College for Women: Economics

ECONOMICS

Do you worry about efficiency and equity?

Do you enjoy solving business or societal problems?

Would you like to work with a team to collect and analyze data?

Economics — the study of how societies allocate scarce resources — isn’t just about business and finance. Economics is an important STEM field that examines questions as diverse as the causes of labor market discrimination, how to improve education for women and girls, why recessions occur, and the causes of pollution. In this program, you’ll sharpen your quantitative skills while refining your ability to think critically about the world. Economics majors typically earn 18% higher salaries than other college majors, according to College Factual’s 2021 college rankings.

YOU WILL LEARN TO:

• Evaluate choices made by households and firms

• Ask an economic question, gather information, form a hypothesis, then analyze data to draw conclusions

• Develop big data and statistical coding skills

• Discuss policies in pursuit of social justice, such as addressing race/gender discrimination, environmental sustainability, healthcare policies, and poverty

THE ST. KATE’S DIFFERENCE

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP: We house the Minnesota Center for Diversity in Economics (MCDE) which promotes women and underrepresented students in the educational and career pipeline.

IMPACT: Many of our students conduct research that makes a difference (e.g., women’s labor force participation and the economic impact of domestic violence).

CAREER PATHS TO EXPLORE

RETAIL ANALYST

Work for a large retail chain, like Target or Best Buy, to evaluate its financial health, industry trends, and other market data in order to predict future performance

POLICY ANALYST

Work in a non-profit or government organization to evaluate public policies and their impact on communities and social groups

SALES ANALYST

Identify and evaluate industry trends to help increase sales and revenue for a company

DATA ANALYST

Conduct research and evaluate industry data to help your company or organization solve a business challenge, or to inform future business strategies and goals

COMMUNITY ENGAGED: Our classes often partner with community organizations such as Center for Indian Country Development, non-profit housing organizations, economic development offices, and the Federal Reserve.

INDUSTRY EXPOSURE: 25% of economics majors present at regional and national conferences.

THE CLASSES

Classes in the economics program include but are not limited to:

• Economics of Social Issues

• Principles of Microeconomics

• Principles of Macroeconomics

• Development Economics: Poverty & Inequality

ENRICH YOUR EXPERIENCE

Minnesota Center for Diversity in Economics (MCDE)

• Healthcare Economics & Policy

• Environmental Economics & Policy

• Discrimination and Disparities: Economics & Politics of Race and Gender

“I love that my Econ major is focused on addressing social injustices. My favorite thing about economics is how it enables me to better understand how different countries and societies function from an individual to a national perspective.”

– Nayomi Her ‘24

EXPLORE YOUR INTERESTS

This degree pairs well with other majors and minors, such as:

Founded by St. Kate’s professor Kristine West, PhD, the Minnesota Center for Diversity in Economics (MCDE) exists to ensure that people of all backgrounds lead and influence economic research and decision-making. Here you’ll find many ways to engage in professional workshops, research important topics, network, and build relationships with mentors — adding big value to your educational journey.

Collaborative Research

Students often join forces with faculty in the Economics Research Lab to research and evaluate data on major public policy issues such as discrimination in police stops in Minneapolis and refugee policy in Jordan.

Economics Club

The Economics Club provides an opportunity to connect and learn with your peers. Participate in exciting activities and celebrate the talent and accomplishments of the Economics Department as a whole.

• Public Policy

• Financial Economics

• International Business and Economics

• Data Science

• Women and International Development

ALUM TRACKER

St. Kate’s Economics alumni are currently employed by or have leadership roles at:

• Federal Reserve Bank

• Wells Fargo

• United Health Group

• Target

• 3M

• Securian Financial

College for Women Office of Admission

2004 Randolph Avenue St. Paul, MN 55105 651-690-8850 or 800-656-5283

admissions@stkate.edu

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Your future now has a

The information in this document applies to students entering the College for Women. Provisions of this document are subject to change at any time. Consult the St. Catherine University Undergraduate Academic Catalog for official requirements.