Economics, Finance, and International Business
Iordanis Petsas, Ph.D.
Department Chair
(570) 941-4048
iordanis.petsas@scranton.edu

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