How do I know if I want to Major in Finance or Economics?

Choosing if a finance or economics major is right for you can be challenging. Finance is for you if you are interested in the economy and financial markets, corporate finance, commercial real estate, banking and insurance, financial management in government and/or non-profits, and graduate work in Law or an MBA (Master of Business Administration) program. In the School of Business, the undergraduate major in Finance provides students with a background of knowledge and a set of skills to enable them to perform successfully in finance-related fields. These fields reflect both global and domestic dimensions and they include corporate or business finance, financial management in government and not-for-profit organizations, financial planning, investments, banking, insurance, real estate, and public accounting. Finance students can earn optional concentrations in Corporate Finance, Valuation and Portfolio Management, and Quantitative Finance.  

As a Finance major, you will take classes like: Investments and Security Analysis, Fixed Income Securities, Financial Derivatives and Risk Management, and Global Financial Management.  

Students interested in Finance are recommended to consider experiential learning to explore the Finance field in practice. Learn more about the Finance major by contacting a TME Mentor who majors in Finance. Advising appointments with School of Business counselors and peers are offered in person and virtual, and can be drop in. Feel free to call (860-486-2315) or email (undergrad.business@uconn.edu) the School of Business anytime with questions or to check advisor availability.  

The Economics major is part of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. A student majoring in economics will understand how the world works by learning how people, businesses, governments, and even families, schools, and charitable organizations make decisions with limited resources. Economics students will understand how to make the world a better place to live by finding effective solutions to many social problems the world faces: unemployment, inflation, poverty, pollution, health care, human rights, and gender and racial inequality. Students will gain a working competence in several of the specialized and applied fields. Examples of such fields are industrial organization, law and economics, money and banking, international trade and finance, public finance, labor economics, health economics, urban and regional economics, and economic development.  

Interested students can consider taking economic classes like ECON 1201 (Microeconomics) and ECON 1202 (Macroeconomics). Check out the Department of Economics advising page to schedule a meeting with an advisor who can discuss the economics major. Feel free to send an email to economics@uconn.edu with any concerns and visit the Department at Oak Hall 309. 

By Christopher McAuliffe
Christopher McAuliffe