Economics and Finance

Chair: J.J. Arias

Professors: J.J. Arias, Chris Clark, Leng Ling, John Swinton

Associate Professors: Brooke Conaway, Brent Evans

Assistant Professors: Isarin Durongkadej, Alexandre Ribeiro Scarcioffolo, Cullen Wallace

Lecturer: Jessie Folk, Oksana Grabova

Department Contact Information:

Georgia College

The J. Whitney Bunting College of Business

CBX 014

Milledgeville, GA 31061

Atkinson Hall, Room 402

478-445-4210

Chair, J.J. Arias, jj.arias@gcsu.edu

Administrative Assistant, Susan Whittle susan.whittle@gcsu.edu

Introduction

Despite common misconceptions, economics is not just about money, the stock market, or "the economy." It is a behavioral science - the only social science for which a Nobel Prize is awarded. Economics draws upon the traditional liberal arts such as history and philosophy, natural sciences such as mathematics and physics, and social sciences, such as political science, sociology, and psychology. The interdisciplinary nature of economics lies at the heart of a liberal arts university. The most basic and enduring strength of economics is that it provides a logical, ordered way of analyzing social problems (e.g. poverty, unemployment, crime, economic growth, the effects of government policy, and pollution) as well as individual behavior (e.g. the labor - leisure tradeoff, drug addiction, taxes, voting, marriage, consumer behavior, and business decisions).

Career Information

Students that graduate with a major in Economics have an advantage entering the job market because employers recognize that economics curricula are rigorous and challenging given their focus on analytical and critical thinking, deductive reasoning, quantitative tools, and communication skills. These skills are sought by employers in many different fields of business and government, thus, offering economics graduates a great deal of occupational flexibility. Also, if you are thinking of attending law school, graduate school to study economics, finance, or getting an MBA, a major in economics provides excellent preparation.

Miscellaneous

Students majoring in Economics can choose to pursue either a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S) degree. The B.A. program includes 21-30 hours of free elective courses while the B.S. degree program includes 30  hours of free elective courses. These electives provide a unique opportunity for students to complete a second major or a minor within four years of study. Because the economics program is relatively small, economics students often work through their program of study in "cohorts" which makes the classroom atmosphere informal and collegial. Upper-level economics courses usually have fewer than 25 students which help to facilitate student-professor interaction.

Our best economics students are honored with invitations to join the prestigious Omicron Delta Epsilon (ΟΔΕ), the international honor society in economics. Also, all economics students are invited to join the Econ Club, which sponsors guest speakers, field trips, occasional lunch seminars and other social activities.

For more information, visit the Economics and Finance webpage.