Economics

Lead faculty: Dr. Greg Delemeester and Dr. Jackie Khorassani

Click here for the Economics major degree audit

Click here for the Economics minor degree audit

What are some of today's most important and complex issues? Are they the budget deficit, war and terrorism, cost of health care, environmental hazards, poverty and unemployment, globalization, world hunger, crime, support for education, technology? All of these are economic issues. Economists use mathematics and statistics as tools to address these and other real-world issues -- and their skills are highly valued. One source, which compares salary offers by majors, lists economics in the top four.

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Students apply theories learned in introductory courses - and a little fun - to upper-level economics courses such as Dr. Delemeester's Economics of Sports. Pictured (top to bottom) are the winners of various prizes in the Spring 2012 EconFantasy Basketball League: Alyssa Sturm (left) and Ashley Thomas (right), won the Spring 2012 Toilet Bowl Championship. Alex Toth (left) and Cort Thomas (right), won the Spring 2012 EconFantasy League Championship. Josh Hahn (left) and Conner Kilpatrick (right), won the Spring 2012 Best Financially Managed Team Trophy.


Marietta offers both a major and minor in economics. The program emphasizes the theoretical core of economics and the mathematical and statistical techniques useful in the investigation of empirical problems. All economic majors are encouraged to take advantage of the department's internship program. The Economics capstone has students collect and analyze data to test empirically an economic theory.

A number of special opportunities are available to Marietta economics majors. The annual Milton Friedman Lecture, named in honor of the Nobel Prize-winning economist, brings to campus economists of national renown, such as Dr. Deirdre McCloskey, professor of economics at the University of Illinois--Chicago, Dr. James Galbraith, professor of government at the University of Texas, and Dr. Alfred Broadhus, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

Students have the opportunity to meet and hear influential speakers at the lunch meetings of the Economic Roundtable of the Ohio Valley, which meets alternately in Marietta and nearby Parkersburg, West Virginia. The department was responsible for the establishment some years ago of the Roundtable, and the visiting speakers will often meet with classes to discuss economics topics of the day. Past speakers have included Dr. James Tobin of Yale University and Dr. Lawrence Klein of the University of Pennsylvania (both Nobel laureates in economics); Steve Forbes, CEO of Forbes, Inc., Douglas Fraser, president emeritus of the United Auto Workers; R. Glenn Hubbard, Chairman, Council of Economic Advisors to the President of the United States; and David Brandon, Chairman and CEO, Domino's Pizza International.

Students majoring in economics are encouraged to get involved in the publication of MACRO & micro, an economic newsletter published by the department in collaboration with the Economic Roundtable of the Ohio Valley. Students who excel academically will be invited to join Omicron Delta Epsilon, the national economics honorary.




Last updated: 14-August-2012, B&E Department webmaster