Undergraduate Economics At a Glance

Economics majors are in high demand in government with 13% expected job growth this decade and employment almost anywhere, from non-profits, universities, and international organizations to corporations, finance, law, and consulting.
Choose from the Econ BS, Econ BA, joint Math/Econ BS, or Econ Minor, depending on your career goals and your comfort with mathematical analysis — or earn your combined BS or BA and a master’s degree in as little as five years.
Add an economics major or minor to complement your coursework in another major to gain the analytical, critical thinking and statistical skills in high demand by today’s employers and graduate schools.
Take advantage of the wide variety of opportunities for students in the department and Washington, DC, including internships, honors programs, and research.
Undergraduate Program Director: Professor Evan Kraft.

The AU Approach

The American University Department of Economics believes that theoretical understanding, empirical investigation, and policy analysis are improved when we consider a wide variety of theoretical and methodological viewpoints rather than just those that have historically dominated the field.

In the classroom and through our research, students and faculty analyze causes and consequences of current challenges facing our societies: exploring historical contexts and institutional causes — and ways that broader perspectives may help provide solutions.

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These four diverse individuals offer their insights on how a background in economics can be a tool for solving very human problems.

Careers & Opportunities

Careers

Economists utilize qualitative and quantitative analysis to research issues and advise businesses and policy makers on a wide variety of economic topics. They are employed across a range of industries; although one-quarter of all economists are employed by the federal government, economists are also in high demand in universities, international and non-governmental organizations, corporations, financial institutions, aand consulting firms.

The number of jobs in economics is projected to grow 13% between 2020 and 2030, significantly higher than the average occupation. Economists earned a median salary of $105,630 in 2021, 80% more than the median salary for all US workers. And American University is an outstanding location to study this growing field—the Washington metropolitan region is home to over one-third of all economists in the nation.

What if you don’t want to be an economist? Economic majors are also in high demand in positions across the corporate world and legal profession based on the critical thinking and analytical skills they develop during college. The median starting salary for new bachelor's of economics graduates in DC is $57,000 according to PayScale. You can find out more about possible career paths from the American Economic Association and the AU Career Center Career Guides by Major.

Over 72% of our undergraduate alumni find positions in the private sector, with an additional 27% working in non-profits or the government. Top employers include

JP Morgan
Fannie Mae
Price Waterhouse
Coopers Cambridge Associates
Capital One
US Department of Labor
International Monetary Fund
World Bank

Read more career information about AU economics alumni.

Research

Economic majors take part in a broad range of opportunities outside of the classroom. Over 56 percent of economics students took advantage of a study abroad opportunity in such locations as the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, and Kenya. Over 93 percent of economics majors participated in an internship for credit, including at Department of State, US Securities and Exchange Commission, Inter- American Development Bank, and the International Rescue Committee.

Within the department, there are even more opportunities to enrich your time at American University. Students can

Publish their research in our student journal, Global Majority.
Participate in Omicron Delta Epsilon, the International Honors Society in Economics, or complete our Honors in the Major program.
Participate in our award-winning Fed Challenge team, in which students make presentations to a panel of experts on current economic conditions and a monetary policy recommendation
Attend weekly Research Seminars, along with varied events and symposiums hosted by our department and research centers.

Combined BA/BS & MA

The BA/MA program enables qualified students to earn both a BS or BA and an MA in Economics in a continuous plan of study. Undergraduate students may apply up to 9 credits of their undergraduate program of study to the MA in Economics program, allowing the student to complete their MA in just another 21 credit hours!

This represents a significant time and money savings and will give participating students a leg up upon entering the job market. For more information, email econ@american.edu.

Requirements:

Interested students should apply to the program in their junior year. Students in this program will not be required to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Students will be admitted formally to MA status only after they have completed all requirements for their BA or BS with a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or higher.
All requirements for the BA or BS in Economics. Undergraduate students may apply up to 9 credit hours of approved graduate-level course work in economics to satisfy the requirements of both degrees.
All requirements for the MA in Economics, including a minimum of 18 credit hours completed in residence in graduate status after the undergraduate degree has been awarded. Students must finish the master's degree requirements within three years from the date of first enrollment in the master's program.

News & Events

Research Seminar Series runs Wednesdays.

Econ major Benjamin Holtzman, AU’s 2022 President’s Award recipient, has found a calling to work on peace issues in the Middle East.

All students majoring in economics will learn the analytical, critical thinking, and communication skills that are essential in today’s economy. In addition to a core curriculum in micro and macroeconomic theory, statistics, and econometrics, students can choose from among our applied, policy-oriented courses, including those in international trade and finance, economic development, history, gender analysis, labor, environmental, political economy, public finance, and health economics. Students complete their program though a capstone experience that allows them to put into practice the skills and knowledge they have accumulated while at AU.

By the end of the program, all students are able to:

Describe the function of key economic institutions.
Execute a project that applies an economic idea or model.
Implement a regression analysis to address a real-world economic question.

Choose among three majors or a minor depending on your career goals and the level of mathematical analysis that would like to discover. The BA in Economics is ideal for those more interested in policy analysis than economic modeling and can be easily combined with numerous other majors on campus. The BS in Economics and BS in Mathematics and Economics allows students to explore more sophisticated economic techniques and are highly recommended for those considering pursuing a PhD in Economics or other quantitative field. For admission and degree requirements, see:

All majors are assigned to a professional advisor, but students are encouraged to connect to our faculty and program director Professor Evan Kraft for advice and mentorship.

All students majoring in economics will learn the analytical, critical thinking, and communication skills that are essential in today’s economy. In addition to a core curriculum in micro and macroeconomic theory, statistics, and econometrics, students can choose from among our applied, policy-oriented courses, including those in international trade and finance, economic development, history, gender analysis, labor, environmental, political economy, public finance, and health economics. Students complete their program though a capstone experience that allows them to put into practice the skills and knowledge they have accumulated while at AU.

By the end of the program, all students are able to:

Describe the function of key economic institutions.
Execute a project that applies an economic idea or model.
Implement a regression analysis to address a real-world economic question.

Choose among three majors or a minor depending on your career goals and the level of mathematical analysis that would like to discover. The BA in Economics is ideal for those more interested in policy analysis than economic modeling and can be easily combined with numerous other majors on campus. The BS in Economics and BS in Mathematics and Economics allows students to explore more sophisticated economic techniques and are highly recommended for those considering pursuing a PhD in Economics or other quantitative field. For admission and degree requirements, see:

All majors are assigned to a professional advisor, but students are encouraged to connect to our faculty and program director Professor Evan Kraft for advice and mentorship.