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 Political Economy Major

 

The political economy major aims to promote sustained reflection on the interrelations of political and economic activities and institutions. It provides undergraduate students with the basic skills of economic analysis. The major is also based firmly on the view that the study of the interrelations of politics and economics has a rich humanistic tradition and that its pursuit can encourage sustained reflection on fundamental values. Political economy is an interdisciplinary major built on a core of eight required courses and five additional courses drawn from economics, political science, history and philosophy.

This major is designed to avoid the sometimes excessive specialization that characterizes more traditional undergraduate majors. While providing students basic skills of economic analysis, the political economy major at Tulane is distinctively based on the view that technical economic analysis should not be divorced from a broader concern for understanding the moral and historical foundations of economic institutions and political structures.

The requirements of the political economy major include the following core of eight courses:

  • ECON 1010 - Introductory Microeconomics
  • ECON 1020 - Introductory Macroeconomics
  • ECON 3010 - Intermediate Microeconomics
  • PECN 3010 - Introduction to Political Economy
  • PECN 3020 - Political Economy: An Historical Overview
  • PECN 3030 - The Individual, Society, and State
  • PECN 3040 - Comparative and International Political Economy
  • PECN 6000 - Majors Seminar (Capstone)

The total number of required credits in the core is 24.

The major also requires five electives chosen from an interdepartmental list of courses grouped according to the following four alternative concentrations. The required Political Economy 3010-3040 sequence has been designed to introduce students to the prominent and common concerns of the three tracks. Studies along one of these concentrations provides a focus within the major. Each major's selection of a concentration is made in consultation with the Associate Director, who serves as the faculty adviser for all majors.

Political Economy Concentrations

Law, Economics, and Policy Track

Two of the following:
Three of the following:
  • HISU 2600 - The History of Early American Law
  • HISU 6270 - Intellectual History of Capitalism
  • HISU 6911 U.S. Capitalism and U.S. Culture
  • PHIL 3560 - Social and Political Ethics
  • PHIL 3640 - Philosophy of Law
  • PHIL 6510 - Theories of Economic Justice
  • PECN 4010 Constitutionalism: Ancient Athens to Present
  • PECN 4040 - Democracy, Capitalism, and Free Speech
  • PECN 4140 - Theories of Distributive Justice
  • POLA 3240 - Public Policy
  • POLA 4180 - American Political Culture
  • POLA 4230 - Environmental Politics and Policy
  • POLA 4250 - Power and Poverty in America
  • POLA 4270 - Constitutional Law
  • POLA 4800 - Science, Technology, and Public Policy
  • POLA 6290 - Judicial Process

Moral and Historical Perspectives Track

Two of the following:
Three of the following:
  • HISU 2600 History of Early American Law
  • HISU 3840 Popular Culture & the Rise of Consumerism
  • HISU 4580 Slavery & Freedom in the Antebellum South
  • HISU 6270 Intellectual History of Capitalism
  • HISU 6911 U.S. Capitalism & U.S. Culture
  • PHIL 3560 Social and Political Ethics
  • PHIL 3640 Philosophy of Law
  • PHIL 6040 Philosophy of Law
  • PHIL 6510 Theories of Economic Justice
  • PHIL 6740 Contemporary Political Philosophy
  • PECN 4010 Constitutionalism: Ancient Athens to Present
  • PECN 4040 Democracy, Capitalism, & Free Speech
  • PECN 4140 Theories of Distributive Justice
  • PECN 4300 Behavioral Economics & Public Policy
  • PECN4970/4980 Special Topics in Political Economy
  • POLT 3820 Contemporary Political Ideas
  • POLA 4180 American Political Culture
  • POLA 4270 Constitutional Law
  • POLT 4860 American Political Thought

International Perspectives Track

Two of the following:
Three of the following:
  • ECON 3330 - Environment and Natural Resources
  • ECON 3590 - Economic Development of Latin America
  • PHIL 6510 - Theories of Economic Justice
  • POLC 3410 - Politics and Nationalism
  • POLC 4030 - Comparative Political Economy of the Welfare State
  • POLI 3510 - Power, Morality and International Relations
  • POLI 3540 - International Political Economy
  • POLI 4620 - International Environmental Politics

Ecomomics and Public Policy Track

Required
  • ECON 3230 Economic Statistics and Regression
Two of the following
Two of the following

Additional Political Economy Courses

Internships and Honors Program

In the summer between junior and senior years, a political economy major may elect to participate in a summer internship. The Murphy Institute offers a limited number of grants in an open competition for political economy majors only. With consent of the Director, a student may pursue a degree with honors in political economy. A senior honors thesis is required.

Finally, it should be noted that undergraduate majors in political economy are invited to participate in various activities sponsored by the Murphy Institute. The Murphy Institute hosts prominent scholars and public figures in a series of annual lectures. Student majors are invited to all of these occasions, as well as to more informal meetings with our visitors.

The Murphy Institute sponsors semester and summer abroad programs in London and Cambridge. Further information on the political economy major may be obtained from the Associate Director.

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