The Program

The Economics program at Mount Allison is built around a core of courses in mathematics, statistics, and economic theory. The core is designed to prepare students for further work in economics at the post-graduate level. The Department also offers a variety of field courses which cover important areas of economics. These field courses are generally open to students who have completed the introductory Principles course and who have an interest in an in-depth examination of an applied area such as environmental economics, international economics, health economics, Canadian public policy, law and economics, financial markets, etc. The goal of the field courses is to allow students from all disciplines to deepen their knowledge in a particular area of economic inquiry.

In addition to work within the discipline, the Economics Department has tried to maintain close links with a number of other departments on campus, especially with Commerce, Political Science, Mathematics, Philosophy, Geography, and Sociology /Anthropology. Students are encouraged to develop an interdisciplinary perspective which incorporates analytical tools from a variety of disciplines. Particular emphasis is placed on the importance of systematically combining values (ethics and political philosophy), logical reasoning (logic, mathematics, and economic theory), and empirical evidence (statistics and computer modeling) to produce critical analysis of policy proposals in business, government, and the non-profit sector. The Department also contributes to interdisciplinary programs in Canadian Studies, Environmental Studies, and International Relations.