Public Policy Emphasis requires 51 semester hours. It combines courses from economics and political science to develop the skills and understanding necessary for many kinds of public policy related employment. Secondary Teacher Certification Emphasis requires 63 credits and prepares students for the State of Colorado certificate in social science education. Economics study at Western is focused on a practical and applied understanding of the world around us. Courses contain theoretical content but are geared toward understanding real issues and current problems.
Historical analysis is used to place current events within a context.
The Senior Capstone has been enormously successful. During their senior year, Economics majors are engaged in real world consulting for local private businesses or government agencies. Here they integrate and apply the knowledge they have attained from their previous course work to the resolution of a particular policy issue. Students are responsible for all aspects of project design, implementation and analyses. The result is usually a document filling a need for the local economy and provides the student with concrete evidence of their proficiency.