How do you develop a course of study and career path?

Now, how do you develop a course of study and career path? You do this through coursework, internships and employment. During your first two years, you take principles of micro, macroeconomics and a statistics course. Should you take any mathematics? My rule of thumb is, if you think there is any possibility of pursuing a doctorate in economics, take calculus, linear algebra and differential equations. Although these first two years might seem dry, I can assure you that during your junior and senior years, the coursework becomes much more enjoyable, although, that is after you take intermediate micro and macroeconomics. Even though they are abstract, these courses provide an important foundation for the field courses or advanced topic courses that you will take. Because of its methodological and statistical skills, one of the most useful courses in economics is econometrics. Most programs do not require it, but if you choose to take this course, employers will drool over you.

The most enjoyable courses are your field and advanced courses. Field courses focus on specific areas of economics, such as labor, public finance, industrial organization, and money and banking, applying the analytical and statistical frameworks developed in your "core" courses. Many departments offer advanced-topics courses/seminars. These courses typically have small enrollments and their content is even narrower in scope than field courses. Along with focusing on "real" world topics, these advanced topic courses typically offer students the opportunity to write research papers, providing you with excellent analytical and empirical writing samples for the job market.

If you choose, you may complete your major at this point, but a small fraction of your classmates will continue and write a senior thesis. Participation is low because of the perception that you only write a thesis, if you are enrolling into a doctoral program. The typical thesis student I advise does not enroll directly into a doctoral program. Yet, he/she finds the experience quite useful. It serves as a capstone experience to one's college career. It sharpens your analytical and research skills, and it serves as an excellent source of conversation during job interviews.

While developing your theoretical and quantitative skills in class is important, Dr. Margaret Simms, vice president for Research at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, reminds us that "the demands of translating theory into practice are best understood through experience and the knack for doing policy is not always a skill taught in academic settings." A variety of venues exist outside class in which you can master your classroom coursework.

Typically, during the summer after your sophomore year, employers will begin to feel that you meet the qualifications for their internships and research analyst positions. These are wonderful opportunities to reinforce what you learned during the school year and provide you with the opportunity to see economists in action. The positions expose you to potential thesis topics. Most important, internship and research analyst positions place you in environments in which you can begin to develop a network of professionals who will be advocates for your success.

How do you make this all happen?

First, start with your Economics Department. Most departments have handbooks that describe the major's requirements, the faculty and their interests. Some may provide sample courses of study for particular career objectives and a description of the jobs and salaries of recent graduates. Also, once you declare economics as your major, you should be assigned an advisor. At some institutions, you may have to actively find an advisor. Professor Mason describes the ideal advisor as "someone who is genuinely interested in promoting your professional and personal development." He or she needs to be able to give you advice and suggestions on which courses to take and their timing, leads on summer job opportunities, and general career guidance. He or she doesn't necessarily have to be a mentor, but a true advocate for your success.

Join your department's economics club. If you don't have one, then start your own. Activities can range from invited speakers, group discussions, and dinners to review sessions and tutoring. Also, join Omicron Delta Epsilon (ODE), the profession's Honor Society. Picking a career in economics can be a daunting task,