Student taking notes on paper during class

Economics

Economics is the study of how society uses its scarce resources. The goal of the department is to promote an understanding of economic aspects of society and to develop each student's ability to reason about economic issues - that is, to provide a basis for intelligent, responsible participation in modern society. The major is comprised of eight, four credit Economics classes with accompanying course work in History and Mathematics. View more information about the major.

Getting to the Meat of the Matter

If you drive to Grinnell on Interstate 80, you might be inclined to think Iowa’s economy is heavily agriculture-based. Your eyes might deceive you, says Jack Mutti, professor emeritus of economics. In terms of actual production, the agricultural sector accounts for about five percent of Iowa’s GDP. Yet, agriculture is connected intimately with many other industries, including manufacturing. So, the impact of recent tariffs is bigger than some of the numbers might lead you to believe, especially because the tariffs most directly affect exports.

Grinnellians at Women in Economics Symposium 2018

Economics Symposium Showcases Female Leaders in the Field

“It is important that young women who are pursuing degrees in economics hear from women in the field about opportunities and challenges,” said Mary Suiter, the St. Louis Fed’s economic education officer and an assistant vice president. “And it is crucial that these young women bring their perspectives, ideas, and talents to a profession that is still largely dominated by men.”

Expert Discussed DNA Databases, Deterrence and Detection of Offenders

Jen Doleac, director of Justice Tech Lab, discussed how collecting offender DNA profiles affects offenders’ later recidivism and likelihood of getting caught.

people adding items to a giant recycle bin

Because Econ Is Awesome

Cora Touchstone ’19, a transfer student from Georgia, lights up when asked what she likes about econ. “It's awesome,” she says with a grin. “It’s this cool dynamic — a social science infused with STEM that allows you to create mathematical models of society.”

illustration of people working with giant gears

To Combine Disciplines

Pranjal Drall ’20, from New Delhi, India, was into physics and math when he first stepped on campus. But he was also interested in public policy, so during the second semester of his first year, Drall took Intro to Economics.

illustration of money and a bar graph going up

Investing, Investing, Investing

Henry Gray ’20 wakes up thinking about investing and goes to sleep thinking about investing. Since high school, he knew he’d major in economics. But one of the ways he learned about Grinnell was through reading about Warren Buffett, the legendary investor and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway in Omaha, Nebraska.

What It’s Like to Do Research in Economics

If you’re thinking about studying economics, make sure you take a look at the economics seminars Grinnell offers. Not only do you have a wide range of topics to choose from — 2 are required for majors — but in each seminar, you’ll do a deep dive into a research project of your choice, with your professor right there beside you.

We checked in with 2 econ majors, recent grads, about their seminar research experiences.

Finding a Research Focus

Of the 8 different economics seminars offered during the 2017–18 school year, the Seminar in Economic Development, taught by Tamara McGavock, assistant professor of economics, was Duy Duong ’18’s first choice. “I've always been interested in global development issues,” he says. “How to frame that in an econ context is something that I'm particularly interested in.”

When Research Interests Overlap and Intersect

As an economics and political science double-major, Lucy Bales ’18 is “especially interested in the potential policy applications of economic theory.” She took Economics of Crime with Logan Lee, assistant professor of economics, and Law and Economics with Brad Graham, associate professor of economics.

Department Chair

Bradley Graham

grahambj@grinnell.edu

Department Information

Phone

(641) 269-4803

Fax

(641) 269-4985

Carnegie Hall
1210 Park St
Grinnell, IA 50112
United States