Study the motivations and incentives that shape society, while developing analytical and quantitative skills.
Colgate’s economics majors explore decision-making by consumers and firms, appreciate the function and role of markets, and evaluate the costs and benefits of public policy. Our graduates regularly achieve successful careers in finance, consulting, law, business, and public administration. Recent graduates have gone on to pursue PhDs in economics and related fields from top universities including MIT, Yale, Cornell, and UT Austin.
Colgate employs over 20 research-active faculty members and is ranked among the Top 10 Economics Departments at liberal arts colleges. This affords students the opportunity to learn from and work with leading economic experts at the cutting edge of a a diverse set of fields. Students benefit from working relationships with faculty through active engagement in research and advanced scholarship, sometimes co-authoring journal articles with their professors.
Our students have several opportunities to apply their learning beyond the classroom.
- The Fed Challenge is a national competition in which students propose monetary policy recommendations to a panel of Federal Reserve economists.
- The university offers numerous study abroad opportunities including the London Economics Study Group led annually by Colgate Economics faculty.
- The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program trains students to provide tax assistance to local families.
- Students seeking independent research can do so via the department's honors program, the university's James Madison Fellowship, or by partnering with faculty on a summer research project.
- The Lampert Institute for Civic and Global Affairs affords students interested in policy with an opportunity to connect to expert practitioners.
Incoming first year students interested in studying economics should consult with the Economics department catalog page and our FAQs.
Current students wishing to seek transfer credit in Economics during the summer or on approved programs should consult this transfer credit information sheet.
The department offers the following programs:
Learn about both required and elective courses available to Colgate students in various economics programs.
Colgate’s economics department ranks in the top 10 for US Economics Departments at Liberal Arts Colleges according to IDEAS/RePEc.
The economics departments at Colgate University and Hamilton College collaborate to host a compelling series of lectures by visiting scholars.
Each year, a group of three to five Colgate juniors and seniors in economics compete in the College Fed Challenge, a national competition involving presentations and proposals given to a panel of judges, including economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
Economics department professors take turns leading a group of Colgate’s economics students to London each year in the signature London Economics Study Group. Many economics students also study off campus through other programs.
The Economics Department is a large and very busy department so there's always something happening there. Keep up on the latest news and events going on.