how do you feel about majoring in economics?

Answer 1

Well I'm an econ major in my last year and it's alright. I can't really compare it to other majors cause I haven't switched or anything. It can be boring at times, and sometimes too theory based. The difficulty is moderate - the reading isn't as extensive as a science major

I guess the pros are it's mildly interesting, and is helpful toward knowing about the economy. It also serves as a background if you ever want to get into finance

As for job prospects, most Wall Street style places accept econ majors as well as finance majors. You'll probably need a masters or PhD if you want to become an actual economist

Answer 2

I'd mostly second what the previous poster said. However, I'd also add this:

It really depends on where you study.

I'm a second year political science major at the University of Chicago picking up an Econ double to try to be more credible afterward, and also because the social elements are really interesting to me.

I can tell you that here the econ program is very much like a specialized mathematics degree rather than a social science. It's theoretical, NOT AT ALL oriented toward job training (but that's a trait shared by all programs of study at the U of C), and again, very math-oriented. Familiarity with multi-variable calculus is required from day one.

Couple of things to think about:

An econ undergrad degree does not make you an economics researcher. That takes grad school. If you want to go that far, be a math major, or do a whole lot of extra math beyond what's required for your degree program. The U of C offers a "Math Major with Specialization in Economics" that is really designed for people who want to dedicate their lives to economics research. Econ grad school is all about getting more math under your belt, from everything I'm told.

Also, when you say economics, do you mean:

Finance? (as in, go work for JP Morgan)
MBA? (Go be VP of Marketing for some corporation)
Public Policy? (Work for DHHS)
Accounting?

etc?

A lot of folks come into economics thinking "oh, that's the one with money." Make sure you scratch your head a bit and figure out if that's really what you want.

Good luck figuring it all out!

Answer 3

Your major doesn't matter, unless it is engineering, pre-med, or pre-law. When you get a job after graduation, you will most likely find out that your co-workers who do the same job you do have degrees in all kinds of things from Accounting to Zoology.

What may set you apart from other new entrants is specific skills that are somewhat easier to acquire if you major in economics, such as SAS programming.

If you want to become a professional economist though, be prepared to get a Ph.D.

Answer 4

not so good if you're just getting a bachelors
good if you're planning to go to grad school

Answer 5

I have to agree with Moo.