The Economics major is designed to prepare students for positions in business, government or education. The courses equip students for analysis of many of the economic problems and issues faced in middle- and upper-level managerial positions The curriculum also provides the foundation for graduate study in economics or in areas such as law, public administration and various business disciplines.

Students in economics receive a broad foundation in communication skills, statistics, and business. The required courses also provide a thorough analysis of the important social, political and economic issues of our time. This background is particularly valuable for graduates who later advance to middle- and upper-level management positions.

There are three undergraduate programs in economics at Southern Miss: the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) in Economics; the Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Economics with Mathematics emphasis and the Bachelor of Arts with Social Science emphasis.

Students pursuing the bachelor of arts in economics must complete 70 semester hours in specified courses; these satisfy the general education requirements of the university, the College of Business, and the major. In completing the remaining degree requirements, majors may elect to follow one of two set degree tracks, the one quantitative and the other qualitative, or to formulate and pursue a flexible degree track commensurate with individual career objectives.

The quantitative or Mathematics Degree Track is designed to prepare students for the successful pursuit of higher degrees in economics and related academic disciplines requiring a strong background in mathematics and statistics.

The qualitative or Social Science Degree Track provides a broadly based liberal arts education in “political economy,” an area of study that cuts across the normally separate domains of economics and politics, and examines the relationship of the two within the difficult calculus of public law. The Social Science Degree Track is recommended for students planning to seek employment upon graduation or to pursue higher degrees in academic disciplines requiring a lesser preparation in
mathematics and statistics (economic development, community and regional planning, geography, law and justice studies, political science, and public administration).

Career Overview
Representative positions for graduates in economics are in entry-level management, corporate/governmental planning, economic forecasting, quantitative analysis, transportation/distribution coordination, international trade/finance, and banking and stock or commodity brokerage. Some students choose to continue their education with further study in economics or in professional programs such as law.

Location
309 Joseph Greene Hall

Mailing Address
The University of Southern Mississippi
118 College Drive #5072
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001

Contact
601.266.4648
601.266.4920

• BSBA in Economics
• BA in Economics (Math)
• BA in Economics (Social Science)

• Faculty and Staff

• Bureau of Business and Economic Research
• Center for Economic Education