2025-2026 Franklin & Marshall College Catalog
Economics Major
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Economics has variously been said to be concerned with:
the allocation of scarce resources among competing uses;
a society’s social relations of production, distribution and consumption;
the institutions through which humans have organized their material provisioning.
In line with these varied definitions, the study of economics can be pursued using a mathematical approach, a historical approach, or an institutional and sociological approach. Independently of the particular definition to which they are attracted, well-educated economics students will have familiarity with, and be able to draw on, all three approaches.
Accordingly, the economics curriculum at Franklin & Marshall College provides students with opportunities to study the discipline across the variety of approaches and/or to pursue depth in any approach. The sequence of introductory courses exposes students to both orthodox and heterodox themes and approaches, while the sequence of intermediate level courses emphasizes the core analytical techniques used in different approaches to theoretical and empirical analysis. Electives offer students the opportunity to undertake further exploration of theoretical issues and/or applications of fundamental economic theories to topics of special interest.
The study of economics encompasses a wide variety of models and topics that attempt to explain various social phenomena, including the operation of markets, the distribution of income and wealth, macroeconomic fluctuations, economic growth, international economic relations, the roles of class, culture, gender and race, and the ecological impacts of economic activity. Moreover, a good liberal arts economics education will involve students in interdisciplinary explorations. Economics majors are therefore encouraged to enroll in courses in other departments and interdisciplinary programs such as history, anthropology, government, women, gender and sexuality studies, earth and environment, Africana studies, and public health.
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Economics Department Faculty
Professor Yeva Nersisyan, Chair
Professor Leanne Roncolato, Associate Chair
Eiman Zein-Elabdin
Sigmund M. and Mary B. Hyman Professor of Economics David M. Brennan
Professor of Economics Alan S. Caniglia
Professor of Economics Yeva Nersisyan
Associate Professor of Economics Patrick Fleming
Associate Professor of Economics and Public Policy Leanne M. Roncolato
Associate Professor of Economics Alex W. Roomets
Associate Professor of Economics Mark Silverman
Assistant Professor of Economics Han Cheng
Assistant Professor of Economics Danish Khan
Assistant Professor of Economics Tony R. Maynard
Senior Adjunct Professor of Economics Major Requirements:
A major in Economics consists of a minimum of 11 courses: Note:
Students who are majoring in economics are strongly encouraged to complete all the required 200 level courses (ECO 200 , ECO 201 , ECO 203 and ECO 210 or BOS 250 or MAT 216 ) by the end of the junior year. ECO 100 and ECO 103 , and MAT 109 or MAT 110 are prerequisites for ECO 200 , which is a prerequisite for ECO 203 . Normally, at least eight of the ten ECO course credits (including BOS 250 or MAT 216 as substitutes for ECO 210 ) taken to fulfill the major’s requirements must be earned at Franklin & Marshall College. The writing requirement is met by completion of the normal courses required to complete the economics major. Students who are contemplating graduate work in economics are strongly advised to undertake adequate preparation in mathematics-normally MAT 109 , MAT 110 and MAT 111 (Calculus I, II, III), MAT 216 and MAT 316 (Probability and Statistics I, II) and MAT 229 (Linear Algebra and Differential Equations). To be considered for honors in economics, graduating seniors must meet the following conditions: - complete independent research during the senior year that results in a high caliber thesis deemed to be deserving of “honors” by an appropriately composed Honors Committee;
- have an economics GPA of at least 3.5 and an overall GPA of at least 3.0 at the beginning of the honors project and at the time of graduation;
- complete ECO 200 , ECO 201 , ECO 203 , and ECO 210 or MAT 216 by the end of the junior year; the department may waive this requirement in special cases.
Off-Campus Study:
Economics majors and minors are also encouraged to pursue opportunities to study abroad, where they are likely to deepen their understanding of the cultural context and nature of economic life. Economics majors have studied abroad in many countries, including: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bolivia, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Morocco, New Zealand, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Vietnam. See the International and Off-Campus Study section of the Catalog for further information. In order to count toward a major or minor in Economics, courses taken outside of Franklin & Marshall College must be pre-approved by the department chair. |
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