•    PLO 1: Demonstrate knowledge of essential principles of macroeconomics and their application to real-world situations, including key economic indicators, the functioning of monetary and fiscal policy, business cycles, the causes of inflation, the role of money and the functioning of the financial system, the concept of exchange rates and international trade, and the essential theories in Macroeconomics thinking, especially Keynesian theory.
•    PLO 2: Demonstrate knowledge of essential principles of microeconomics and their application to the real-world situations, including supply and demand, elasticity, externalities, market structures, and market failures.
•    PLO 3: Identify, access, and use the most important economic databases, gather and analyze economic data.
•    PLO 4: Understand and correctly use graphs, spreadsheets, specialized software, and other data analytical methods and tools.
•    PLO 5: Understand, contrast, and critically analyze different theoretical perspectives in both the history of economic thought and current economic policy debates.
•    PLO 6: Demonstrate general skills in critical thinking, well-developed verbal and writing skills to articulate arguments.

Real world experience

Every fall, our students can take a course titled “Analyzing the US Economy” and participate in the Fed Challenge, a national competition that allows students to prepare a presentation for Federal Reserve staff and experience real-time economic data analysis.
 

Liberal arts advantage

We do not train students to simply accept the economy as it is. The liberal arts education will teach you to question it. The combination of disciples such as history, philosophy, natural sciences, along with economics, will show you that the economic system and the way we live today is a human creation shaped by power and conflict. In the era of Artificial Intelligence and multiple crises, this is exactly the kind of critical thinking that employers are looking for. You will understand how the system works, who it serves, and how to transform it whatever path you pursue after graduation. By combining rigorous analytical skills, historical and global awareness while embedded in Franciscan values, students are equipped to deal with the challenges of our time.

Our graduates work in traditional fields like finance, consulting, and corporations —but with a deeper understanding of how these institutions are capable of shaping the way our society lives. Most of our majors enter the corporate world, but many are also successful in pursuing law, government jobs, NGOs positions, and graduate school in Economics and related areas. 
 

Economics majors are in demand, especially in New York City. The national median wage for economists was $115,440 in May 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The top industries employing economists are: Federal Government, Scientific research, management and consulting services, State and Local governments.