Economics Major

Why study economics?

The economics major is highly prized because it is both versatile and valuable. It is one of the most popular majors at every premier university in the country, including Notre Dame.

The undergraduate economics major within the College of Arts and Letters allows you to acquire strong quantitative, analytical, and communication skills in the context of a liberal arts curriculum. The program will provide you with the insights of scientific analysis and social perspective to deepen your understanding of the complex economic forces at work in society.

What will I study?

As an economics major, you begin with core courses in theory and research methods. The rigorous nature of these courses enables students to effectively compete in the job and graduate school markets with their peers from other top universities. Then, you will learn learn how to apply economic theories and research methods to the world around you in major electives.

Learn more about the requirements for the economics major.

What can I do with an economics major?

The economics program prepares students for a variety of professional objectives, including careers in data analytics, economic research, public service, and law, as well as managerial positions in business and industry.

Our recent graduates have received excellent job placements in a wide range of fields, including:

• Consulting
• Analytics
• Marketing
• Banking
• Communications
• Sports
• Retail
• Insurance
• Technology

Many also pursue graduate school in the humanities and sciences or engage in full-time service work for a year or more, seeking to make a difference in the world by helping others.

Programs offered

The department offers two concentrations for economics majors who wish to specialize in their studies. The Concentration in Financial Economics and Econometrics (CFEE) focuses on intensive applied quantitative economic reasoning, directly preparing you for highly competitive roles in investment management, banking, research, and policy-making. Meanwhile, the Evidence-Based Poverty Alleviation Concentration (EBPAC) prepares you for careers in economic research, public policy, and the NGO/governmental sectors by teaching the causal inference and statistical methods essential for analyzing poverty and anti-poverty programs.

There is also an honors track available for eligible students. This highly selective program provides students with an opportunity to pursue a yearlong independent research project under the direction of a faculty member, with additional mentorship provided through the senior honors workshop.