Economics, Bachelor's , Minor

At DeSales, we not only look at your past academic achievement but also your potential for future growth to determine your admission.

We find that students who have demonstrated significant achievement within a demanding curriculum are best suited for academic life at DeSales. Quality of academic performance plays a critical role in the admissions decision making process. This helps indicate a student's potential for academic growth going forward. We welcome applications from all qualified students regardless of race, religion, sex, national, or ethnic origin.

Application Checklist

• Application Fee: None
• Transcripts: Official High School Transcript
• Standardized Tests: Test-optional, however, an Admissions Interview may be requested
• Recommendations: Completed Guidance Counselor Form and Teacher Recommendation Form
• Please refer to the Program Specific Requirements section for any requirements specific to this program

All materials can be mailed to:
DeSales University Admissions Office
2755 Station Ave.
Center Valley, PA 

* SAT scores are highly recommended for students applying for the Nursing and Health Science programs. Please refer to the Program Specific Requirements section for any requirements specific to this program.

Additional recommendations

High School Academics - Remember, there is no single preferred high school academic program, but a college preparatory course of study is highly recommended. Here's an example:

• Four years of English
• Three or four years of college preparatory mathematics
• A minimum of two years of modern, foreign, or classical language
• At least two laboratory science courses

Visiting DeSales - A personal, on-campus interview is strongly recommended, but is not required. We encourage you to visit so that you'll have a chance to learn more about DeSales, and we'll have the opportunity to learn more about you, too.

Learn more about Undergraduate Admissions & Aid 

Studying Economics at DeSales is a mix of intense study, hands-on internship experiences, and learning from faculty with years of experience in various financial and business settings.

Your curriculum will include foundational business principles, focused economics coursework in your major, and your choice of electives to supplement core study.

Major specific courses include:   

• Economics of Public Issues
• Principles of Macroeconomics
• Principles of Microeconomics
• Money and Banking
• Financial Institutions and Markets
• Global Economic Issues
• Senior Seminars
• Marketing Research
• Data Analysis

Business Capstone
As seniors, all business majors are required to take a Business Capstone course that will feature a team service project, along with assessment tests, a research paper, and a final presentation.  The project will work to benefit a community organization in the Salesian spirit of DeSales.

Past projects included students partnering with:

• Engineers Without Borders (EWB)
• Futuros Empresarious (FE)
• Kiva
• Green Team
• Para Per 4 Mance
• Saint Peter’s Evangelical Church
• The Special Olympics
• Girls on the Run
• Mercy School for Special Learning (MSSL)
• Children's Dyslexia Center of Lehigh Valley

At DeSales, you'll learn from experienced faculty who have industry experience in a variety of organizations. Faculty bring real-life examples and innovative teaching techniques to create an exciting, hands-on learning environment.

The DeSales University Gambet Center includes state-of-the-art technology and equipment for Business education.

The second floor of the Center is home to the undergraduate business division and the MBA program. Through the Gambet Center, you'll have access to some of the most cutting-edge technologies and softwares, such as Financial Trading Systems (FTS): 

• The Fainor Center for Financial Services boasts a live-ticker and trading simulation software.
• The Center for Data Analytics and Applied AI provides education and training, inclusive outreach, and applied projects for our stakeholder organizations.

The Gambet Center is a showcase of green architecture featuring environmentally advanced design consistent with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification standards of the U.S. Green Building Council.

In addition to rigorous classroom instruction, you will also learn through hands-on experiences through internships. Experiential learning is a way for you to apply what you have learned, grow your skills, and make connections in your field.

Completing an internship is a great way to discover what type of business environment you prefer and can help inform your job search after graduation.

Our Career Development Center can provide resources to help you find an internship that's right for you.

DeSales can help make your college expenses affordable through a combination of grants, loans, student employment, and scholarship resources.

View a comprehensive list of financial aid forms and undergraduate program information sheets

Cost of attendance for undergrads for 2024-2025

Resident Students

Direct Costs
Tuition - $45,000
Room and Board - $13,800
Mandatory Fees - $1,800
One-time Orientation Fee for First-Year students and Transfers - $200
Total = $60,800 (including first-year/transfer fees)

Estimated Indirect Costs
Books/Supplies - $1,711
Personal Expenses - $4,605
Total cost for resident students: $67,116

Commuter Students

Direct Costs
Tuition - $45,000
Mandatory Fees - $1,400
One-time Orientation Fee for First-Year students and Transfers - $200
Total = $46,600 (including first-year/transfer fees)

Estimated Indirect Costs
Books/Supplies - $1,711
Personal Expenses - $4,605
Transportation Costs - $1,908
Living Expenses - $2,298
Total cost for commuter students: $57,122

Off-Campus*

Direct Costs
Tuition - $45,000
Mandatory Fees - $1,400
One-time Orientation Fee for First-Year students and Transfers - $200
Total = $46,600 (including first-year/transfer fees)

Estimated Indirect Costs
Books/Supplies - $1,711
Personal Expenses - $4,605
Transportation Costs - $1,908
Living Expenses - $9,192
Total cost for off-campus students: $64,016
*First-year students are required to reside on campus or commute from home.

Parking Fee - $100

View a comprehensive list of financial aid forms and undergraduate program information sheets

Dual Degree Undergraduate-to-Graduate Programs

If you are enrolled in an undergraduate-to-graduate degree program — for example a 5-year, 3+2, 3+3, program — the undergraduate tuition and fees apply only to the undergraduate portion of the program. As you progress into the graduate phase of your program, graduate tuition and fees apply. Please see your respective graduate program for more information. 

Studying Economics at DeSales is a mix of intense study, hands-on internship experiences, and learning from faculty with years of experience in various financial and business settings.

At DeSales, you'll have the opportunity to choose an area of focus within the Economics major. Our program includes three options: general economics degree, the general degree with a data analytics track, and the option for a BS/MBA in five years.

Data Analytics Track

With the Data Analytics track, you'll learn the structures, concepts, mathematics, and computer languages of data analytics and AI. You'll learn to use the software and cloud platforms in demand in the job market, such as Tableau, SAS, Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, and Google TensorFlow.

You'll conduct real data analytics projects using open source datasets and data from local companies.

You'll learn how to govern data ethically and legally, in accordance with the Christian humanism mission of DeSales University.

The Data Analytics track includes the following courses:

• CS260 Databases & Data Visualization
• MG220 Data Analysis
• MG226 Intro to Data Analytics and AI
• MI353 Statistical Analysis and Predictive Modeling
• MI462 Applied AI Platforms & Projects

BS to MBA Option

The BS to MBA in your choice of concentration can be completed in five years with the addition of three (3) MBA courses, and two (2) 3-credit internship experiences, or one (1) 6-credit internship experience. Specific courses may be selected with consultation from your academic advisor.