Economics
Overview
School of Arts and Sciences / Economics
People, firms, and nations must acquire and allocate resources.
Whether the question is as simple as whether a student should buy or rent a textbook, or as complex as what US trade policy should be, the economics major at La Salle provides students with the framework to address these questions. Our department approaches the allocation questions with emphasis on public policy and a Lasallian concern for social justice.Commitment to Student Success
Each student will have regular one-on-one meetings with a faculty adviser to structure the coursework to align with the student’s goals – including planning double majors or minors. Double majors have included programs ranging from political science, to math, finance, accounting, marketing, history, English, and the sciences. The shaping of the major and the assistance in achieving double majors can help students have a unique story to tell as they move into the workforce or as they apply to graduate school. Our students have used their stories to become Fulbright Scholars, lawyers, analysts, and much more.
Flubacher Scholarship
All economics and economics and international studies majors are eligible to apply for the Joseph Flubacher Scholarship for the junior and senior years at La Salle. The scholarship is added to existing aid and can be used to cover tuition, on-campus room and board, and textbooks. The scholarship is competitive based on academic performance, financial need, and a commitment to social justice.
Classes in this Major
Economics majors have the opportunity to choose from a variety of courses. Here is a sample of the course offerings.
ECN 385, 386: COOPERATIVE EDUCATION
This experience will be a full-time paid employment in a cooperating firm such as a bank, economics forecasting company, public utility, a nonprofit organization, or a government agency such as a county planning department or a statistical analysis office. Under faculty supervision, students also complete job-related learning assignments that involve oral and written presentations.
ECN 441: HISTORY OF ECONOMIC THOUGHT
The course details the development of economics as a coherent analytical discipline through a historical study of its main schools and contributors, including the Physiocrats, the Classical Economists (especially Jevons, Walras, and Clark), Marshall, and Keynes. Lesser figures are treated as time allows. Attention throughout is given to the changing philosophical and cultural background of economic thought.
ECN 354: ECONOMICS OF THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY
The course surveys the economics of the entertainment industry with an emphasis on the importance of market structure (perfect competition, monopolistic competition, oligopoly, monopoly) in determining behaviors and profitability. In this course, we will apply many microeconomic, and a few macroeconomic concepts to evaluate structure, workings, and profitability of various segments in the entertainment industry, ranging from movies to music, TV, radio, publishing, casinos, and theme parks. Case studies will be used to highlight the issues facing particular firms.
"The field of economics rewards creative and curious thinkers."
— Princeton Review
Blaze Your Own Path
Career Paths
An economics degree can take you many places. In La Salle’s Economics Department, we educate our students thoroughly on policy analysis, research, and social justice. You’ll be prepared to go on to law school, government positions, the corporate world, or nonprofits. We’ll equip you with the knowledge to shape policies and have a lasting impact on the future. Graduates of the economics major have gone on to careers, including:
- Teachers/college professors
- Lawyers
- Investment Advisers
- Government Analysts
- Government Officials
They’ve also gone forth to further their education at institutions like
- Columbia Law School
- University of Pennsylvania Law School
- University of Virginia, Ph.D. Economics Program
- Brandeis University, Masters in International Economics and Finance
- University of Pennsylvania, Fels Institute, Masters in Public Administration
Internships
Making the most of your degree happens before graduation. By interning in your field, you’ll be able to gain real-world experience, class credit, and a better sense of your career direction. You’ll not only graduate with valuable experience, you’ll be ready to start a career doing what you love. Our students have interned at places such as:
- Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Johnson & Johnson
- Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia
- Great Adventure
- Germantown Avenue Crisis Ministry
- Star Bank
- Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
- Delaware Investments
Research
Every student in the economics program completes a senior capstone research project on a subject of their choosing. We encourage our students to find research topics that interest them and that are directly related to the career path they wish to follow. Our faculty will work hand-in-hand with you on your project offering assistance and guidance along the way. Some past student research topics include:
- “The Impact of Industry Concentration on Wages”
- “The Impact of Political Party on Unemployment”
- “Economic Growth in Municipalities After the Great Recession”
- “Passive vs. Active Investments: How Can the Average Person Achieve the Highest Returns?”
