Economics Concentration

Interested in business but also in seeing the big picture?
In this Section

Want to understand human behavior and how societies use resources? Interested in policy and decision-making?

The B.S. Applied Social Science Economics concentration will give you concrete analytical skills that are in high demand in business, government and non-profit sectors.

Economics is the study of decision making. It’s the study of people and systems interacting to use resources in the best ways possible. This can mean combining inputs to maximize profits or working toward policies that encourage long-run sustainability.

Economics often involves topics like prices, business, and finance, but it’s not all about money. Economists are just as likely to study the environment, the health care system, or professional sports. Economics is a broad discipline that helps us understand historical trends, interpret today’s headlines, and make predictions about the future.

If you are interested in understanding how the world around you works, why people make the decisions they make, and how you can harness data to answer questions about the real world then economics might be for you.   

The American Economics Association page for students provides information about the field, jobs, and research.

Minors

The Economics concentration can be combined with a variety of minors that will set you apart in the job market:

Roselyn Anderson

"What I enjoyed most about being a student at UW-Stout was the polytechnic aspect. Being able to learn hands-on in small class sizes allowed me to make connections with my peers and professors."

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Student Research

All students complete independent research to learn data collection and analysis techniques used across industries and in government and non-profit settings. You will learn how to clearly summarize and present results to use in decision making no matter what area of the economy you choose to work.

Sample Project Titles

  • The Impact of Ultra-Low-Cost Carrier Competition on Airfare
  • Can a Violent Shooter Be Predicted?
  • Do Citizens Living in Border Counties Fall into the Tiebout Sorting Model?
  • Evaluating the Financial Impact of the Affordable Care Act on Farmers in Wisconsin
  • Effects of Administrative Code NR151 on Phosphorous Levels in Wisconsin Water Bodies

Careers and Job Outlook

Economics concentration students go on to a wide variety of careers.  Economists can work as government advisors, legal consultants, and private sector employees. Using theoretical models or empirical data, they evaluate programs, study human behavior, and explain social phenomena. Their contributions inform everything from public policy to household or business decisions.

Economists tend to have high starting salaries as well as excellent advancement opportunities.

Job Titles

  • Marketing Manager/Director 
  • Business Systems Analyst     
  • Business Process Analyst      
  • Inventory Analyst
  • Store Leader  
  • Sports Statistician       
  • Health Insurance Representative        
  • New Account Advisor
  • Research Analyst       
  • Investment Specialist Auditor
  • Securities Trader
  • Business Forecaster   
  • Environmental Economist      
  • Urban/Regional Planner        
  • Consumer Researcher

Alumni Careers and Employers

  • Financial Management (Nestle – Indianapolis, IN)
  • Business Systems Analyst (GreenStone Farm Credit Services – Minneapolis, MN)
  • Menards Inventory Analyst (Rust-Oleum – Eau Claire, WI)
  • Market Strategy Analyst (Southwest Airlines – Dallas, TX)
  • Business Analyst (KwikTrip – LaCrosse, WI)
  • Software Engineer (Rockwell Collins – Cedar Rapids, IA)
  • Sales Engineer (KEYENCE – Minneapolis, MN)
  • Senior Product Marketing Manager, Classy.org (San Diego, CA)
  • Research Analyst, CareerOneStop, State of Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN)

Recent Graduate School Placements

  • George Mason University (M.A. in Economics) – Arlington, VA
  • Mitchell Hamline University Law School – Saint Paul, MN
  • University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire MBA Program