Economics
Program Overview
Rider's economics students master the tools needed to succeed in their careers and in their lives. Studying economics helps develop skills for careers in business, law, teaching, public administration and research, while also building an understanding of contemporary social issues. In this challenging world, few areas of study are more relevant and essential than economics.
Rider economics majors are in demand among consulting firms, corporations, private banking and financial institutions, government agencies and non-profit agencies. Many graduates begin their careers as analysts, then progress to management positions in business and government. An undergraduate degree in economics from Rider also provides outstanding preparation for graduate study in economics, business and law.
Curriculum Overview
Our economics program offers a flexible curriculum that allows you to target your specific career goals, whether you are a business or liberal arts major. The program offers a Bachelor of Science through the College of Business Administration, or a Bachelor of Arts through the College of Liberal Arts, Education and Sciences.
The curriculum allows students to select classes based on their area of interest. For example, a B.A. in economics with a minor in political science provides an excellent foundation for a career in law or politics. Students with a double major in economics (B.S.B.A.) and finance are prepared for careers in the financial and corporate sectors.
Studies center on macroeconomics and microeconomics. Students become trained in economic theory while learning how to apply principles and concepts to specific problems. This is done via small class sizes so that students can interact closely with faculty.
A minor in economics also is available, allowing students from different fields to study international economics, public policy and economic theory.
Degree Offered
- B.S.B.A in Economics
- B.A. in Economics
Contact
Mitchell Ratner, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Chairperson
Sweigart Hall 255
609-895-5164
ratner@rider.edu
Program website: Economics
Associated Department: Department of Finance and Economics
Related programs:
Economics Major Requirements
(18 credits)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Business Core | ||
| See Business Core Requirements | ||
| ECO 210 | Intermediate Macroeconomics | 3 |
| ECO 211 | Intermediate Microeconomics | 3 |
| Select four upper-level (300-400) economics electives | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 18 | |
For graduation students must achieve an overall GPA of 2.0 or better in the major, with no course grade less than “C-”.
Economics Minor Requirements
(18 credits)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ECO 200 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| ECO 201 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| Select four economics courses, three of which must be at 300-level or above | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 18 | |
Academic Plan of Study
The following educational plan is provided as a sample only. Rider students who do not declare a major during their freshman year; who change their major; or those who transfer to Rider may follow a different plan to ensure a timely graduation. Each student, with guidance from his or her academic advisor, will develop a personalized educational plan.
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Credits | |
| CIS 185 | Information Systems Essentials 1 | 3 |
| CMP 120 | Expository Writing 2 | 3 |
| ECO 200 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| MSD 105 | Quantitative Methods for Business 3 | 3 |
| Natural Science Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CBA 102 | Career Plan & Perspective I 4 | 1 |
| CMP 125 | Research Writing | 3 |
| ECO 201 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| MKT 200 | Marketing Principles | 3 |
| MSD 200 | Statistical Methods I | 3 |
| Humanities | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| ACC 210 | Introduction to Accounting | 3 |
| CBA 202 | Career Plan & Perspect II 4 | 1 |
| ECO 211 | Intermediate Microeconomics | 3 |
| MGT 201 | Fund Management & Org Behavior | 3 |
| MSD 201 | Statistical Methods II | 3 |
| Social Science Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| ACC 220 | Managerial Uses of Accounting | 3 |
| COM 290 | Professional/Strategic Speech | 3 |
| ECO 210 | Intermediate Macroeconomics | 3 |
| FIN 220 | Introduction to Finance | 3 |
| Global/Cultural Liberal Arts Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| BUS 300 | The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business | 3 |
| CBA 302 | Career Plan & Perspect III 4 | 1 |
| ECO Major Elective | 3 | |
| ECO Major Elective | 3 | |
| Leadership Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective 5 | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CIS 385 | Management Information Systems | 3 |
| MSD 340 | Production and Operations | 3 |
| Global/Cultural Liberal Arts Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective 5 | 3 | |
| Free Elective 5 | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| BUS 400 | Strategic Mgmt and Policy | 3 |
| ECO Major Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective 5 | 3 | |
| Free Elective 5 | 3 | |
| Free Elective 5 | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| ECO Major Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective 5 | 3 | |
| Free Elective 5 | 3 | |
| Free Elective 5 | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Total Credit Hours for Graduation | 120 | |
| 1 | CIS 185 can be taken in the Fall or Spring of year 1 |
| 2 | Students may be required to take CMP 115 Intro to Expository Writing based on placement. CMP 115 counts as a 3-credits Free Elective |
| 3 | Students may be required to take MSD 104 Intro to Quantitative Methods based on placement. MSD 104 counts as a 3-credit Free Elective. |
| 4 | Transfer Students can take CBA 336 Career Planning (formerly MGT 336 Career Management) (3 credits) as a substitute for the Career Planning sequence. |
| 5 | Students are required to complete 6 credits of International Business Electives which can be fulfilled as major courses or as free electives. |
The following educational plan is provided as a sample only. Rider students who do not declare a major during their freshman year; who change their major; or those who transfer to Rider may follow a different plan to ensure a timely graduation. Each student, with guidance from his or her academic advisor, will develop a personalized educational plan.
