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The mission of the Department of Economics at Northeastern University is to provide, through both teaching and research, a better understanding of the global, national and local economic issues that will confront our society now and in the future.  

The department’s teaching mission is to offer rigorous undergraduate and graduate degree programs with emphasis on the relationship of theory to practice, use of hands-on research assignments, and the use of state-of-the-art educational technology. It places a particularly strong emphasis on students, incorporating independent learning experiences, extensive student-professor interaction, and the maintenance of a friendly, supportive environment for all students. The basic objectives of our degree programs are:

  • to provide our students with appropriate analytical skills to lay the groundwork for lifelong learning;
  • to enable our students to become policy-literate and thus be more informed as citizens;
  • to encourage the use of experiential learning, including cooperative education, as a means to introduce students to the world of work, reinforce classroom teaching, and assist in the development and advancement of career goals;
  • to prepare our students for successful careers as applied economists; and
  • to prepare our undergraduate students for graduate training in economics, law and business administration.

The department’s research mission is to develop an environment conducive to promoting high-quality applied research. Applied research is work that informs policy at the global, national or local level, or that is useful in the conduct of business, or the administration of government or non-profit activities. A related objective and natural outcome of our research effort is to incorporate both graduate and undergraduate students into the process.