Economics is woven into the fabric of our society. It is the engine that drives and shapes public policy, determining how individuals and families live and work, how business and industry operate – in short, how the world works. If you’re curious about people and human behavior, have an interest in history and political science, and enjoy the structure and reasoning of mathematical-style analysis, you’d do well majoring in economics.
Why Economics?
As an economics student at Hofstra, you will learn about every level of economics – from how people go about the everyday business of making a living, to how our shared actions and attitudes affect the livelihoods of every person on the planet. You will be exposed to a wide variety of ideas about how corporate, regional, national, and international economies grow and change over time. And you will gain insights into how sound economic policies influence and inform nearly every aspect of society.
Programs and Courses
Studying economics, you will learn about important problems, understand future challenges, and see how challenges of the past have been overcome. You will analyze events – how their consequences have repercussions – regionally, nationally, and internationally.
All economics students at Hofstra receive a thorough grounding in basic economics principles, including micro- and macroeconomics, historical economic theory, mathematical methods, and econometrics. From there, your program will diverge depending on whether you choose to pursue a BA or BS in Economics. View our undergraduate courses
BA Programs
BA in Economics
Students in the BA in Economics program gain a deeper understanding of economic theories and their effect on society, often as a precursor to a government, academic, or consulting career. The BA is great preparation for graduate study in law or business administration.
BA in Mathematical Economics
The BA in Mathematical Economics focuses more on the use of analytical tools to understand broader economic issues. Students in this program often pursue careers in government, consulting, or academic research.
BA in Labor Studies
The BA in Labor Studies is an interdisciplinary degree that lets you explore both sides of the labor/management equation. You will learn about the impact of historical events as well as the changing nature of local, national, and international industries and workplaces.
BS Programs
BS in Economics
The BS in Economics focuses on the practical aspects of economics as preparation for students who plan to work in the corporate world. You’ll explore specific business disciplines more deeply and discover how economic theory and practices interact with individual businesses and industries. You will take electives at the Frank G. Zarb School of Business.
BS in Mathematical Business Economics
Students in the BS in Mathematical Business Economics use quantitative analytics to address specific needs in the corporate world, grooming themselves for careers as economists, actuaries, investment managers, financial planners, marketing managers, and more.
For Your Consideration
Double Major, Minor, Dual Degrees
Many students choose to pursue double majors, combining economics with political science, philosophy, or other social sciences, or with various business disciplines or pre-law.
We also offer a minor in economics. In addition, students may opt for an accelerated dual degree program that leads to either a BA or BS in Economics/MBA degree. Hofstra's dual degree programs allow you to earn both an undergraduate and graduate degree in less time than if each degree was pursued separately.
In the Classroom
Learn from the Experts
Our faculty is diverse and international, which provides a real-life, global dimension to your studies. We are also engaged in relevant and important research, which enables us to constantly enliven our classes with discussions of up-to-date theoretical and real-world debates and issues.
Internships
We encourage students, particularly those in our business economics program, to acquire professional experiences through internships with local and regional businesses, government agencies, and nonprofit institutions. These opportunities let students explore different careers, learn general business skills, and explore the practical application of their studies. What’s more, many internships have led to eventual full-time jobs with the same employer, or in the same area of business or government.
Examples of recent internship opportunities:
- Ameriprise Financial
- Babylon Village Hall
- Brown Brothers Harriman
- Cetera Investors
- Morgan Stanley
- Northwell Health
- Northwestern Mutual
- Queens Supreme Court
- Satty, Levine & Ciacco, CPAs, PC
- Wells Fargo
The Outlook
Economics students at Hofstra are ready to achieve success in academic, corporate, government, and nonprofit jobs, or to pursue an advanced degree. Majoring in economics signals to employers across all industries that you possess a highly prized set of skills and talents – critical thinking, the ability to do qualitative and quantitative research, and a deep, abiding curiosity about the world.
According to responses from a survey of recent alumni:
94%
of respondents in this major reported they were employed or attending or planning to attend graduate school within a year of graduation.
Some examples of the prestigious institutions where our graduates are pursuing advanced degrees include:
- Brown University
- Columbia University
- Penn State University
- SUNY Old Westbury
- The Ohio State University
- Tulane University
- University of Bristol
- University of California, Los Angeles
- University of New Hampshire, Durham
- Washington and Lee University
86%
of alumni reporting employment said they had landed their position within six month of graduation. Examples of where they are working include:
- Altice USA, Inc.
- Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.
- Chase Bank
- Columbia University
- Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
- Northwell Health
- NYC Housing Authority
- Prudential Financial, Inc.
- The Adecco Group
- U.S. Census Bureau
- Wells Fargo
$54K
is the mean reported annual salary among recent alumni in this major for their first year after graduation.
Contact Us
Office Information
Room 200 Barnard Hall
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Senior Executive Secretary
Sharron Papaccio
Phone: 516-463-5592
Department Chair
Dr. Constantine Alexandrakis
Associate Professor of Economics
Phone: 516-463-6954
Room 200F Barnard Hall
E-mail