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Economics, BA

Earn a BA in Economics and make a positive social impact. Learn economic concepts and statistical methods, analyze data, and address economic issues for a more equitable world.

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About this Program

Contributing to a Better Society with Economics

Studying economics will help you understand the behavior of individuals and organizations. With a command of economic concepts and statistical methods, you will analyze the implications of policies designed to improve efficiency or equity.

In your classes, you’ll develop your analytical, quantitative, critical thinking, and communication skills to explore economics on a local, national, and global scale.

Our Jesuit, Catholic approach means you’ll be learning about economics with a strong consideration for ethics, social justice, and equity.

Choose Seattle University’s economics program, and you’ll graduate with what you need to make a meaningful social impact wherever your career takes you.

Explore Economics

Learn more about the subject of economics and why you might choose to study this far-reaching field.

Undergraduate Economics at a Glance

Learn how this degree from the Department of Economics will contribute to your career goals. Then, explore course requirements and see how impactful a Seattle University economics degree can be.

Explore the behavior of individuals and firms in your microeconomics classes and the overall economy in your macroeconomics classes. With coursework spanning from economic inequality to natural resource and environmental economics to econometrics, cultivate a nuanced perspective on economic challenges. Engaging in case studies and projects, you decipher real-world scenarios, honing your decision-making skills.

Economics (ECON)

  • Identify, and describe to the lay person, the important institutions and determinants of economic activity at the local, regional, national, and international levels, including the basics of fiscal and monetary policy and how each affects the economy.
  • Explain to the non-economist the fundamental economic problem of scarcity (and tradeoffs); the meaning of a market economy and how markets allocate society's scarce resources; what it means for markets to fail and the role of government in finding solutions for market failure.
  • Analyze the ethical and social justice dimensions of market and policy outcomes.
  • Identify key relationships between important variables.
    • Understand the differences between correlation and cause-and-effect.
    • Apply algebraic, graphical, and statistical tools to analyses of problems and issues in business and public policy.
    • Identify the relationship between assumption and interpretation.
  • Think critically, for example, be able to:
    • Summarize low-level articles from professional journals.
    • Articulate the connections between the different sub-disciplines of economics.
    • Automatically compare and contrast different economic theories.
  • Employ discipline, knowledge and skills in service to the community, for example:
    • Present and interact with others in a professional manner.
    • Communicate economic concepts orally.
    • Convey economic ideas in a variety of written forms.

Add a minor in economics and broaden your impact. To earn a minor degree, you’ll complete at least 30 credits in this area.

If you’re planning on attending law school in the future, consider our Bachelor/JD Accelerated 3+3 Program. This degree plan allows you to finish both a law degree and a bachelor’s degree in six years. For more information, visit the Bachelor/JD Accelerated 3+3 Program Admission page.

What You’ll Learn

Learn about the classes you’ll take as a student here.

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Top 5% World Business Schools & AACSB accredited 

Albers School of Business and Economics

93%

Placement Rate

For graduates of Albers School of Business and Economics

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$70,000

Average starting salary for business majors

Meaningful Connections

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Connected to Seattle’s Best Jobs

There’s no better place to learn about economics than at the Albers School of Business and Economics. Our strong connections to the best companies in Seattle open doors and create opportunities for all our students. The Albers Career Center connects you to the mentors and resources for the current job market.

Albers Career Center
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Real-World Experience That Makes a Difference

Hands-on classes feature projects that connect you to our vibrant neighborhood and the broader city of Seattle. We have one elective that includes a service learning project. You’ll see right away how your skills can make an impact on the businesses and communities in Seattle. If you want to be part of changing the world through economics, you’re in the right place.

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Studying Support

Economics tutors are here to help you master economics concepts so you can get the most out of your classes. The Economics Lab is a free service to help you catch up or get ahead in class.

Economics Advisory Board: Strong Seattle Network, Cutting-Edge Coursework

In your classes, you’ll get hands-on experience through projects that develop the professional skills new graduates need. How do we know? The department's advisory board keeps us up-to-date on the abilities and skills employers seek.

The advisory board includes economists from Seattle’s private, public, and nonprofit sectors. With the advisory board, faculty tune into employers' changing needs. Feedback from the advisory board and other professionals inspires our faculty to design assignments that hone the skills most valued by employers.

Our diverse and global city brings important economic issues right to your doorstep. You’ll explore the local and even global impact of economics in Seattle through class projects that make a difference! We have one elective that includes a service learning project.

Popular Careers for Economics Majors

When we study economics, we think about it in two branches: microeconomics and macroeconomics. Your courses cover both, but your career may focus on one more than the other. With your in-depth study of economics, you’ll be equipped to solve important problems in the private, nonprofit, and public sectors.

Or you may decide to go to graduate school in economics or in data analytics, public policy, business, or law.

Your economics major could launch careers in these industries or specialties:

  • Economic development
  • Consulting
  • International business
  • Law
  • Data analytics
  • Insurance
  • Public policy
  • Finance
  • Market research
  • Health

Hear From Our Alumni

Erica Natali, '00, BAE

“When I was looking for a school to complete my degree I knew from past experiences that I wanted a school with small classes, passionate teachers, and an excellent Economics program. I found those things in Seattle University along with a dedication to community service and a supportive culture.”

Sr. Financial Manager, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Featured Faculty

  • Meenakshi Rishi, PhD
    Meenakshi Rishi, PhD

    Professor, Department of Economics
    Howard J. Bosanko Professor of International Economics and Finance, 2023-2026
    Past Director, International Development Internship Program

  • Erin Vernon, PhD
    Erin Vernon, PhD

    Associate Professor, Department of Economics
    Eva Albers Professor, 2022-2025

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Here to Help Learn More

For more information about the BA in Economics or Economics minor at Seattle U, contact:

Bridget Hiedemann

Chair, Department of Economics