Department of Economics

Stephens Hall 103
Phone: 410-704-2959
Email: tuecon@towson.edu

Programs of the Department

• Major in Economics
• Major in Economics with Financial Economics Track
• Major in Economics with Mathematical Economics Track
• Major in Business Administration - Economics
• Minor in Economics

A student majoring in economics may declare a second major and obtain a degree certifying that both majors have been completed.

Why Study Economics?

• To prepare for jobs in:
  • Government, such as research assistant, program analyst and budget analyst. Government economists analyze economic conditions and estimate the economic impact of public policy.
  • Business and Consulting, such as financial analyst, long-range planner and stockbroker. In business, economists provide information on market conditions, forecasting, government regulations, facilities planning, product ­planning and pricing.
• To prepare for graduate school in such programs as Law, Economics, Public Policy, Business, Data Science, or Applied Analytics.
• To blend business and economics by taking either an Economics major with a Business Administration minor or a Business Administration major with a track in Economics.
• To have the ability to analyze the American economic system and international and domestic economic forces that determine production, prices, profits and incomes.

Mission Statement

The Economics Department is committed to an excellent economics education built on a comprehensive liberal arts foundation to enable graduates to excel as leaders in a dynamic business environment and/or a career in public service by means of individualized student advising, professional work experience, teaching excellence, and commitment to the highest academic and ethical standards.

Distinctive Features

Maryland Council on Economic Education (MCEE)

Council President: Cyndy Allen, RBC Wealth Management
Council Executive Director: Julie Weaver

The mission of The Maryland Council on Economic Education is to assure that Maryland’s school children leave high school equipped with the economic knowledge and decision-making skills they will need to make informed, rational decisions as consumers, workers, citizens, savers, investors and participants in the global economy. 

The Council's efforts are centered around three main objectives:

1.  Providing statewide forums for Maryland students to demonstrate skills and apply financial and economic knowledge to enhance classroom learning.
2. Educating Maryland teachers and preparing them to effectively teach economic and financial capability concepts.
3. Engaging the broader community in our mission. 

Departmental Honors in Economics

Students majoring in Economics are eligible to apply to the Departmental Honors Program if they have a 3.25 cumulative GPA, a 3.50 GPA in economics classes, and the consent of a faculty thesis adviser. Students interested in Departmental Honors should obtain the application form from the department chair before the end of their junior year. Honors in Economics requires at least 39 units (21-22 required units, 9 units of ECON electives, and 9 units required for Honors). The 9-unit requirement for Departmental Honors includes:

Course List

Code	Title	Units
Select one of the following:		3
ECON 321	HISTORY OF ECONOMIC THOUGHT
ECON 401	INTRODUCTION TO ECONOMETRICS
ECON 451	INTRODUCTION TO MATHEMATICAL ECONOMICS
ECON 495	INDEPENDENT STUDY 1	3
ECON 499	HONORS THESIS IN ECONOMICS 1,2	3
Total Units		9

¹

ECON 495 and ECON 499 must be taken sequentially.

²

The thesis must be presented orally to the Thesis Committee at a public colloquium.

Departmental honors will be posted to the transcript shortly after the bachelor’s degree is conferred.

Options and Requirements for the Economics Major

Students interested in Economics have two options, they can choose to major in Economics or can choose the Economics track within the Business Administration major. Information for both of these options are available in this catalog. The Economics major can be chosen at any time, but students interested in the Economics track in the Business Administration major must fulfill the requirements below before being admitted into the major. 

Students are admitted to the major in Business Administration (BUAD) after first being admitted to Towson University. Admission to TU does not guarantee admission to the major. In order to be admitted, students must satisfy the following requirements:

1. Cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher for all course work.
2. Successful completion of each of the courses required for admission to the major with a grade of C or higher. Required courses can be viewed on each concentration page within the requirements section. 

Degree candidates intending to major in Business Administration are designated as “pre-Business Administration” (PBUA) until admission into the BUAD major. Students are required to meet each term with their assigned faculty adviser to evaluate their progress toward completing the requirements for admission to the major and the degree.

At the start of each term and before registration, the CBE Student Academic and Career Services office will notify PBUA students of their admission status by email to their TU email addresses. Students will not be allowed to take upper-level “majors-only” CBE courses until being admitted to the Business Administration major.

• Major in Economics
• Major in Economics with Financial Economics Track
• Major in Economics with Mathematical Economics Track
• Major in Business Administration - Economics

• Minor in Economics

Faculty

Professors: Finn Christensen (Graduate Program Director), Seth Gitter, Juergen Jung, James Manley, Thomas Rhoads, Yongchen (Herbert) Zhao

Associate Professors: Shantanu Bagchi, Melissa Groves (Chairperson), Vinish Shrestha

Assistant Professors: Chris Boyd Leon, Yang Liu, Yanli Liu, Alexa Prettyman, Shuwei (Jolly) Zhang

Lecturer: Kenneth Coriale

Lecturer III: Soheila Fardanesh, Sam Leppo II, Jason Palmateer

Lecturer II: Raquel Frye, Meg Hazra