What is an economics degree?

Economics is about people – the decisions they make as individuals, the social institutions they create, and the complex interactions between them. An economics degree develops broadly transferrable skills in analytical reasoning and quantitative methods that will help you better understand historical trends, interpret today’s headlines and contribute to solving the most pressing human problems in an ever-evolving world.

Why study economics at Furman?

A degree in economics from Furman prepares you for success in dozens of fields and gives you the flexibility to pursue your specific interests. Our graduates excel in management, consulting, policy research, finance, analytics and nonprofits, and are admitted to top law schools and graduate programs in economics, business, finance and operations research. Economics at Furman is tightly integrated with other departments, offering courses that satisfy requirements for programs in data analytics, environmental studies, medicine, health and culture, poverty studies, and women’s, gender and sexuality studies. The adaptability of the major translates to opportunities to add a second area of study – something nearly half our majors choose to do. Plan a visit to Furman’s beautiful campus or start your application today.

What will you learn as an economics major?

You’ll elevate your critical thinking and problem-solving competencies by developing models to understand wide-ranging human behaviors. And you will develop your communication skills via presentation, discussion, and writing opportunities found in upper-level electives. You’ll dive into digital technology with programming languages like STATA and data visualization tools like Tableau.

Every student in economics is guaranteed an independent research experience through a semester-long project in ECN 331 (Empirical Methods in Economics), in which you’ll develop your own research question and hypothesis, manage data collection and analysis, and synthesize and present your conclusions – a process that fosters leadership and initiative and builds project management skills.

You’ll complement your academic experiences with internships, summer research opportunities, and study away programs that provide exposure to diverse experiences well before you graduate.

Courses you may take as an economics major

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
  • 100%
    Economics majors who conduct research
  • 78%
    Economics majors who participate in at least one internship
  • 70%
    Economics majors who study away
  • 46%
    Economics majors who pursue a second major

What our students say

“The best thing I took away from Furman was a framework for how to apply intellectual curiosity. Professors at Furman always pushed us to ask questions and never be fully satisfied with the answers. Looking at my job after graduation, our real-world research projects at Furman gave me insight into how the world of data works, outside of just problem sets and theoretical understanding. Having that experience was a big leg up in a world where my work centered on data collection, data integrity and analysis.”
– Ryan Tholanikunnel ’12, B.A., economics, and B.A., Spanish; Associate at The Brattle Group

Our faculty

Nathan Cook

John D. Hollingsworth, Jr., Professor of Economics

Jessica Hennessey

Professor of Economics

Jason Jones

Professor of Economics; Department Chair

Kailash Khandke

Frederick W. Symmes Professor of Economics

Kenneth D. Peterson

Professor of Economics

Jessica Sauve-Syed

Robert E. Hughes Assistant Professor of Economics

Jeffrey Yankow

David C. Garrett, Jr. Professor of Economics

Kelsey Hample

Associate Professor of Economics

M. Taha Kasim

Robert E. Hughes Associate Professor of Economics
purple arrow

Economics Major F.A.Q.

REQUEST INFORMATION
Loading...

EXPLORE THE ADVANTAGE