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."
Why Economics is in Demand:
- The job outlook for economists is expected to grow 13% from 2020-2030 according to The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (Occupational Outlook Handbook)
- The 2021 median pay for economists was $105,630 according to The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (Occupational Outlook Handbook)
- Practical skills in analytical and critical thinking, leadership, and strong written and verbal communication are applicable to a variety of career settings.
Is it for me?
- Would your teachers describe you as a logical thinker?
- Do you have a strong work ethic?
- Do you enjoy reading articles about economics?
- Do you follow @TheEconomist on Twitter?
Five Reasons to Choose Scranton for Economics
Preparing You For Personal & Professional Successplus 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 Learnplus 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,” as described here. “Each team produces a research report on their assigned stock and come up with a buy, sell, or hold recommendation.”
In the last four years, University of Scranton teams have placed in the final four of their competition’s division, competing against teams from Wharton, Villanova, Temple and other top universities. More recently in 2014, our students placed third out of seventeen regional colleges and universities. Scranton students placed second just after Wharton. Will you be one of the team members who will help us reach first place in the next couple of years? Read more here.
Pursue Your Passion and Make a Differenceplus or minus
In today’s world, there is no shortage of economic challenges. Just read through some of the topics listed on the World Economic Forum website.
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.” Read more about their work here.
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.
Our educational philosophy is rooted in the Jesuit tradition of the pursuit of excellence. We're here to help students achieve their academic and professional goals.
-Iordanis Petsas, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Department Chair
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
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
The Kania School of Management is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
Take the Next Step
Get the Facts
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