Bachelor's in Business Economics Concentration

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Fordham University

Program Overview

The Business Economics concentration at Fordham University combines economic theory with practical business applications, helping students understand how markets, companies, and economies influence business decisions. It is ideal for students interested in finance, economic analysis, consulting, or business strategy who want to strengthen their analytical skills while gaining a broad business education.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students build a foundation in business, economics, mathematics, and communication through the Gabelli School's integrated business and liberal arts curriculum. Introductory economics and quantitative coursework prepare them to understand how businesses operate and how economic forces influence markets.

Year 2: Students strengthen their understanding of accounting, management, and economic decision-making through the business core. They begin developing the analytical foundation needed for advanced economics courses, including the study of consumer behaviour, business activity, and market structures.

Year 3: Students move into specialised economics coursework, including ECON 3010 Intermediate Microeconomics and ECON 3020 Intermediate Macroeconomics. These courses help them understand individual and firm-level decisions, national economic performance, monetary policy, and the wider forces influencing business environments.

Year 4: Students complete two additional 3000-level or higher economics courses, with options in areas such as monetary and financial economics, international economics and development, economics of law, industrial economics, and public sector economics. This advanced study allows students to develop a stronger understanding of economic issues relevant to business, finance, and policy.

Note: Fordham does not prescribe a fixed year-by-year sequence for the concentration. The progression above is a suggested academic pathway based on the official requirements.

Focus Areas

Business Economics, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Monetary Economics, Financial Economics, International Economics, Economic Development, Industrial Economics, Public Sector Economics, Economic Policy, Market Analysis, Business Decision-Making, Financial Markets.

Learning Outcomes

Students develop economic reasoning, quantitative analysis, critical thinking, market evaluation, financial and economic decision-making, understanding of monetary and fiscal policy, business problem-solving, and the ability to apply economic concepts to commercial and organisational challenges.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

The Gabelli School of Business is accredited by AACSB International. This accreditation provides a recognised quality benchmark for business education and supports the academic foundation students build through the Business Economics concentration.

Reputation (Employability Rankings)

Fordham's Gabelli School of Business was ranked No. 29 among undergraduate business schools overall by Poets&Quants for 2026. Fordham also reports that 98% of its undergraduate Class of 2025 secured employment, graduate education, military service, or a service-program placement within six months of graduation, with a median starting salary of $83,750. These figures represent the overall undergraduate business school, not Business Economics students alone.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students develop practical analytical skills by connecting economic concepts with real business and financial situations. The concentration allows students to explore areas such as financial markets, international economics, and economic policy, while Gabelli's integrated business curriculum uses hands-on scenarios to help students understand how organisations approach complex decisions.

Students can strengthen their practical experience through:

Economic analysis: Intermediate Microeconomics and Intermediate Macroeconomics help students examine market behaviour, business decisions, economic growth, inflation, and unemployment.
Financial markets: Students can explore upper-level subjects such as Financial Markets, Issues in Financial Markets, International Finance, and Emerging Financial Markets.
Monetary and banking knowledge: Money and Banking introduces the banking system, money and credit creation, and the role of the Federal Reserve.
Business decision-making: Managerial Economics provides a framework for applying economic theory to management and business decisions.
Applied economic research: Upper-level economics coursework allows students to explore industrial economics, international development, economics of law, and public sector economics.
Integrated business learning: Gabelli's core curriculum includes hands-on scenarios that reflect real-world business challenges and develop teamwork, creative problem-solving, and communication.
Internship opportunities: Fordham's New York City location provides access to employers across finance, consulting, and business. Gabelli reports that 97% of its Class of 2024 held at least one internship during their studies.
Career development: Students can access career advising, professional development, and employer engagement through Gabelli's career resources.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Business Economics concentration prepares students to apply economic reasoning to business, financial, and organisational decisions. Graduates can explore careers in financial analysis, economic research, consulting, banking, and market evaluation, while the concentration also provides a useful academic foundation for postgraduate business or economics studies.

Typical career roles: Financial Analyst, Economic Research Analyst, Business Analyst, Management Consultant.

Additional career and progression opportunities include:

Career support: Gabelli's career services provide career development guidance, internship preparation, and opportunities to connect with employers.
Employment outcomes: Fordham reports that 98% of its undergraduate Class of 2025 was placed in employment, graduate education, military service, or service programs within six months. The reported median starting salary was $83,750; these figures are school-wide rather than concentration-specific.
Industry connections: Gabelli undergraduates have joined organisations such as Bank of America, BNY Mellon, Citigroup, Deloitte, EY, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, KPMG, Morgan Stanley, PwC, and UBS.
Professional recognition: AACSB accreditation at the Gabelli School level provides an established quality benchmark for business education.
Academic preparation: Microeconomic theory and macroeconomic analysis are relevant foundations for graduate business programs, while economics coursework can also support preparation for law school.
Career flexibility: Economics graduates may explore finance, accounting, business analysis, international affairs, public-sector work, and economic policy, depending on their additional coursework and experience.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the Business Administration degree with a Business Economics concentration, students may consider an MBA, master's degree in economics, finance, business analytics, or international economics. The concentration's emphasis on microeconomic theory and macroeconomic analysis can also provide a useful foundation for students planning to pursue advanced business education or law school.