Economics

Economics at Trinity

Economics is an exciting social science! At Trinity, it will give you a way of looking at and analyzing the world around you from both a theoretical and a practical perspective.  That means that rather than studying a set of settled conclusions in our courses, we invite you to participate in debate to explore the range of possible outcomes and positions. The world is our laboratory, and some of the big debates of the day are our questions:

• Will loose monetary policy spark economic growth or fan the fires of inflation?
• Will a public option in the health insurance market increase market competition or increase market concentration?
• Is the underrepresentation of women in STEM driven by established social norms about women in science or a general distaste for competitive environments?
• Does disinvestment from fossil fuel stocks reduce portfolio performance?
• How should we design markets or other institutions, such as the auction for spectrum broadcasting licenses or the process matching new physicians to residency programs?
• How does the structure of institutions, such as the legal system, the Federal Reserve, or the World Trade Organization, affect policy or regulatory outcomes?
• Does globalization exacerbate inequality in the world?
• Does everyone share in the economic benefits of increased international trade?
• And does greater government participation in investment in public goods encourage or discourage private business investment?

Even within sub-fields of Economics there is significant debate about how we should be responding to and answering these types of questions. This is part of what makes economics so intriguing.

The Economics Department at Trinity College is vibrant and diverse in terms of faculty ethnicity, research focus, teaching interests, methodological perspectives, and empirical approaches. Our faculty are active across campus serving as faculty liaisons for athletic teams, participating in faculty governance, supervising honors theses, instructing first year seminar courses, and often winning teaching awards. It is precisely this diversity that allows our faculty to successfully facilitate these debates within our courses.

What our graduates are saying: 

• “Since econometrics is my favorite topic in economics, I was delighted to see yet another econometric study and learn how to take it apart and analyze its results.”
• “I believe ECON431 was crucial to my success in all of my classes this semester and will continue to be, because it taught me how to write and research succinctly.”
• “In terms of different skills, I could put on my resume, I can now mention I have experience in data analysis and econometrics, as well as complex problem solving.”
• “This course has sharpened my critical reading skills.”

Where do our graduates end up?   

• Masters Programs (Economics, Business Analytics, and Public Policy)
• Doctoral Programs
• Law School
• Financial Services (e.g., Deutsche Bank, Citi, J.P. Morgan, Goldman Sachs)
• Insurance (e.g., Travelers, Hartford HealthCare)
• Technology (e.g., Microsoft, Amazon)
• Hospitality (e.g., Uber, Fenway Sports)
• Non-Profits (e.g., Immigration Center for Women and Children, Peace Corps)
• Marketing (e.g., Prosek Partners, McNeil, Gray & Rice)
• Commercial Real Estate (e.g., Hunneman, George Comfort & Sons, Inc., Cushman & Wakefield)