Economics

Economics

at a glance

Major icon MAJOR Minor icon MINOR

The Economics major at AMU seeks to instill a profound understanding of both the concrete and the abstract of economics as well as the societal impacts of the free market and government policymaking. Most importantly, at AMU, you’ll study economics from a Catholic perspective seeing it as the fulfillment of the human person which emphasizes human dignity, solidarity and subsidiarity.

Careers: Education, Finance, Government, Business Administration, Law

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GAIN INSIGHT INTO HUMAN SOCIETY

Through the study of economics, you won’t just learn how to use mathematical data or economic theory; you’ll also gain exhilarating knowledge of the principles that govern all human interaction. You’ll bridge the gap between the logical sciences and the social sciences. By understanding how human society works, you’ll be better equipped to help improve it.

light bulbFast Fact: AMU is home to the Stein Center for Social Research, a non-partisan, interdisciplinary research institute dedicated to understanding pressing social questions.

EXPLORE the OPPORTUNITY

The economics Program

conomics numbers skills you will gain

Skills you will gain with

AN economics DEGREE

  • Proficiency in economic theory – Comprehend sound insights and truthful data about economic behavior and use them to understand economic decision-making whether for individuals, businesses or governments.
  • Advancement in multiple sciences – Leverage rigorous logic, mathematics and statistics and discover how they impact social sciences like ethics, culture and politics through economic interaction.
  • Mental Discipline – Develop a discipline of clear, ordered thinking to improve your ability to understand how things work and how to make them better. Through calm and careful reflection, you’ll be able to provide concise and simple explanations to complex problems.
conomics numbers skills you will gain

CAREER PATHS

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ADMISSIONS

A look into the

economics DEPARTMENT

Welcome to Economics at Ave Maria University! The department is composed of a boutique group of social scientists with a passion for teaching and mentoring. Though Economics is a young department, students who have studied in our courses or programs have already gone on to graduate school at the University of Chicago MAPPS and Columbia University PhD Program; to research associate positions at top centers such as the American Enterprise Institute and Heritage Foundation; and to excel in private industries ranging from banking and finance to real estate investment. Some of our graduates are young entrepreneurs, and some are giving back to the next generation, accepting teaching jobs at both private and public schools.

As a small department, we owe these successes to doing a few things very well. One of our most popular programs is the Family & Society Program—a cluster of courses in social research focusing on the analytical study of marriage, family, demographics, neighborhoods, economic mobility, education and religion. Another feature of our department is the use of applied game theory in a variety of settings. Students may specialize in Managerial Economics and Strategic Analysis (MESA)—a unique interdisciplinary major drawing from Economics and Business. Finally, we feature the advanced study of Catholic social thought as a required and invigorating component of every economics program at Ave Maria. This course—unique to Ave Maria—has been developed around the exposition and analysis of Papal writings since Leo XIII, and draws upon the work of some of the greatest interpreters of papal thought in the late 20th century, including F. Russell Hittinger, George Weigel, and Michael Novak.

Zachary Bartsch, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Economics

Zachary BartschEducation: B.S., Economics, University of Louisville; M.A., Economics, George Mason University; Ph.D., Economics, George Mason University
Office: Prince 104
Email: zachary.bartsch@avemaria.edu
Phone: (239) 304-7929
Curriculum Vitae: Download

Marilyn Ibarra-Caton, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Economics

Marilyn Ibarra CatonEducation: B.S., Economics, San Diego State University; M.A., Economics, San Diego State University; Ph.D., Economics, University of Georgia
Office: Prince 105
Email: marilyn.ibarra-caton@avemaria.edu
Phone: (239) 304-7928
Curriculum Vitae: Download

Gabriel Martinez, Ph.D.

Chair of the Economics Department, Associate Professor of Economics, Director of Online Education

Gabriel MartinezEducation: B.A., Interdisciplinary Studies, University of South Carolina; M.A., Economics, University of Notre Dame; Ph.D., Economics, University of Notre Dame
Office: Prince First Grade Teacher
Email: gabriel.martinez@avemaria.edu
Phone: (239) 280-1611
Curriculum Vitae: Download

  • Ave Maria University is home to the Stein Center for Social Research, a non-partisan, interdisciplinary research institute dedicated to understanding pressing social questions, including poverty, educational outcomes, religious trends, and demographics.
  • Our students have the opportunity to participate in conferences, lectures and research projects based at the Stein Center—and to meet a variety of scholars who visit from around the country. A partial list of speakers in the past few years includes: Michael NovakArthur BrooksJohn SchindlerSamuel Gregg, and Mark Regnerus.
  • Famous economics majors include serious politicians and business men such as Ronald Reagan, Warren Buffett, William F. Buckley, George H.W. Bush to public figures such as Cate Blanchett.

