Markets are the primary means of economic interaction among the earth's inhabitants.
The study of markets for labor, land, and capital, the understanding of economic systems, the analysis of current issues, insight into management processes, these are the subject matters of Lafayette's economic and business curriculum. Economics and business is the largest of Lafayette's academic programs. Well-qualified students are encouraged to conduct independent study and honors research. The department offers a major, a minor, a joint major with the mathematics department, and a joint major with the department of foreign languages. All economics and business majors become proficient with spreadsheets and with an econometric package, and many students learn other econometric and analytical software.