Faculty

Cristina Parsons, Assistant Professor of Economics (Program Chair)
V.R. Nemani, Associate Professor of Business Administration
Sheila Barry-Oliver, Assistant Professor of Business Administration
John Haskins, Assistant Professor of Business Administration
Mary Reinstma, Assistant Professor of Economics
John Volpe, Assistant Professor of Economics

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Description

The Business Economics major offered in the College of Arts and Sciences provides students with both the theoretical and applied knowledge that they will need in order to compete in today's rapidly changing global and national business environment. Grounded in the study of macro- and microeconomic theory and focused through the study of traditional business knowledge in business theory, accounting, and management, this program prepares students to enter the corporate workforce or to pursue graduate studies leading to an M.B.A. 

Students develop the ability to examine and assess complex business situations from multiple perspectives, to make decisions based on solid theory and knowledge, and to implement strategies leading to successful outcomes. The major relies primarily on two disciplines - Economics and Business Administration - in order to ensure that students are equipped to become ethical and effective members of the business communities they inhabit.

The major requires students to complete 54 credits of course work, distributed among required courses (33 credits), elective courses (18 credits) and a senior seminar in either business or economics (3 credits). 

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Major Requirements

Required Courses (33 credits)

ALL of the following economics courses:

ECON 101 Introduction to Microeconomics
ECON 102 Introduction to Macroeconomics
ECON 311 Microeconomic Theory or ECON 323 Managerial Economics
ECON 312 Macroeconomic Theory

ALL of the following business courses:

BADM 101 Introduction to Business
BADM 221 Financial Accounting
BADM 223 Managerial Accounting
BADM 231 Theory and Practice of Marketing
BADM 251 Management and Leadership Development
BADM 325 Business Financial Management 

ONE course in business ethics:

PHI 213 Business and Professional Ethics

Elective courses (18 credits)

THREE additional courses in economics at the 200-level or above

THREE additional business courses (BUA, MGT, or MKT) at the 200-level or above

Senior Seminar (3 credits)

ONE senior seminar chosen from between:

BADM 499 Senior Seminar in Business
ECON 499 Senior Seminar in Economics

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Program Policies

Advanced Placement:  Advanced Placement scores of 4 or 5 will be accepted for credit to satisfy ECON 101 and ECON 102 only.

CLEP Policy:  Standard scores and above are accepted in the CLEP examination only in consultation with the Program Chair.

Cross-listed Courses: Courses that are cross-listed represent identical courses offered with a different program prefix. Students may not enroll in or receive credit for more than one iteration of a cross-listed course even in different semesters.

Grades in Major Courses:  Majors must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in their major.  Majors must receive a grade of "C" or better in required courses.

Pass/No Pass:  With the exception of internships, courses fulfilling a major or minor requirement may not be taken pass/no pass.

Senior Assessment:  The senior assessment for business economics majors is a component of BADM 499 or ECON 499. The relevant policies of the Business Administration and Economics Programs apply. 

Transfer Credits:  Transferring students who wish to major in business economics must take at least six business and economics courses at Trinity College, one of which must be BADM 499 or ECON 499. Acceptance of transfer courses is dependent upon program review and approval.

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Course Descriptions

Business Courses

The listings below provide course descriptions for required courses only. Refer to the Undergraduate Business Administration Program for descriptions of elective courses.

BADM 101 Introduction to Business
Provides students with an overview of the functions and operations of business organizations. Topics discussed include forms of business ownership, research and development, marketing, finance, accounting, production, materials management, and human resource management. Formerly BUA 105 Introduction to Business.
3 credits

BADM 221 Financial Accounting
Introduces students to the principles and concepts of financial accounting, including Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Students learn to prepare income statements, balance sheets, and statements of owner's equity and cash flow. A strong emphasis is placed on the accounting cycle and on the preparation and interpretation of financial statements. Typically offered only in the fall semester. Formerly ACC 235 Financial Accounting.
3 credits

