The Political Economy program offers students a rigorous and coherent program of study that explores the intersection between politics and economics. Although politics and economics are now distinct disciplines, the interdependence of these two arenas of human activity, each so very consequential to human well-being, has been understood since Plato and explored by, among others, Aristotle, John Locke, Adam Smith, and Karl Marx, Ludwig von Mises, Friedrich Hayek, and Milton Friedman.
This intersection is evident in most political issues and problems. The organization of economic life raises moral and practical questions about justice, liberty, equality, the legitimate scope of political power, and politics itself that the discipline of economics cannot, by itself, answer. Similarly, political life confronts practical questions concerning efficiency, distribution of wealth, and the preconditions of sustainability and prosperity that politic science cannot, by itself, answer.
The core curriculum of the Political Economy program involves majors in economic theory, political philosophy, public policy, and international economics. Each major then chooses whether the remaining courses will focus on political philosophy, public policy, history, or international studies.
A total of 12 courses (48 credits) as follows:
1. Economics 100 and 323; either economics 201 or 202
2. International studies 311
3. Political science 110, 205, 218, 314.
4. Political economy 486
5. Tracks (choose one):
A. Global Track
Three electives (two of which must be outside of economics) from economics 310, 312; International studies 220, 221, 263, 382, 340, 341, 451
B. Historical Track
Three electives from economics 339; Greek and Roman studies 270; History 255, 256, 351, 352, 436, 439
C. Philosophical Track
Philosophy 301 and two electives (one of which must be outside of political science) from English 265 (literature and economics); Philosophy 255, 303, 355; Political Science 212, 214, 230, 411.
D. Policy Track
Either Economics 290 or Political Science 270. Two electives from Economics 305, 310, 420; Political Science 209, 280, 305, 320, 370, 470; Psychology 309.