Our department offers a pluralist approach to economics that embraces mainstream and heterodox perspectives and emphasizes policy applications. We believe that theoretical understanding, empirical investigation, and policy analysis are enriched by study of the evolution of economic ideas and economic institutions. We believe that thoughtful empirical work is essential for testing theoretical models and their policy implications. Our commitment to pluralism, empirical analysis, and policy relevance is evident in the research of our faculty and is reflected in our undergraduate and graduate programs.

American University's location in Washington, D.C. enables students and graduates to obtain employment and internships in some of the world's most important economic institutions, including the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, research institutes, and the Departments of the Treasury, Labor, and Commerce. Many of our graduates find policy making positions in the public and private sectors of both the United States and other nations.