Economics (BA)

Chair: Mark P. Zaporowski, PhD

Introduction

Economics BA Program

The Economics Department provides courses designed to help all Canisius students understand the national and global economy. The major in the College of Arts and Sciences provides preparation for entry-level and advanced positions in a variety of career choices through its broad based study of economic activity. Potential career choices include sales, marketing, production, finance and banking, and at various levels of government such as municipalities, local development authorities, the Federal Reserve, the Department of Labor and the Department of Commerce. All of these employers value the critical thinking and analysis skills fostered in an economics curriculum.

The Economics program has also proven to be an excellent preparation for graduate schools. Some students choose to continue the study of economics in PhD and master’s programs. Other students use the strong analytical foundations of their economics training to pursue advanced degrees in business, health, public administration or law. For a more detailed description of the program including policies, faculty, facilities, academic and co-curricular opportunities please view the Economics program webpage. We also offer a BS in Business Economics, and we encourage students to discuss these options with their advisor.

Curriculum

An Ignatian Foundation

All undergraduate students must complete either the Canisius Core Curriculum or the All-College Honors Curriculum. Many schools refer to their college-wide undergraduate requirements as "general education" requirements. We believe that the core curriculum and the honors curriculum are more than a series of required classes; they provide the basis for a Jesuit education both with content and with required knowledge and skills attributes that are central to our mission.

Free Electives

Students may graduate with a bachelor's degree with more but not less than 120 credit hours. Free electives are courses in addition to the Canisius Core Curriculum or All-College Honors Curriculum and major requirements sufficient to reach the minimum number of credits required for graduation. The number of credits required to complete a bachelor's degree may vary depending on the student's major(s) and minor(s).

Major Requirements

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MAT 115 is recommended, although students who are not well prepared in mathematics may wish to take MAT 105 and MAT 106 before moving on to more advanced math courses.  Additional mathematics courses are recommended if the student is preparing for a graduate program in economics or finance. Students should consult with a departmental adviser if they have questions about the most appropriate way to satisfy the mathematics requirement.

Economic Electives

Up to 2 of the following courses (with a minimum grade of C- in each) may be substituted for ECO elective credit: MAT 112, MAT 211, MAT 219, MAT 222, or ACC 300 or 400 level courses. All Finance courses serve as Economics electives. ECO 455 and additional Mathematics and Accounting courses are strongly recommended for graduate school and the business world.  

Additional Course Considerations

Economics majors may also focus their coursework in Finance by using Economics electives to take the following courses:

This specialization is appropriate for students who wish to make a career in banking or finance.

Roadmap

Recommended Semester Schedule for Major Course Requirements

Learning Goals & Objectives

Goal 1: Economics majors will be able to critically assess economic agruments.

Students will : 

• Objective A: Be able to analyze economic arguments using economic models.
• Objective B: Be able to apply statistical tools in the analysis of economic arguments.

Goal 2: Economics majors will be able to apply macroeconomic theory in analysis of economic growth and the problems of unemployment and inflation.

Students will: 

• Objective A: Display an understanding of the determinants of macroeconomic equilibrium.
• Objective B: Analyze the impact of exogenous shocks and various fiscal and monetary policies on macroeconomic equilibrium.

Goal 3: Economics majors will be able to apply microeconomic theory to explain behavior of consumers and firms in a market economy.

Students will: 

• Objective A: Display an understanding of the determinants of consumer choice given the constraints of limited household income and market prices.
• Objective B: Display an understanding of firm behavior under alternative market structures. 

Courses

3+3 Accelerated BA/BS-JD program

Director: Robert Klump, Esq. at 716.888.2884

The 3+3 Accelerated BA/BS-JD program through the University at Buffalo School of Law is open to a variety of majors. By participating, you can:

• Complete your undergraduate education and law degree in less time (and for less cost) than the 7 years typically required
• Become fully eligible for scholarships and grants offered to qualified incoming students at the University at Buffalo School of Law
• Upon successful completion of the first-year curriculum at UB Law School, a student's credits for the year will be transferred to Canisius to complete his or her bachelor's degree which will then be conferred by Canisius.

Eligibility

This unique program is open to pre-law students who:

• Plan to major in Criminal Justice, Economics (BA), English, Environmental Studies, History, Philosophy, Psychology (BA), Political Science, Sociology, Strategic Communication.
• Take the LSAT or GRE no later than January of their junior year* 
• Apply to the UB School of Law no later than February 1 of their junior year
• Complete all academic requirements toward their major by the end of their junior year
• Maintain a cumulative GPA at Canisius of 3.5 or higher

*The LSAT score must be at or above the median LSAT score for the UB School of Law’s previous year’s enrolled class or the GRE score must be at or above the 70th percentile for Verbal Reasoning and the 40th percentile for Quantitative Reasoning.

For more information, contact the Raichle Center director.

3+3 Economics BA/JD Roadmap 

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BUS 101, 201, and 401 are required

**

Ethics is required of all students

Note: All students must complete a total of 60 hours of Arts and Science courses. We strongly recommend that all students run a Griff Audit to check for this and other additional requirements.