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Credits | |
| CIS 185 | Information Systems Essentials | 3 |
| CMP 120 | Expository Writing | 3 |
| ECO 200 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| MSD 105 | Quantitative Methods for Business | 3 |
| Science Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
| JTerm | ||
| MKT 200 | Marketing Principles | 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CBA 102 | Career Plan & Perspective I | 1 |
| CMP 125 | Research Writing | 3 |
| ECO 201 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| MSD 200 | Statistical Methods I | 3 |
| Free Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Social Science Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Summer Semester | ||
| ACC 210 | Introduction to Accounting | 3 |
| Humanities Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CBA 202 | Career Plan & Perspect II | 1 |
| COM 290 | Professional/Strategic Speech | 3 |
| ECO 211 | Intermediate Microeconomics | 3 |
| FIN 220 | Introduction to Finance | 3 |
| MGT 201 | Fund Management & Org Behavior | 3 |
| MSD 201 | Statistical Methods II | 3 |
| Global/Cultural Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 19 | |
| JTerm | ||
| Free Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| ACC 220 | Managerial Uses of Accounting | 3 |
| CBA 302 | Career Plan & Perspect III | 1 |
| ECO 210 | Intermediate Macroeconomics | 3 |
| Global/Cultural Elective | 3 | |
| Leadership Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective 3 | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Summer Semester | ||
| Free Elective 4 | 3 | |
| Free Elective 5 | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| BUS 300 | The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business | 3 |
| CIS 385 | Management Information Systems | 3 |
| MSD 340 | Production and Operations | 3 |
| Free Elective 6 | 3 | |
| Major Course Elective 3 * | 3 | |
| Major Course Elective 4 * | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 18 | |
| JTerm | ||
| Free Elective 7 | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| BUS 400 | Strategic Mgmt and Policy | 3 |
| Int'l Business Elective * | 3 | |
| Major Course Elective 5 * | 3 | |
| Major Course Elective 6 * | 3 | |
| Free Elective 8 | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours for Graduation | 120 | |
| * | Students are required to take 6 credits of International Business Electives which can be fulfilled as major courses (ECO 305, ECO 315, ECO 365) or as free elective courses. |
Notes:
- This accelerated plan assumes no AP or other credits were transferred into Rider University.
- Business Honors students will have a different sequence.
- Global/Cultural Liberal Arts Elective can be satisfied by courses that are designated as Global/Cultural, including language courses at the 101-level or above.
- For the Leadership Elective, choose from LDP 398, LDP 200, LDP 220, MGT 355, or MGT 363.
- Students are strongly suggested to complete a credit-bearing experiential course (e.g., Internship, Co-op, Study Tour, study abroad, ENT 448, ECO 450.)
Courses and Descriptions
ECO 200 Principles of Macroeconomics 3 Credits
A collective view of income receiving and spending sectors of the national economy, including households, businesses, and governments. Issues discussed: What determines the level of output, income, and employment achieved by the economy? What determines the growth of national output and employment? National income accounting, income and employment theory, monetary system, general price level, business cycle, government policies designed to provide for full employment, price stability, and economic growth are also covered.
Prerequisite(s): Place into MSD 105 based on SAT or ACT Score, OR place into MSD 105/MTH 102 by passing College Placement, OR passing MTH 100S with a grade of ‘Y’, OR passing MSD 104, OR having transferred in any college level MSD or MTH class.
ECO 201 Principles of Microeconomics 3 Credits
Market price systems are analyzed. The nature and characteristics of consumer and producer behavior, the theory of pricing in competitive and noncompetitive markets, and determination of the distribution of output a re evaluated. Welfare, social control, monopoly, and income inequality a re explored in the light of price theory. The role of the United States in the world economy is explored.
Prerequisite(s): Place into MSD 105 based on SAT or ACT Score, OR place into MSD 105/MTH 102 by passing College Placement, OR passing MTH 100S with a grade of ‘Y’, OR passing MSD 104, OR having transferred in any college level MSD or MTH class.
ECO 210 Intermediate Macroeconomics 3 Credits
An analytical study of modern aggregate economic theory. Emphasizes the measurement and determination of income, employment, and price levels, as well as economic policy in theory and practice.
ECO 211 Intermediate Microeconomics 3 Credits
This course is designed to give the student a thorough understanding of microeconomic theory. As such, the course will analyze the behavior of both consumers and producers, and how this behavior determines the price and quantity observed in the market. The course objective is to provide students with the necessary theoretical background to enable them to solve meaningful and practical problems. Thus, the course is both theoretical and applied in its orientation. The course will emphasize that economic theory can be used not only to solve market oriented problems, but social and public policy problems as well.
