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Undergraduate Program

Economics Impacts Every Part of Our Lives

More than just prices and money, economics is the study of choices – how we, households, businesses and governments make choices under scarcity.

Do you look at current trends and issues and wonder what’s behind them? Are you interested in people, business or society and how to improve the world? Economics teaches you how to think critically, make informed decisions and apply your analytical ability to issues facing individuals, businesses, governments or entire nations.

Economics students find careers in banking, insurance, brokerage, financial services, corporate consulting and government. Students planning to enter professional and graduate programs, particularly in law, foreign service, labor relations or business administration, also choose to major in economics.
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What You'll Learn

  • Economics students are versatile thinkers and problem-solvers who will provide leadership in the 21st century. Economics majors gain advanced knowledge in economic reasoning and apply their analytic ability to major issues confronting the nation and the global community.
  • Economics studies how decisions are made, what the best decision is, how others are likely to respond to a decision and the overall outcome of decisions made.
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Learning Outcomes

  • Identify and use data to solve economics problems.
  • Think critically about the world and conduct economic analysis to articulate problems and find solutions.
  • Understand the institutions involved in policy-making and how they impact the economy and influence the world.
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Career Connections

  • Build your decision-making skillset for future management roles.
  • Interpret economic reports and bills and be able to communicate your knowledge to others.
  • Inform policy by using data to measure and predict how people behave.
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Students can get involved with six research and outreach centers housed in the Department of Economics.

How You’ll Learn

Hands-On Learning Experiences

  • Work with real data and communicate economic analysis in a proposal.
  • Participate in a game theory or stock market simulation.
  • Write public policy reports using federal budget data.

Transferable Career Skills

  • Sharpen your critical thinking skills.
  • Develop proficiency in programming languages like R and STATA.
  • Learn how to predict price changes and production planning to better lead your teams.

Social Connections

  • Make friends by joining clubs like the Economics Club, where you’ll discuss current trends and topics.
  • Work alongside other students doing meaningful economics research in the BBR Scholars program.
  • Live with others who share your career interests in the Business Learning Communities.

Make a Difference

  • Apply your skills to drill down into societal problems and come up with solutions through math, theory and data.
  • Assist the development of local and global economies by using your education to grow communities.
  • Help people live more fruitful lives by exploring trends and using data to predict human behavior.

Core Academics

  • Make better decisions by learning how to identify and measure costs and benefits.
  • Identify relationships that impact the world, such as price inflation and unemployment.
  • Use statistics to distinguish correlation and causation.

Research / Grad School Prep

Program Features

Research and Academic Opportunities

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Study Abroad Opportunities

Oxford

Study Economics in England

Spend four weeks studying economics and/or Shakespearean literature in classes taught by University of Oxford professors in Oxford, England. The most popular study abroad program at Nebraska, this program provides opportunities to discover history, enjoy theater, have high tea, play rounders and experience the horse races at Sandown Park.

Barcelona

Learn Business in Barcelona

Enjoy a summer or semester in Spain learning about economics among other business courses at the Institute for American Universities (IAU), while you take in the architecture, cuisine and history of Barcelona. Internships are also available.

See All Business Abroad Opportunities

Student Organizations

Two of the 25+ business related student organization focus on economics. These clubs provide a great opportunity to grow as a leader, gain experience and make meaningful connections.

Economics Club

Promotes the study of economics. Recognizes students of high achievement as a chapter of Omicron Delta Epsilon, an international honor society for economics.

Civitas Consulting

Provides business consulting services to local nonprofits to apply classroom experiences while advancing the goals of these organizations.

See All Business Related Student Organizations

Recent Economic Student Placements

Internships

  • Intern, Federal Reserve Banks
  • Public Policy Intern, Nebraska Alzheimer's Association
  • Intern, Office of U.S. Senator
  • Legal Intern, R. Kevin O'Donnell, P.C., L.L.O.
  • Sales Development Intern, Ameritas

Careers

  • Brand Specialist, Amazon
  • Consulting Analyst, Cerner Corporation
  • Financial Institution Specialist, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
  • Investment Banking Analyst, Stephens Inc
  • Economic Analyst, United States Federal Government

Graduate Schools

  • Master of Science in Finance, Imperial College London
  • Master in Financial Engineering, University of California-Berkeley
  • Master of Arts in Political Science, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
  • Juris Doctor, University of Chicago
  • Master of Science in Business Analytics and Decision Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK

4-Year Plans and Notable Courses

You can take this major as a student in the College of Business (CoB) or the College of Arts & Sciences (CAS). Learn more how to choose what’s best for you.