In addition to the core curriculum, economics majors take the following courses

Typical Order of Required Courses for the Major

  • ECON 201 Principles of Macroeconomics
  • ECON 202 Principles of Microeconomics
  • STAT 230 Applied Statistics
  • ECON 301 Intermediate Macroeconomics
  • ECON 302 Intermediate Microeconomics
  • ECON 490 Senior Seminar: Applied Economic Theory

Elective Major Courses (four 4-credit courses required)

  • ECON 210 Western Economic History
  • ECON 310 History of Economic Thought
  • ECON 316 Market, State, and Institutions
  • ECON 320 Development Economics and Ethics
  • ECON 322 Globalization and International Trade
  • ECON 330 Labor Economics and the Economics of Poverty
  • ECON 332 Strategic Thinking and Game Theory
  • ECON 403 Introduction to Econometrics
  • ECON 415 Special Topics in Economics
  • ECON 421 International Macroeconomics
  • ECON 433 Industrial Organization
Click the button to view our typical 4-year plan.

Internships

Career Facts

  • Economics is one of the most valuable undergraduate majors. According to Census data, the median salary for an Economics major is $69,000.
  • Economics is one of the most versatile undergraduate majors. An economics major is a great foundation for a career in business, law, or government.

The International Honor Society for Economics, Omicron Delta Epsilon now has a chapter at Ave Maria University. ODE is one of the world’s largest and oldest academic honor societies. The Ave Maria University Economics Department formally established the Sigma Chapter of Florida on March 1, 2010.
Omicron Delta Epsilon is dedicated to the recognition of academic achievement and promotion of economic knowledge. It seeks to recognize scholastic attainment and honor outstanding achievements in economics; to establish closer ties between students and faculty in economics within and among colleges and universities; to publish its official journal, The American Economist, and to sponsor panels at professional meetings and the Irving Fisher and Frank W. Taussig competitions.
Membership in an Honor Society sends a powerful signal to other students, faculty, potential employers, graduate school admission officers, scholarship awarders, and parents. Some of the benefits of membership in Omicron Delta Epsilon include: International recognition of scholastic achievement in economics.

  • A publication outlet for promising undergraduate and graduate student papers in The American Economist, the journal of Omicron Delta Epsilon.
  • Closer academic and professional relationships with the faculty at your university.
  • Closer professional and social relationships with fellow ODE members at your university.
  • Closer professional and social relationships with ODE members at other universities with Omicron Delta Epsilon chapters.
  • ODE sponsored meetings at the annual conventions of regional, national and international associations.
  • Eligibility to compete for the Frank Taussig and Irving Fisher Awards (both cash prizes and publication of essays).
  • Eligibility to compete for the Outstanding Student Leader Award.
  • One-year subscription to The American Economist.

For more information on the application requirements please contact:
Dr. Gabriel Martinez
Gabriel.Martinez@avemaria.edu

Spotlight:

Lilla Lukacs (2014) is working at the American Enterprise Institute, a public policy research think tank in the heart of DC. Lilla has been at AEI for a little over a year now, and she works for the housing policy research team led by a former Senior Advisor in the Federal Reserve Board’s Division of Research and Statistics and a former Executive at Fannie Mae. She works on various projects, including an analysis of fundamental determinants of house prices in major US metros and the production of a monthly mortgage risk index.

  • Kathleen Mullally (2015) Ave Maria School of Law
  • Colin Smith (2014) Associate and member of the Business Training Program at Avesta Communities
  • Colby Popik (2012) Client Partner at Gartner, Inc. in Fort Myers, FL
  • Roman Samuels (2013), Wholesale for the Ave Maria Funds
  • Josh Johanni (2012), Client Analytics Consultant at The Fedeli Group
  • Sarah Richards (2012), Ambassador for The Dynamic Catholic Institute
  • Jessica Wasko (2010), Director of Operations at Providence House
  • Ryan Tompkins (2008), Market Research Analyst at CACI International, Inc.

More to help you

ON YOUR JOURNEY

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CAREER SERVICES

Career Services prides itself on providing students, alumni and employers with the opportunity to connect. No matter where you are in your career search, whether it’s deciding on a path, preparing for your first job interview or working on graduate school or fellowship applications, we can help.

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Catholic Culture

The spiritual life on campus is the beating heart of Ave. Whether it’s attending Mass, receiving the sacraments, participating in retreats or getting spiritual direction, you’ll find the spiritual support you need from the priests and staff of Campus Ministry.

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CORE CURRICULUM

With AMU’s core curriculum, you’ll not only achieve breadth of knowledge, but also depth of knowledge. You’ll encounter the truth about God and His creation more completely through the dynamic interplay of all of the liberal arts, including theology and natural science.

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Sunny skies, warm temperatures, a beautiful campus. What more could you want? How about a community-like atmosphere, quality instructors who care about your success, a wealth of spiritual activities, expert career guidance… and that’s only the beginning. Imagine your future at AMU. It all starts by filling out our free application today.

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