ECO 300 Bus Conditns Analysis/Forecast 3 Credits
Business conditions change daily. Students study them as they change, learning to understand them in the light of economic theory, learning how each part of the economy is affected, and learning the advantages and limitations of the most reliable forecasting methods.
ECO 301 Managerial Economics 3 Credits
Intensively examines the theory of the firm with applications to the solution of such managerial problems as demand forecasting, the nature and behavior of costs, and product pricing. Introduces the use of simple mathematical and statistical tools that are employed with economic analysis for solving managerial problems.
Prerequisite(s): ECO 200 and ECO 201 and MSD 201 or permission of instructor.
ECO 305 Internatl Trade and Investment 3 Credits
Studies the theory, institutions, and structures underlying the international flow of trade and investment. Topics are: the theory of international trade; balance of payment analysis; the international monetary system; adjustment to balance of payment disequilibrium; regional economic integration; the economic effects of trade restrictions; and trade and foreign investment problems of developing nations.
ECO 315 Comparative Economic Systems 3 Credits
Provides a conceptual framework for classifying and comparing economic systems. Presents theory of the capitalist market economy and case studies of the U.S., Japanese, French, and Swedish economies. Examines theory of the centrally planned economy, its transition, and case studies of the Soviet and its successor states, Chinese, and East European economies. Case studies are necessarily limited, concentrating on selected topics, such as transition strategies, industrial policy, etc.
ECO 325 Industrial Organization 3 Credits
Explores the relationship between market structure and performance. Topics include concentration in individual industries, product differentiation and entry barriers, pricing and marketing policies, and antitrust policies and their consequences.
ECO 326 Economics of Sports 3 Credits
The overall objective of this course is to deepen student understanding of microeconomic principles by applying microeconomic concepts to the analysis of professional and amateur sports. This course will utilize concepts from many different microeconomic specialties, (primarily Industrial Organization, Labor Economics and Public Finance). The tools from these different microeconomic fields will be used to explain and analyze the operation of professional sports teams and leagues in the U.S. with an emphasis on baseball, football, basketball and hockey. International comparisons will be made between professional sports in the U.S. and the rest of the world. The course will also analyze the not-for-profit sports sector, focusing on college sports and the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
Prerequisite(s): EC0 201.
ECO 330 Labor Market Analysis 3 Credits
Intensive study of the economics of the labor market, which examines the determinants of labor supply and demand, and market equilibrium in the labor market. This enables the student to understand what determines wages, labor force participation, occupational choice, the extent of education and training, unemployment, poverty, union membership, and discrimination in the labor market.
ECO 335 Economics of the Public Sector 3 Credits
Analyzes the economic roles of government: allocation; distribution; and stabilization. The course examines the tools used by governments, especially the federal government, such as taxation, expenditures, regulations and laws in order to achieve economic goals. The course will give special attention to social regulation.
ECO 336 Economics of Health Care Sys 3 Credits
This course presents ways in which economic analysis can be used to explain issues in the health care industry. Microeconomic tools will be used to describe the behavior of consumers, producers, and third parties of the health care sector. The course also investigates the role of government in regulating the health care sector, and in providing services to the poor and elderly. Finally, we will use this foundation to examine some recent changes in this industry, and to analyze the most recent proposals for further changes.
ECO 365 Post-Soviet Economy 3 Credits
Studies the contemporary post-Soviet economic system, with emphasis on institutions, policies and issues related to business opportunities in this area. Topics covered include the historic, geographic, political, and cultural setting, planning and plan implementation in the traditional system, current reforms and prospects for the future, with special reference to the foreign trade institutions and experience of foreign firms doing business in the post-Soviet Union and Eastern European countries.
Prerequisite(s): EC0 200 and EC0 201 or permission of instructor.
ECO 450 Seminar in Economic Research 3 Credits
Students in the course learn to conduct economic research by engaging in an actual community-based research project. At the beginning of the semester, students are assigned to a community-based organization. As a team, students meet with the client, devise a plan of action, collect and analyze data and other information, and write a report to the client. At the end of the semester, students present their findings to the client. Students are permitted to take EC0 450 up to two times for credit.
Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor.
ECO 490 Independent Research and Study 3 Credits
Topic to be approved by professor and chairperson. Available for juniors and seniors. No more than 12 credits allowed toward graduation.
ECO 491 Internship/Independent Study 3 Credits
This course is available to qualified economics majors and minors. Evaluation is based on a performance appraisal provided by the participating firm and a project/paper judged by the major’s internship director. This course can be used as a business or free elective. Grading is done on a pass/fail basis.
Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor.
