Minor

Economics

Economics is the study of scarcity and its implications for the use of resources, production of goods and services, growth of production and welfare over time, and other complex issues of vital concern to society.

Resources

New TabCourse Requirements

PDFMinor Checklist

Shipping trade

About the Economics Minor

The study of economics provides students with the skills and knowledge to critically analyze issues regarding society in many fields, including political science, geography, mathematics, psychology, engineering, and law. Pairing well with most majors, the central quest of economics is to determine the most logical and effective use of resources to meet private and social goals.

Southern Virginia University students in the economics minor study wealth, poverty, growth, trade, money, jobs, income, depression, recession, prices and monopolies, and what makes the world work from day to day. You will work with peers and professors in small class sizes to create models and real-life scenarios for hands-on application, and develop proficiency in R programming language and RStudio as they study choice in a world of scarcity and examine the pros and cons in various hypothetical and real situations.

Learning Outcomes

What you’ll learn in the Economics minor:

  1. Knowledge of the principles of microeconomics and macroeconomics and how they apply to our lives and world
  2. Understanding of the economic way of thinking and economists’ approach to modeling and analysis
  3. Understanding of how to learn from data using common econometric techniques
  4. Knowledge and hands-on experience working with the R programming language and RStudio

Career Opportunities

With a minor in economics, you will have a better understanding of the driving forces in market and consumer behavior. This education enables you to be more effective and informed in the worlds of business, research, and public policy. Economics serves as a key foundation for multiple industries.

  • Financial Advisor
  • Data Scientist
  • Statistician
  • Accountant
  • Policy Analyist

Getting Started in the Economics Minor

Follow these simple steps below to get a head start in the
Economics Minor today.

Enroll

Begin by taking Fundamentals of Creative Writing (ENG 220) in your first or second year

Contact Your Advisor

Get in touch with New Tab, Open Bio for: Professor Zebulen Riley to discuss your interests and goals.

Declare

Turn in a completed PDFDeclare Major Form to the Registrar’s Office

Questions? Contact the Registrar at emailregistrar@svu.edu.

Economics Faculty

Zebulen Riley

Zebulen Riley

Assistant Professor of Economics, Economics Minor Coordinator

“Economics is more of a way of thinking about things than a set of core beliefs or ideas. It’s a systematic approach of examining the world around us, of analyzing problems, and of evaluating trade-offs. It’s about finding the best choices among imperfect options, and weighing costs and benefits. Economics provides the analytical framework we need to get the most out of life.”

—Zebulen Riley, Professor of Economics