Economics

Students with a bachelor’s degree in economics from SMU value it for developing their analytical, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, along with building a deep understanding of how human behavior shapes markets and the production and distribution of wealth. This degree prepares students for a wide range of careers in business, finance, banking, law and more.

In addition to the rigorous curriculum, our majors regularly secure internships and jobs with outstanding employers that put them on a successful career path. Specific data on internship and job placements may be found here.

The Bachelor of Arts degree is designed primarily for students who want a liberal arts education with an emphasis on economics, but with a broad scope. These students typically double-major – and occasionally triple major – in liberal arts fields such as political science, sociology, history, public policy and international studies. Many B.A. students go on to graduate study in law or public administration.

The Bachelor of Science degree offers more specialized training in economics and provides a firm basis for graduate study in business, economics or law. This degree emphasizes quantitative skills, requiring more courses in mathematics, statistics and econometrics.

An undergraduate degree in economics from SMU prepares students for a wide range of careers including government, marketing, human resources, banking, finance and investments. For more insights, watch this brief video from American Economic Association to explore career options and how economists apply their skills across different industries.

Business, finance and law careers definitely benefit from the strong analytical training from a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in economics from SMU.

Law students find an economics degree attractive for its training in critical thinking, analytical skills and understanding human behavior – skills that are applicable to law school.

Students entering finance or business are drawn to the B.S. in economics, but may consider the Bachelor of Science with financial applications (B.S.F.A.), also. This degree is popular among students entering the world of banking, consulting or hedge funds, since it combines specialized training in economics with a concentration in areas significant to financial markets.

Yes! The curriculum for all economics majors includes required courses in statistical methods, with a number of advanced elective courses in predictive analytics, econometrics and data science.

Undergraduates in economics can participate in research and applied learning through faculty-led projects, assistantships, specialized institutes and summer research experiences. These include the Bridwell Institute for Economic Freedom reading group and two NSF-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates – called REUs – focusing on data science techniques and complex systems modeling. Students can also work with faculty on economic research in a number of engaging research areas.

Economics is a liberal arts major in the Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences with broad applicability. Students find its strong analytical training applicable to any number of majors. For example, Bachelor of Arts students typically double-major in other liberal arts fields such as political science, sociology, history, public policy, international studies and even biology. The B.A. also pairs well with data science. Many B.A. students go on to graduate study in law or public administration. The Bachelor of Science degree offers more specialized training in economics and a higher credit hour requirement.