Major in Economics

Understanding economics is important for anyone curious about wealth and poverty, financial events in the media, government programs and policies, and the structure of society.

A classical discipline, economics examines many of society’s most fundamental and controversial issues. As an integral part of a liberal arts education, economics explains how people and societies behave.

Careers and outcomes

The major in economics is designed for students with interests in either graduate studies (law, history, economics, business, sociology, political science, conflict transformation, economic development) or immediate employment in the public or private sector, like economics graduate Nessa Stoltzfus, who works for Oxfam America, an international relief organization. At Oxfam, Nessa coordinates the training of college students working toward social justice.

Our graduates are doing outstanding work in graduate school!

Double majors

To encourage double majors, the required credit hours are kept to a low 48 hours. To ensure economics majors have a liberal arts perspective, students are strongly encouraged to take upper-level courses that build on EMU’s core curriculum such as philosophy, history and art.

Economics majors do not need to take the business core courses.

Click here to read the latest article published by Dr. Chris Gingrich

Faculty and Students Attend American Economics Association Convention in Philadelphia Jan. 2-5, 2014

Report from Jordan Hollinger, who attended the convention:

On Thursday January 2nd, Zach Zook, Jordan Hollinger, Andrew Yoder, Ryan Swartzentruber (students), Chris Gingrich, Walt Surratt (professors), and Taylor Weidman (EMU alum student), traveled to Philadelphia for the annual American Economic Association convention. As the group settled into their hotel on Thursday night, temperatures began to drop, and snow began to fall. The next morning greeted the group with negative temperatures and a pure white city. Needless to say, neither the frigid air nor the few inches of snow could hold off the excited group from attending the vast array of seminars the convention had to offer.

Over the three days of the convention, the group attended seminars focusing on development economics, environmental and natural resource economics, macroeconomics, microeconomics, and health economics. Some of the group’s favorites included sessions on unconditional cash transfers, housing bubbles and beliefs, the cost of healthcare, sanitation in developing economies, and climate change policy after Kyoto. All of the group noted that listening to Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke was also a particular highlight of the three days.

Whether in a Chinatown restaurant, or lounging around in the hotel rooms, the group enjoyed unwinding each day with good conversation. Throughout the three days each of the students found themselves participating in a world that truly stretched their knowledge. For all, the three days seemed to reaffirm the decision to major in economics, and for some it cemented the decision to continue on to graduate work in economics. All of the students who attended the convention expressed their utmost gratitude to EMU for allowing them to do so, and thank Chris and Walt for providing good company, conversation, and answers to a wide range of economic questions.

Faculty

Chris Gingrich, Professor
Dr. Gingrich specializes in development and international economics. His research activities cover a variety of topics, including the fair trade coffee market, mosquito net delivery in Tanzania, microfinance programs in Nepal, and financial crises in Southeast Asia. He has worked extensively with Mennonite Economic Development Associates and Mennonite Central Committee(MEDA). A professor at EMU since 1995 . . .Learn more

Jim Leaman, Associate Professor
James M. Leaman, Ph.D., directs the MBA program and teaches graduate courses in organizational and leadership studies and undergraduate courses in business and economics. His industry experience has been in both private business and nonprofit administration, most recently including 12 years of service with an international non-governmental organization (NGO) in Kenya. Academic preparation includes a Ph.D. in Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh, Master . . . Learn more

Andrew Miller, Instructor
Andrew Miller, MS, MDiv, has an interest on understanding and promoting leadership and organizational development according to one’s values. He draws upon his studies of economics (MS, Iowa State University, 2003) and theology (MDiv, Eastern Mennonite Seminary, 2008) as a grounding for his interests. Before beginning at EMU in the fall of 2012, he had served as Southeast Asia Representative for Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) supervising and facilitating strategic development in the Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam country programs and advising local partners . . . learn more

Walt Surratt, Assistant Professor
Walt came to EMU with nearly 30 years of experience as a professional economist mostly with NERA Economic Consulting where he performed quantitative economic analyses in support of clients engaged in litigation or seeking professional advice and consulting. His work included the analysis of firms and markets and the calculation of business damages in a number of different industries. Walt retired from NERA . . .Learn more