Program Description

The economics major at Purchase College is designed to give students a rigorous understanding of economic theory and its historical development, the ability to apply the theory to important real-world problems, and the analytical skills to succeed in a highly competitive economy.

The economics faculty has an unusual breadth of teaching, research, and policy perspectives rarely found in liberal arts colleges. This provides students with an exposure to contemporary Austrian, behavioral, Keynesian, and neoclassical theoretical approaches, and to a wide range of policy issues concerning race, gender, the role of government, economics and the arts, behavioral economics, and international issues (e.g., U.S. trade policy and development in the Third World). These may be studied in regular courses and in tutorials and independent studies. In every case, the faculty is dedicated to developing each student’s ability to think critically, write clearly, and conduct research.

Students majoring in economics are also encouraged to pursue internships and study abroad programs during their four years at Purchase.

Many of our alumni pursue graduate training in economics, public policy, business or law; others want a broad-based liberal arts education in economics, but do not pursue advanced work after graduation. Alumni of the economics program have gone on to successful careers in a variety of fields, including finance, journalism, the arts, education, government, law, and entrepreneurship.

Program Faculty

Requirements for the Major

• Two introductory theory courses (with a grade of C or higher in each):
  Macroeconomic Theory I
  Microeconomics I
• Two intermediate theory courses:
  Macroeconomic Theory II
  Microeconomics II
• Behavioral Statistics
• Econometrics or History of Economic Thought
• Four elective courses in economics
• Economics Senior Seminar I & II
• Senior Project in Economics

Representative Elective Courses

Arts and Entertainment in Economics
Behavioral Economics
Business, Government, and Society
Cities, Culture, and the Economy
Cultural Economics
Economies of Latin America
Environmental Economics
Financial Economics
Game Theory
Labor Economics
Money and Banking
The Global Economy

Representative Alumni

• Stephan A. Anagnost ’94, owner, P! Solutions Consulting, Ltd., Austria
• Drew Claxton ’83, MA, New York University; senior consultant, National Economic Research Association; councilwoman, City of Peekskill
• Laurence Malone ’79, PhD, New School for Social Research; professor of economics, Hartwick College; author of Opening the West: Federal Internal Improvements Before 1860 and co-editor of The Essential Adam Smith
• Nathaniel McClure ’00, CEO, Epicenter Studios and Scientifically Proven Studios
• Kenneth F. McGinis ’95, JD, Pace University School of Law; associate at Hill, Betts & Nash LLP
• Adam Nagourney ’77, national political correspondent, The New York Times
• Marcia Van Wagner ’79, PhD, University of Texas, Austin; vice president/senior analyst, Moody’s Investors Service
• Douglas P. Woodward ’78, PhD, University of Texas, Austin; director of the Division of Research and professor of economics, Moore School of Business, University of South Carolina
• Cyrus Zulkarnaian Kazi ’00, MPA, MBA, Baruch College, City University of New York; managing director, Lexington Advisory Group

For more information, please visit the economics program site.

Updated May 18, 2012

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