Be a force for good.
Environmental Economics. Leadership: the Human Side of Economics. These are just two of the courses you probably won’t find at most colleges but you will find in Florida here at Eckerd. You’ll also find a one-of-a-kind experience here, thanks to the Economics department’s 4:1 student:faculty ratio. You can expect praise when you’ve been brilliant, but also a nudge when you need it.
Only@Eckerd
Fascinating research options
Whether you’re intrigued by natural resource economics, human and social economics, labor economics or economic development in African, Asian and Latin American countries, Eckerd has it all.
Recommendations that open doors
Because of the department’s very small size, your professors will know you well enough to write detailed and thoughtful letters of recommendation. They’ll also be able to match you up with the right internships and research experiences.
In Their Own Words
“One of the best things about an Eckerd education is the easy access to faculty. Lots of schools have highly qualified professors and good curriculums. But Eckerd takes it a step further by creating an environment where students and faculty can develop personal relationships. Some of my favorite Eckerd memories are going into one of my professor’s offices to ask one question and not leaving for 45 minutes because we just sat and talked. This comes in really handy when majoring in economics. It’s a broad field with many paths to follow. Knowing that there is a department full of professors who will always guide you—and who have personal experience doing a lot of interesting things—is an unbeatable benefit.”
—Tim Sensenig ’19, lending specialist at First Home Bank
Beyond the Classroom
Eckerd offers more than 300 study abroad destinations every year such as “The culture and community of Thailand,” led by Dr. Felardo.
Dr. Hammerschmidt even took students to Antarctica in 2005 to practice leadership behaviors on board the research vessel MS Andrea!
Service is a big deal here — in fact, such a big deal that all students are asked to take at least one designated Reflective Service Learning course, which includes at least 20 hours of service, before graduation. It’s unlikely you’ll have trouble finding a cause that moves you, but if you do, we’ll work with you to find your passion. Did we mention our alternative spring break service projects in Costa Rica, Cozumel and Guyana?
Service Pics on FlickrEvery Economics major completes research in their senior comprehensive course before graduating. A few examples of what past students have dug into:
- The Determinants of Average Attendance at NBA Home Games
- Linear Regression Analysis of Contributing Factors to CO2 Emissions by State
- The Determinants of Voter Turnout across Counties in Florida for the Previous Five General Election Cycles
One recent grad spent a summer at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute in Portland, Maine doing research for an NSF-funded study called “Integrated Studies in a Rapidly Warming Fishery Ecosystem.”
In addition, Associate Professor Dr. Jeff Felardo often hires summer research assistants to work with data collection on beach valuation in the St. Petersburg area.
Particularly gifted Economics majors can apply to the Ford Apprentice Scholars program, a two-year plan designed to prepare them for graduate school and college or university teaching.
An internship is a great way to make connections in the world of work and build your resume. Here are just two examples of recent Economics internships:
- Marketing Intern, Raymond James
- Project Intern, Hypothesis Group
Popular classes
Environmental Economics
Heavy on skill-building, this course tasks students with doing a cost-benefit analysis of a particular environmental policy or project. You and your classmates choose the topic, then spend the semester evaluating it from an economics standpoint. You’ll be amazed at the conversations you’ll have!
Leadership: The Human Side of Economics
This class invites you to look at the human side of economic behavior and motivation — starting with your own. In addition to small group activities, you’ll identify your attitudes and style by taking tests such as the Kirton Adaption/Innovation Inventory, Thomas Kilman Conflict Resolution Scale and Strong Interest Inventory.
Outcomes
What can I do with an economics degree?
- Actuary
- Budget Analyst
- Economist
- Financial Analyst
- Market Research Analyst
- Operations Research Analyst
- Postsecondary Teacher
Where our economics majors go to graduate school
- Boston College
- Boston University
- Colorado State University
- Columbia University
- Duke University
- Florida State University
- Hawaii Pacific University
- Kent State University
- New College of Florida
- Oregon State University
- Stetson University College of Law
- The Ohio State University
- University of Arizona
- University of California-Santa Barbara
- University of Florida
- University of Georgia
- University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth
- University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
- University of South Florida
- Vanderbilt University
- Wake Forest University
Where our economics majors go to work
- A. G. Edwards
- Acer America
- Allstate Insurance
- American Express
- American Research Center In Eqypt
- Ameriprise
- AT&T Paradyne Corporation
- Atlanta Journal-Constitution
- Bank Of Boston
- BayCare Health System
- Bellsouth Telecommunications
- Blackrock, Inc.
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Chase Manhattan Bank
- Chicago Board Of Trade
- Citi Corporate And Investment Bank
- Citi Global Transaction Services
- Citi Procurement Services
- Citigroup Inc.
- Dell Computers
- Duke Energy Corporation
- Ericsson Ab
- Ernst & Young
- Federal Aviation Administration
- Federal Reserve Board
- Fidelity Investments Life Insurance Company
- Franklin Templeton Invecstments
- Gap
- IBM
- John Hancock
- Johnson & Johnson
- Keane Incorporated
- Lockheed Martin
- Merrill Lynch
- Moody’s Investors Services
- Morgan Stanley
- NASA
- Panera Llc
- PricewaterhouseCoopers
- Raymond James Financial Services, Inc
- Tech Data
- Texas A&M Mays Business School, Department Of Accounting
- Texas Research Institute
- U.S. Department of Commerce
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- U.S. State Department
- Wells Fargo Financial
- Whole Foods
