Bachelor of Science in Economics

Move Ahead in Your Profession with an Online Degree in Economics

Reducing costs, being sustainable, and performing effectively — these are all issues that many business and organizations face today. Thus, there is an increasing need for professionals with strong analytical and problem-solving skills that can help make their organizations more efficient.

A degree in economics can provide you with the knowledge necessary to view and describe society and organizations from an analytical perspective. Economics is the social science that aims to understand human behavior not only by using psychology or sociology, but also by studying society through mathematics and statistics. The curriculum of this program is designed to teach you to think critically and analytically in order to make or recommend decisions, allocate resources, and solve complex issues. 

In this program, you will have the opportunity to study with highly regarded faculty from Penn State's College of the Liberal Arts, one of the premier institutions in the world to study and work in the liberal arts disciplines. This degree can provide you with the knowledge about mathematical models and statistical techniques and an understanding about how incentives affect human behavior, markets, and economies, so you can design solutions that utilize resources effectively and lead to the most optimal outcomes.

Career Opportunities for Economics Graduates

With your bachelor of science degree in economics, you could obtain a position requiring you to perform such tasks as the following:

• understand and forecast market trends to predict how they will impact your business
• determine pricing policies for products in order to maximize your organization’s profits
• evaluate the impact of the economic environment on the bottom line of any organization
• advise and make recommendations to management about key strategic decisions
• collect and analyze data using spreadsheets, statistical software, and computer programs to understand preferences and design incentives

In addition to an entry-level position as an economist, other job opportunities for graduates of this program include:

• financial examiner
• financial analyst
• financial adviser
• market research analyst
• operations research analyst
• statisticians
• financial, securities, and commodities sales agents

Who Should Apply?

You could be an ideal candidate for this program if you have a strong analytical or programming background, and are accustomed to using numerical data to describe and understand many situations. The curriculum of the bachelor of science degree places a strong emphasis on mathematics, statistics, and programming; the most successful candidates will be those who are passionate about quantitative analysis.

Consider Your Future

The Bachelor of Science in Economics can offer you excellent preparation for your graduate studies in economics or business, such as our online Master of Business Administration (iMBA).

Choose Your Career Path in Economics

We offer both a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science in Economics. Both programs offer a strong economics foundation, but your choice may depend on your preference for quantitative or qualitative analysis.

• The Bachelor of Science in Economics can help you develop solid analytical skills, especially in mathematic theory, research, and computer programming. It can provide you with the strong quantitative knowledge necessary to represent and interpret individual and group behavior through numerical concepts and models. The main benefit of the bachelor of science is its advanced focus on mathematics and statistics.
• The Bachelor of Arts in Economics program is best suited for you if you want to focus on the qualitative aspect of economics. The program places a stronger emphasis on social behavior, culture, international relations, and foreign languages to prepare you for work in national or international organizations.

Online Education at Penn State

Penn State has a history of 100+ years of distance education and more than a decade of experience in online learning. We create an online learning environment that offers you the same quality education our residential students experience in a face-to-face setting. Learn more about Penn State World Campus.