I am an Explorer
Andrew Durkin, ’18
La Salle has given me all the opportunities that I could have hoped for. As a member of the Honors Program, I was able to live and learn with a small group of 60 students. The program helped my transition to college and independent living immensely.
Andrew Durkin, ’18
Andrew Durkin, ’18
Major: Economics and Political Science
Hometown: Doylestown, Pa.
Sports/Clubs/Organizations: Managing editor, La Salle Collegian; Coordinator, Project Appalachia Spring Break (2015-2017); Coordinator, Neighbor to Neighbor; La Salle Mock Trial Association; Catholic Relief Services; Camden Experience
What was your experience in La Salle’s program like?
La Salle has given me all the opportunities that I could have hoped for. As a member of the Honors Program, I was able to live and learn with a small group of 60 students. The program helped my transition to college and independent living immensely. Three and a half years later, the people I met my first week were still some of my best friends. Small class sizes and departments have given me the chance to grow close to several of my professors. Meanwhile, a relatively small number of economics majors created an atmosphere of friendly competition between me and my classmates, propelling all of us to do better than we could have alone.
Outside of the classroom, La Salle provided me with plenty of leadership opportunities. The thriving University Ministry and Service (UMAS) program allowed me to explore my passions, both in the Philadelphia region and around the country. Students are given opportunities for international studies, including through the Leadership and Global Understanding (LGU) minor, which subsidizes foreign learning experiences and student understanding of social justice issues around campus. Working with the student newspaper allowed me to talk to interesting speakers that are brought to campus, interview professors and staff members to better understand their lives, and foster friendships that lasted throughout my undergraduate years.
What do you hope to do with your degree after graduating?
I’ve worked at community and economic development organizations for the last two summers. I’m hoping to find work with affordable housing nonprofits or work in the public sector at the state or local level in economic development or housing. After gaining some experience, I plan to pursue my Master’s of Public Policy.
If you weren’t majoring in this, what do you think you would be doing?
I’d probably be a bio/pre-med and psychology double major. When I was younger, I wanted to be a psychiatrist. Looking back, what I really wanted to be was a public health expert focusing on at-risk populations, but I’m not sure I would have realized the impact that public policy has on public health if I didn’t become involved in my current majors. My favorite part about economics is that it allows me to consider issues of social injustice, like poverty, healthcare disparities, and international development through rigorous data analysis. My interest has always been the people rather than the financial markets, so I probably would have found another way to reach the same goal.
Who was the most influential member of the La Salle community on your life?
The people who were educated at La Salle and understand the student experience have always been incredibly helpful in putting my own choices and goals into perspective. Dr. Richard Mshomba has talked to me at length about his motivations while an undergraduate. Regina Gauss-Kosiek helped lead one of my service trips as a staff volunteer and continues to give me advice on how to live my life in line with my ethics. Dr. Michael Boyle, the Chair of the Political Science Department, always had his door open when I needed help with internships, when I was trying to figure out what to do with my life, or just wanted to chat. When the Collegian needed to find a faculty adviser, he was willing to give up his very limited spare time and help lead my editor-in-chief and myself through our final year.
What was one of the biggest lessons you learned at La Salle?
Commit yourself wholeheartedly to being where you are. Planning for the future is important, but living in the moment allows you to maximize your time and find experiences that would be impossible without your attention.
Beyond the Classroom
Study Abroad Opportunities
Journey to a new place for an entire semester
Study Abroad Opportunities
Students who study abroad have the opportunity to immerse themselves in a new culture, a new language, and a new environment for an entire semester. Through our own programs in Italy, Mexico, Ireland, and Australia, or through partnerships with other Lasallian schools around the country, students can choose among programs on six continents.
To explore more about study abroad visit http://www.lasalle.edu/travelstudyabroad/.
Listed by the New York Times in the Top 6% for median income of graduates at age 34.
Ranked 34th in the North Region on U.S. News & World Report’s 2018 list of Best Colleges.
Ranked 5th on the Money magazine’s list “The 50 Colleges That Add the Most Value”.
Ranked in Forbes 2017 Top U.S. Colleges.