By KAREN GRAVA, Director of Media Relations
UNH will begin offering a bachelor’s degree in economics within the College of Business this fall.
“The program is innovative because it will stress both the economics of sustainability and entrepreneurial leadership,” said Armando Rodriguez, associate dean of the College of Business. “Having the program based in the College of Business is ideal because it conveys the benefits associated with the interdisciplinary nature of the social sciences and the traditional business disciplines.”
The program will prepare graduates for careers in government service and at non-governmental organizations, as well as in banking, finance and health care. In addition, the degree will prepare students for graduate and professional programs such as law.
“One of the most important aspects of this major is that it teaches students to solve problems in a systemic and holistic manner,” said Rodriguez. “Economics is more than just the study of the monetary forces that have formed our society; it is an essential tool for understanding the complexities of the modern world. Our program will provide students with training in scientific methods as the foundation for approaching the understanding of risk and uncertainty in human, social and natural systems.”
Students in the program will be able to select a concentration in behavioral economics, sustainability or general economics.
“Conceptually, the common theme of this program is the myriad issues that emerge as a result of the significant and growing concerns with the unintended social, environmental and economic consequences of rapid population growth, economic growth and consumption of natural resources, both in the United States and around the world,” Rodriguez said. “The program will be excellent preparation for careers in a number of areas.”
The program will prepare students to analyze the costs of a company being green and will emphasize creative business thinking. The sustainability concentration within the program will focus on how societies can address future resource scarcities and serve as a platform for a discussion on the economic solutions to the problems of climate change, scarcity of water and energy, growing populations, and biodiversity and the loss of ecosystems.
“Corporations and businesses today want people who can think creatively and approach problems from many angles,” said Rodriguez, a former U.S Federal Trade Commission economist. “It is important for students to develop the skills that prepare them to do just that. Our new economics major will emphasize creative thinking, entrepreneurial leadership and long-term values. Students will acquire all of the tools they need to succeed and provide social and economic value to their endeavors.”
Economics is the most popular major of CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, as well as many famous politicians and celebrities including Ted Turner (CNN), Meg Whitman (eBay, Hewlett Packard), Donald Trump, and former U.S. presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Gerald Ford, among others.
Additionally, the University is offering several new programs including a master’s program in emergency management and an online master’s degree in criminal justice.
