ECONOMICS (BA)

 

Mission Statement

The Department of Economics and Geography is committed to the delivery of exceptional undergraduate and graduate instruction by faculty members who are both actively engaged in scholarly activities and capable of integrating the results of their research into their instructional activities.  Our intent is that this instruction will emphasize our role in guiding students to prepare them to be intellectual resources that will continually redevelop to serve many organizations over a productive career.  We also recognize our responsibility to provide economics related service to the University and Jacksonville communities.

 

Student Learning Outcomes

Pursuant to this mission, the economics program shares seven core learning objectives common to all majors within the Bachelor of Business Administration degree in the Coggin College of Business. These are listed below, with modifications specific to economics majors shown in bold.

1. Coggin College of Business students majoring in Economics will communicate effectively in written, oral and electronic formats.
   
   
2. Coggin College of Business students majoring in Economics will identify and propose alternatives to reconciling ethical issues in decision-making.
   
   
3. Coggin College of Business students majoring in Economics will understand the global economy and recognize the impact of diverse socio-economic and cultural factors on business operations.
   
   
4. Coggin College of Business students majoring in Economics will utilize technology to enhance decision-making skills and improve productivity.
   
   
5. Coggin College of Business students majoring in Economics will demonstrate the ability to think critically to identify problems, and propose alternatives to these problems.
   
   
6. Coggin College of Business students majoring in Economics will acquire knowledge in the major functional areas of business and understand the interrelationships among them. 
   
   
7. Coggin College of Business students majoring in Economics successfully completing their program of study will demonstrate the following content knowledge and skills specific to their major.

Content/Discipline Knowledge and Skills

• Demonstrate the understanding of economic data
  
  
• Demonstrate understanding of econometric theory, tools, and methodology
  
  
• Demonstrate the ability to analyze data using appropriate econometric techniques
  
  
• Demonstrate understanding of the tools of macroeconomic analysis
  
  
• Demonstrate understanding of major macroeconomic indicators
  
  
• Demonstrate understanding of major macroeconomic models
  
  
• Demonstrate understanding of how macroeconomic variables and policy relate to business
  
  
• Demonstrate the ability to use the tools of microeconomic analysis
  
  
• Demonstrate understanding of  product and resource market models
  
  
• Demonstrate the ability to analyze social problems employing microeconomic analysis
  
  
• Demonstrate understanding of how microeconomic variables and policy relate to business

 

Critical Thinking Skills
Students will demonstrate these analytical decision-making skills as follows:  

• by critically interpreting and manipulating economic data at a basic level through the use of regression analysis and other statistical techniques.
  
  
• by applying key economic concepts, theories, and principles through broadly assessing the costs and benefits of an economic policy issue.
  
  
• by improving their personal test scores on the Test of Understanding of College Economics (TUCE) from the beginning of their first course until the end of their degree program.

   

Communication Skills
Students will demonstrate communications skills as follows:

• through preparation of a proposal for a research project, or conducting an individual or group research study and presenting the results in a polished paper
  
  
• through in-class presentations in at least one of their upper division economics classes.
  
  
  



Curriculum Map


Click on the image below to see in which Economic courses these Student Learning Outcomes are addressed:

Click Here to See the Economics Curriculum Map

Assessment Approaches

Oral communication (objective 1) will be assessed by the average student performance while delivering an individual speech during SPC 4064 (Public Speaking for Professionals), using a standardized, anchored grading rubric for all students.

International business knowledge (objective 3) will be assessed by the average student score on the international business assessment indicator (sub-score) of the Major Field Test in Business from the Educational Testing Service (ETS), which will be administered in each student’s last term in their program of study.

Use of technology (objective 4) will be assessed by the average student score on questions developed by Coggin College Information Systems Management (ISM) faculty, and administered at the beginning and end of the term as each student completes ISM 4011 (Introduction to Management Information Systems). 

Critical thinking (objective 5) will be assessed by the average student score on a standardized critical thinking instrument (e.g., the Watson-Glazer Critical Thinking Appraisal), which will be administered as part of an upper division course required of all majors (e.g., MAN 3504 – Production / Operations & Logistics Management). 

Content knowledge in the functional areas of business (objective 6) will be assessed through the Major Field Test in Business from ETS, and administered in each student’s last term.  Content knowledge will be measured by the average overall student score, as well as the average student score on each of eight assessment indicators (or sub-scores), including accounting, economics, management, quantitative analysis, finance, marketing, legal / social environment, and information systems.

Knowledge specific to the major (objective 7) will be assessed by the average score of all Economics majors graduating each term on the Economics assessment indicator (sub-score) of the Major Field Test in Business from ETS.  In addition, advanced Economics questions developed by the Coggin College Economics faculty will be administered via course-embedded instruments in the required courses within the major, or appended to the Major Field Test in Business taken in the student’s last term.  The average score on these questions will be used for assessment of knowledge specific to the major.

Additional assessment approaches are in development, and those noted above are subject to revision as deemed appropriate.

 

Career Opportunities

 

For information on the many career options available to Economics majors, go to What Can You Do with an Economics Major at:

 

http://www.unf.edu/dept/cdc/majors/economics.html

 

For More Information

 

To learn more about the UNF Economics Department and majoring in Economics, go to http://www.unf.edu/coggin/econgeo/economics-ba.htm

 

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