You have to make a balance between the money you have and the stuff you'd
like to have. What should be taken off the list? Can you save more? An economics
degree will train you to be able to solve problems such as this.
Several universities have programs in economics. A bachelor's degree will
take you three to four years to complete.
If you want to be an economist, consider a master's or doctorate degree.
A doctorate will enable you to teach.
At the graduate level and sometimes at the undergraduate level, you
can choose to specialize in a particular area of economics. Choose an
area that fits with your interests. Options include agricultural economics,
transport economics, environmental economics and media economics.
You can also specialize in international economics, economics of education
or business economics.
Rhona Free is a professor of economics at Eastern Connecticut State University.
She says the admission process looks at a student's potential.
"We don't exclude students with weak backgrounds in any area because we
find that many of our best students don't flourish as students until they
get to college," she says. "As long as they have good analytical abilities,
we can teach them anything else they need."
Most economics students receive the same broad introduction to the subject. Microeconomic
theory, for example, will teach you how prices are determined and how
scarce resources can be shared to meet competing needs.
You'll learn macroeconomic theory, too. That deals with employment,
unemployment and inflation, among other topics.
Students planning to major in economics should explore a wide range
of activities. Math and science courses are very important.
But economics is a diverse field. So if possible, you should try to discover
in advance just where your interests lie. Also, think of which industry you'd
like to work in so you can determine what economics specialization to choose.
James Barbour is an associate professor of economics at Elon University.
He says high school students should concentrate their studies on math,
English and history -- in that order.
Some high schools offer economics classes. But Barbour says that most universities
are not concerned about whether students have taken economics in high school.
Introductory university courses will teach you the basics.
Computer literacy is not required. But it is a bonus.
Links
Occupational Outlook Handbook
For more information related to this field of study, see: Economists
Resources for Economists on the Internet
Heaps of links and practical info for students and professionals
Great Economists and Their Times
Explore the ideas of some of the great minds that have shaped
the field