What does it mean to “think like an economist”? It means using deductive reasoning and modeling to understand economic phenomena. It means learning to identify trade-offs in the context of constraints. It means critically examining data and creatively framing economic problems and policy questions in order to discover novel solutions.
Economics at Carthage strives to teach students to think like economists, empowering them with a self-sustaining capacity to think and learn.
Economics courses at Carthage focus on understanding and analyzing the relationships and systems that underpin business, consumer, and government actions. Instead of focusing on economic theories, you’ll apply those theories to contemporary economic problems.
As you evaluate the best ways to address income inequality, set interest rates, regulate pollution, and counteract the effects of offshoring, you’ll become adept in data analysis, quantitative reasoning, and critical thinking — all skills that employers increasingly demand.
<div class="lw_widget lw_widget_type_blockquote"><blockquote class="blockquote"><div class="blockquote__image"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/44/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/371,371,2400,2400/39739_17612_171052831004161.rev.1757347417.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/44/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/371,371,2400,2400/39739_17612_171052831004161.rev.1757347417.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/44/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/371,371,2400,2400/39739_17612_171052831004161.rev.1757347417.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/44/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/371,371,2400,2400/39739_17612_171052831004161.rev.1757347417.jpg 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/44/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/371,371,2400,2400/39739_17612_171052831004161.rev.1757347417.jpg" alt="Colin Graham" width="183" height="183" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/44/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/371,371,2400,2400/39739_17612_171052831004161.rev.1757347417.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/44/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/371,371,2400,2400/39739_17612_171052831004161.rev.1757347417.jpg 3x" data-max-w="2029" data-max-h="2029" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></div><div class="blockquote__content"><div class="blockquote__quote"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="icon icon-round-left-quote" width="48" height="33"><use xlink:href="#icon-round-left-quote"/></svg><p> “I chose Carthage because of the opportunities to create real connections with other students and professors and also because of the amazing location.”</p></div><footer class="blockquote__footer"><span class="blockquote__author"><a href="/live/profiles/2724-colin-graham">Colin Graham</a> ’26</span></footer></div></blockquote></div>
<div class="lw_widget lw_widget_type_blockquote"><blockquote class="blockquote"><div class="blockquote__image"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/72/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/88,495,1825,2232/36018_Lorin_Bucur_26.rev.1699911872.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/72/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/88,495,1825,2232/36018_Lorin_Bucur_26.rev.1699911872.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/72/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/88,495,1825,2232/36018_Lorin_Bucur_26.rev.1699911872.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/72/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/88,495,1825,2232/36018_Lorin_Bucur_26.rev.1699911872.jpg 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/72/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/88,495,1825,2232/36018_Lorin_Bucur_26.rev.1699911872.jpg" alt="Lorin Bucur in front of Machu Picchu, picture for student voices profile." width="183" height="183" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/72/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/88,495,1825,2232/36018_Lorin_Bucur_26.rev.1699911872.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/72/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/88,495,1825,2232/36018_Lorin_Bucur_26.rev.1699911872.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1737" data-max-h="1737" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></div><div class="blockquote__content"><div class="blockquote__quote"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="icon icon-round-left-quote" width="48" height="33"><use xlink:href="#icon-round-left-quote"/></svg><p> “International political economy is an amazing major that isn’t offered in many other schools. It is for those students who wish to dive into international relations, politics, and even the business realm.”</p></div><footer class="blockquote__footer"><span class="blockquote__author"><a href="/live/profiles/2094-lorin-bucur">Lorin Bucur</a> ’26</span></footer></div></blockquote></div>
original research for Economics Majors
Economics majors create original research through the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience, senior thesis, and honors thesis. Past topics include alcohol taxes, energy policies, health insurance, labor unions, and interest rate policy.
Students who major in economics often participate in the College Fed Challenge, Mock Trial, and Model United Nations. Faculty also regularly lead overseas study tours during J-Term, allowing students to see firsthand the impact of Brexit in England or the evolving economy of South Africa.
The A. W. Clausen Center for World Business is equipped with advanced technology to sharpen students’ presentation skills. Its centerpiece, the Troha Boardroom, has all the amenities of a corporate directors’ suite. Because the fields are strongly interconnected, economics faculty work with business and political science professors to prepare well-rounded students.
Economics majors commonly go on to work as data, research, policy, financial, or business analysts, as well as operations associates. Our alumni have gone on to work in a variety of fields for employers such as:
Council of Economic Advisers
Minnesota Management and Budget
Sunstone Financial Group
Satori Energy
Northwestern Mutual
Space Foundation
Chicago Blackhawks
International Trade Center
Others go on to top graduate programs in economics, business, or law.
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