BADM 223 Managerial Accounting
Introduces the theory and practice of management accounting. Students learn to prepare budgets, the statement of goods manufactured, income statements for manufacturing concerns, and other internal reports. Topics include cost behavior analysis, job order costing, process costing, standard costing, variance analysis, responsibility accounting, strategic cost management, and capital budgeting. Formerly ACC 236 Managerial Accounting.
3 credits

BADM 231 Theory and Practice of Marketing
Addresses the principles and processes in the marketing of consumer goods and services and the organizational and environmental variables that have to be managed in order to be successful. Course materials focus on the essential components of the marketing mix, including product development, distribution, pricing policies, and promotional strategies. Formerly MKT 221 Theory and Practice of Marketing.
3 credits

BADM 251 Management and Leadership Development
Discusses the principles, concepts, and practice of management. Through participation in experiential exercises such as simulations, role-playing, and team activities, students learn how to be more effective managers and leaders, with a focus on personal awareness and growth and on building effective working relationships. Formerly MGT 254 Management and Leadership Development.
3 credits

BADM 325 Business Financial Management
Introduces the theory and practice of business financial management. Discusses the techniques of financial management such as discounted cash flow, financial statement analysis, cost of capital, capital budgeting and leverage. Capital market theory and functions of capital markets are also examined. Formerly BUA 324 Business Financial Management.
3 credits
Prerequisites: BADM 322

BADM 499 Senior Seminar
Integrates the functional areas of business, international business, and professional ethics, with a strong emphasis on the synthesis of knowledge and skills gained throughout the business administration curriculum and on understanding how strategic decisions affect the performance of organizations. The course relies heavily on case study analyses and assists in preparing students for entry into the business world or graduate studies. Formerly BUA 480 Senior Seminar.
3 credits
Prerequisites: All functional core courses

Economics Courses

The listings below provide course descriptions for required courses only. Refer to the Economics Program for descriptions of elective courses.

ECON 101 Introduction to Microeconomics
Introduces principles of microeconomics and their applications. Topics include supply and demand, operation of markets, consumer and enterprise behavior, competition and monopoly, and microeconomic policy. Formerly ECO 122 Principles of Economics I.
3 credits
Prerequisites: MATH 108 or MATH 109, or equivalent
FLC Area V
Core II

ECON 102 Introduction to Macroeconomics
Introduces principles of macroeconomics, emphasizing such topics as national income, unemployment, inflation, and economic growth. The role of policy in affecting macroeconomic outcomes is examined in detail. Formerly ECO 121 Principles of Economics II.
3 credits
Prerequisites: ECON 101 and MATH 108 or MATH 109, or equivalent
FLC Area V
Core II

ECON 103 Current Issues in Microeconomics
Analyzes current topics in applied microeconomics as a way of introducing students to basic economic theory and to the questions addressed by the discipline.
3 credits
FLC Area V

ECON 104 Current Issues in Macroeconomics
Analyzes current topics in applied macroeconomics as a way of introducing students to basic economic theory and to the questions addressed by the discipline.

3 credits

FLC Area V

ECON 311 Microeconomic Theory
Examines the behavior of individual economic agents. Develops models of consumer and producer behavior in the setting of perfect competition, monopoly, and other market structures. Formerly ECO 365 Microeconomic Theory.
3 credits
Prerequisites: ECON 101 and ECON 102

ECON 312 Macroeconomic Theory
Examines the economy from the aggregate point of view. Analyzes the factors that cause fluctuations in important economic variables such as output, employment, consumption, investment, the price level, interest rates, and exchange rates. Formerly ECO 366 Macroeconomic Theory.
3 credits
Prerequisites: ECON 101 and ECON 102

ECON 323 Managerial Economics

Develops in students the capacity to analyze the economic environment in which firms make decisions, as well as to apply economic reasoning to organizations' internal decision making.  In doing so, this class bridges the gap between economic theory and practice.

3 credits

Prerequisites:  ECON 101 and ECON 102

ECON 499 Senior Seminar in Economics
Develops advanced macroeconomic and microeconomic theory and applies it to current issues. Requires a major research paper. Formerly ECO 480 Senior Seminar in Economics.
3 credits
Prerequisites: ECON 101, ECON 102, ECON 311, and ECON 312

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