Explore the curriculum through each college’s 4-year plan for the economics major. To earn your bachelor’s degree in economics, you’ll take 120 credit hours of classes. That’s four to five classes a semester, on average.

CoB 4-Year Plan CAS 4-Year Plan

Intermediate Macroeconomics – Quantitative (ECON 311A)

Gain a solid understanding of aggregate production, savings and investment, and inflation. Dive into a detailed analyses of aggregate demand and supply before reviewing various models of a market economy's performance.

Economic Data Visualization (ECON 315)

Develop practical data analysis skills and gain hands-on experience working with real-world data. Learn how to combine economic theory, statistical analysis and best practices in data visualization to study important economic and social issues.

Econometrics (ECON 417)

Understand how mathematical methods are used to describe the relationship between economic forces, such as capital, interest rates and labor. Turn theoretical economic models into useful tools for economic policymaking.

Economics of Less Developed Countries (ECON 423)

Investigate development problems and the significance of land, labor and capital in the economic growth of the less developed countries. Examine theories and strategies relating to international trade and how these impact a country’s economic development.

Economics of Gender and Race (ECON 445)

Explore the field of feminist economics by examining critiques of economic theory and policy along with household decision-making, the care economy and the feminization of labor markets.

Public Finance (ECON 471)

Understand the role that the government plays in the economy. Analyze policy issues as they relate to taxation, efficiency and equity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I study as an economics major through the College of Business (CoB) or College of Arts & Sciences (CAS)?

The Department of Economics is housed within the College of Business. However, all undergraduate courses are offered to majors and minors in both the College of Business (CoB) and the College of Arts & Sciences (CAS). One can pursue a career in economics having majored or minored in either the CoB or CAS. Most students choose to study economics through the College of Business, which requires additional business core classes - nine hours of which overlap with the major requirements.

The economics courses required by both colleges are identical. When choosing a college, you should think about what other interests or majors you have, the general requirements of the college, and the scholarships and financial aid available. View the four-year plans or meet with an academic advisor to see which option is best for you.

Economics (College of Business) 4-Year Plan Economics (College of Arts & Sciences) 4-Year Plan

There are many areas of study within economics. What should I pursue?

You can build upon your knowledge by taking additional courses in your area of interest or by adding a second major. For example, if you’re interested in a foreign service career, you could take courses in international economics; as a prospective corporate lawyer, you might take courses in industrial organization or public finance; a future urban planner would benefit from a course in regional development; or if you plan to earn an MBA or other graduate degree, the intermediate courses in microeconomics and macroeconomics are valuable.

At Nebraska, you can take a well-rounded blend of courses and concentrate in one or two specialized areas of economic study listed below:

  • General Economics and Theory explores general issues related to economics.
  • Comparative International and Regional Development studies regional economic activity.
  • Economic Education evaluates the current state of economic literacy, curricula and the teaching and learning of economics and researches how to improve economic education at all levels.
  • Economic History examines economies or economic phenomena of the past.
  • Industrial Organization and Regulation explores the strategic behavior of firms, regulatory policy, antitrust policy and market competition.
  • Institutional Economics focuses on the role of evolutionary process and institutions in shaping economic behavior.
  • International Trade and Finance addresses why countries trade, consequences of trade, trade policies such as tariffs and more. It also examines international monetary arrangements and institutions (for example the IMF or the World Bank), international lending, foreign aid and the financial aspects of integration.
  • Labor Economics studies the relationship between workers and employers.
  • Monetary Economics explores the different competing theories of money.
  • Public Economics examines government policy through the lens of economic efficiency and equity.
  • Quantitative Economics and Econometrics studies quantitative techniques used to verify economic theory and make decisions.
Could you tell me more about career paths with this degree?

As an economist, you can pursue an academic career, work in the private sector or for a government entity. Most graduates choose to work in research or serve as consultants.

Today’s economists work with problems in the following areas:

  • Economic development
  • Environmental analysis
  • Group policy analysis
  • International business and finance
  • Labor relations
  • Monetary and fiscal policy
  • Monopoly and competition
  • Regional economic development
  • Urban economic issues

Contact

Ritchie, Kendra
Associate Director of Recruitment
HLH 123 D
P.O. Box 880405
Lincoln, NE 68588-0405
402-472-7784