Economics, B.A.

Learn to apply economic theories to finance, banking, manufacturing, education, insurance, energy and many other areas.

We offer a comprehensive program for students interested in majoring in economics. Courses provide you with a basic understanding of economic structures and processes, including economic growth and productivity, unemployment and inflation, taxation and public expenditure, supply and demand, international trade and finance, as well as labor-management cooperation and competition.

Other areas of study may include demand theory and estimation, production and cost theory, analysis of market structure, antitrust policy, government regulation of business, capital budgeting, inflation theory, unemployment, determination of interest rates and international economics.

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Take the next step toward completing your Bachelor of Arts in Economics degree at Lenoir-Rhyne University.

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Hands-on, Real World Experiences

Students in the Portfolio Management Club oversee an ongoing investment of over $200,000 of the university’s actual endowment funds. Club members include students majoring in finance, economics and related majors.

Areas of Study

Students interested in economics have two options for majors at Lenoir-Rhyne:

Economics - our program will provide you with an understanding of economic structures and processes and you will study human behavior—how individuals, businesses and governments make decisions and decide to allocate resources.
International Economics - our international economics major is a 51-hour interdisciplinary program that combines economics, finance and international politics with a strong background in a chosen foreign language program.

Qualified economics students interested in continuing their education through graduate study can easily matriculate into several of Lenoir-Rhyne’s graduate programs, such as the Master of Business Administration or the Master of Public Health programs.

Through LR’s innovative Bridges to Dreams and Alumni Advantage programs, if you complete your undergraduate degree at Lenoir-Rhyne, you are able to complete your graduate degree in shorter time and at significantly less expense.

My professors have helped me grow as a student by introducing me to opportunities. They’ve opened doors for me to meet other people and businesses that may lead to possible careers after graduation.

Tera Peña '21, Accounting and Economics

Careers

Students graduating with an economics degree have a strong comprehension of the national economy and are able to think critically about the challenges faced throughout the business world.

You will also possess communication, data manipulation, and computer technology skills, preparing you for a variety of careers.

Economics majors compete well against most business majors for employment opportunities. Corporations value the broad analytical training of our graduates, and recognize that your educational foundation will enhance their performance in managerial decision making.

Opportunities for economists exist across local, state, national and international arenas, and in the private, non-profit and public sectors.

Economics integrates the liberal arts and applied professional preparation very effectively, preparing graduates for a wide array of opportunities and for success in graduate and/or additional professional education like law or administration.

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Learning Outside the Classroom

Future employers and post-graduate schools will look at your entire undergraduate work both inside and outside the classroom. Take full advantage of all opportunities that are available to you at LR, including research, study abroad, internships, student clubs and organizations.

Internships

Economic majors have the opportunity to gain first-hand experience through internships with local and regional businesses and corporations, working directly with seasoned leaders and professionals in the field.
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Mauney Economics & Business Club

Mauney Economics and Business Club students can attend the annual conference of the Eastern Economic Association (EEA).

Founded over 40 years ago, the EEA is one of the largest associations of academic and professional economists and hosts one of the few conferences that invite undergraduates to attend as well as present in student sessions.

At the conference, students have the opportunity to select from more than 150 sessions offered, featuring research work and information about various economic topics. Students meet and interact with professional economists from throughout the country and the world and learn more about exciting career opportunities.
Federal Reserve’s College Fed Challenge Team

Lenoir-Rhyne competes in the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond (5th District, Charlotte division) College Fed Challenge, along with other North Carolina schools such as Elon, Duke, and UNC Chapel Hill. The District winner goes on to a national competition.

Students must demonstrate their knowledge of the Federal Reserve and its policies as well as macroeconomic conditions in a presentation and through questions from judges. This activity provides you with opportunities to compete against other major universities on issues of economic policy and practice.

Accreditation

Lenoir-Rhyne is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

The B.A. in Economics is not accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) due to the nature of the program.

Major Requirements

Courses in Economics are intended to provide the student with a basic understanding of economic structures and processes including economic growth and productivity, unemployment and inflation, taxation and public expenditure, supply and demand, international trade and finance, labor-management cooperation and competition, etc. The Economics major earns a B.A. degree.

Honors

Students majoring in Economics and judged qualified by the Economics faculty may, upon invitation, elect to pursue honors work in Economics. To graduate ''With Honors in Economics,'' a student must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, a minimum major GPA of 3.2, and complete ECO 498 and ECO 499. An oral presentation of the honors paper or a synopsis of the honors project is required. Normally the student in the honors program will have completed ECO 121, ECO 122, ECO 323, ECO 324 and ECO 325.

Earning two or more majors in Charles M. Snipes College of Business and Economics

Students seeking two or more majors in the Charles M. Snipes College of Business & Economics must complete 15 hours of unique course work in the Major Requirements section of each major. All required course work for the major must be completed. The unique course work will come from the required courses and elective courses prescribed for the additional major. Some courses may require substitutions approved by the dean.

General Education Requirements (37 hours)

Graduation Requirements (4 hours)

General Education Requirements
Technical Requirements (6-7 Hours)
- MAT 125 - Finite Mathematics
- And one statistics course from the following:
- BUS 346 - Business Statistics
- or
- MAT 215 - Applied Statistics
Major Requirements (33 Hours)
- ECO 121G - Principles of Economics Macroeconomics
- ECO 122 - Principles of Economics Microeconomics
- ECO 323 - Intermediate Price Analysis
- ECO 324 - Intermediate Macro-economic Theory
- ECO 325 - Money and Banking
- ECO 446 - Econometrics
- Choose 12 hours of ECO major electives
- Choose one of the following internship courses:
- BUS 461 - Internship in Business
- or
- BUS 465 - Internship in Business
- If a student choose BUS 465 for 6 hours, three of those hours will fulfill one of their economics major electives.
Minor Requirement

Economics program students must complete a minor, fostering interdisciplinary exploration and tailored acadmic experiences to align with individual career goals. A minor in mathematics is advised for economics students intending to pursue graduate studies in economics. NOTE: If students pursue a double major, the minor requirement is waived.
General Elective Credits

General Electives (36-40 hours) as needed to reach 120 hours overall. The minor counts towards the 120 hour requirement.
Total Credit Hours - Minimum 120 hours

On occasion, technical and/or program requirements may also meet specific General Education requirements. Please confer with your program advisor to determine which courses, if any, may be counted accordingly.

All bachelor's degree programs at Lenoir-Rhyne require at least 120 credit hours. If, in combination, General Education, technical, and program requirements do not generate at least 120 hours, additional credits must be completed to achieve 120 hours. These classes may be general electives, or a student may complete a minor or additional major.

Admission & Financial Aid

Program Contact

Tunay Oguz, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
625 7th Ave NE, LRU 7138
Hickory, NC 28601

Faculty Page

News & Events

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LR to implement new software for scheduling events and rooms

Lenoir-Rhyne University is excited to announce the implementation of 25Live, a cutting-edge software solution designed to streamline event and classroom scheduling and management.