College of Social and Behavioral Sciences - Department of Economics

Economics is a social and behavioral science discipline that uses the scientific method from the natural and mathematics disciplines and its own unique perspective on how markets work to understand human rational decision making under constraints. The economics program at Minnesota State University, Mankato is taught by faculty members with varied and different interests, including: international trade, financial economics, industrial organization, environmental economics, sports economics, labor economics, public finance, international finance, and econometrics. **Mission** Citizens in a democracy need to have the ability to understand, evaluate, and explain domestic and international developments in the ever-changing world as these events impact their lives. To meet this need, the Department of Economics has as its mission: 1. To provide the students with the basic tools of economic analysis to enable them to understand and evaluate economic problems and policies and acquire economic literacy. 2. To equip students with useful skills for a wide variety of careers in such areas as business, civil service, and teaching, as well as provide the necessary prerequisites for graduate education in economics, business and law. 3. To promote and encourage high quality teaching with emphasis on undergraduate education of our majors and minors, students with other majors, and of students seeking general education. the department's faculty is also committed to provide high quality teaching in support of the MBA program and in conjunction with other graduate programs in social sciences. 4. To maintain and promote a broad spectrum of intellectual contributions in support of our high quality teaching. 5. To provide service to the university and the community and to area teachers through the Center for Economic Education. 6. To serve the rural communities of Minnesota in cooperation with the Center for Rural Development and Policy.