Economic Development
- M
- m
Economics Major in Pennsylvania
Study at a Christian university and learn the analytical and quantitative skills you need for a successful career or graduate school with our bachelor's degree in economics.
Study Economics at a Christian University
While studying economics at Messiah University, one of the top private Christian universities in the U.S., you'll develop the analytical and quantitative skills needed to understand the interaction of market and nonmarket forces as they shape the behavior of society and impact human welfare. You'll become increasingly aware of the need to understand the role of values and social institutions, and to more seriously consider the impact of human activity upon the physical environment in which humans function.
The discipline of economics is often seen as the liberal arts component of any business major, but it also stands alone as an independent major. Anyone concerned about national and global public policy issues will find that these issues become unavoidably intertwined with economic analysis. At Messiah, you'll learn more than the mechanics of economic analysis. Our ultimate concern is that you understand how Christian faith shapes the way you see the economic process and what it means to be stewards of God's creation.
As an economics major or minor at Messiah University, you’ll be able to:
- Study in a program that has been named a “Business College of Distinction” by Colleges of Distinction for 2023-2024.
- Spend 10 weeks in Europe and Asia with the International Business Institute, where you’ll interact with various business and government leaders.
- Be part of a major that was awarded specialized accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).
- Prepare for an exciting career in fields such as business, finance, public policy, ministry, community service and more.
- Gain an understanding of the domestic business environment, the constant changes most large and small businesses have to make, and the complexity of the global economy.
- Pursue a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) OR a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in economics, depending on your interests and career goals.
- Prepare for graduate work in economics.
- Join the Economic Empowerment Group to gain experience in microfinance and use business as a mission to combat poverty.
Messiah offers both a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in economics in order to meet your specific needs and preferences. The B.A. is a more traditional liberal arts degree with an emphasis on studying economics as a separate discipline within a broader program of liberal arts studies. It includes a smaller core component of business courses and, thus, offers a program of study with more available general elective hours. The B.S. degree, in contrast, includes all of the core requirements for the traditional business administrative major such as management, accounting, marketing, etc.
As a graduate of the economics program, you will be equipped to secure positions such as:
- Policy analyst
- Economist
- Manager
- Credit analyst
- Financial analyst
- Market research analyst
For more information on career planning for the economics program, visit the Messiah University Career and Professional Development Center.
Programs related to Economics
Finance
- M
- m
In the Economics program, you will take a selection of courses that successfully prepare you for a career in a related field. Hands-on experiences and classroom learning within the framework of Christian faith will give you the skills and knowledge to achieve your goals. Our programs offer a wide variety of courses that will not only help you excel in your future career, but challenge you to develop a deeper understanding of your field of study.
Course options for Economics:
Economics (B.A.)
Economics (B.S.)
Economics Minor
Economics careers and outcomes
Where our grads work
Graduates of the Economics program work in positions of leadership in their places of employment, using the tools and knowledge a Messiah University education prepared them with. Each year, eager employers and some of the nation's best graduate schools welcome Messiah graduates into their organizations.
Where they work
- Bureau of Commonwealth Payroll Operations
- GAP
- Old Cornerstone Financial
- World Vision US
- IBM
- Meltwater News
- Exel Logistics
- Jos. A. Bank Clothiers
- Univest National Bank
- Backcountry.com
- Lanco Fieldhouse
- The Hershey Company
- SEI Investments
What they do
- Grad student
- Fiscal Assistant
- Sales Associate
- Loan Officer
- Program Associate
- Analyst
- Business Consultant
- Transportation Planner
- Staff Accountant
- Corporate Banking Analyst
- Merchandise Programmer
- Program Director
- Analyst
- Corporate Actions
- Investment Advisor
Graduate school
- Regent University Law School
- Villanova Law School
- American University
96% of the Class of 2022 respondents were employed or in graduate school within 6-9 months of graduation.
Our Alumni
Regional and national employers seek out Messiah graduates for their academic preparation, work ethic and personal character. The transformation you experience at Messiah readies you to transform the lives of others through your chosen career path.
Learning and hands-on experience
While you may opt to complete the B.A. or B.S. degree requirements on campus, there are some alternatives. You can take advantage of the International Business Institute, which runs during the summer. As a student in the International Business Institute, you'll tour Western Europe, India and China, and have the opportunity to interact with various business and government leaders. A semester abroad in another location may also be included in the programming.
Messiah's unique approach to hands-on learning
Learning in the classroom is important but actually applying that knowledge in a hands-on way can make all the difference. At Messiah University, the Experiential Learning Initiative (ELI) allows Messiah to take this hands-on learning to a new level by giving students the opportunity to apply what they have learned to various real world contexts--such as an internship/practica, service learning, off-campus program, holding a student leadership position, or participating in undergraduate research.
Program accreditation
Messiah's economics program has specialized accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).
ACBSP is the premier accrediting body for colleges and universities that emphasize teaching excellence; 900 institutions around the world are accredited by ACBSP. This accreditation signifies the department’s commitment to a focus on mission and on continuous quality improvement. For students, parents, prospective employers and graduate schools, accreditation demonstrates that Messiah has met rigorous standards in curriculum, strategic planning, leadership, stakeholder focus and measurement of student learning.