The department’s focus, and hence its name, is a general approach to economic and commercial activity. The department emphasizes the study of business as concrete social and historical phenomena. An emphasis is also placed on the relationship between commercial activity and the social context which it creates and which influences it, and on the consequences of commercial and economic development in the modern world.

     The department curriculum focuses upon how society is organized to produce goods and services. It is through this broader, more historical approach that the student gains a realistic perspective of modern business and the competitive global environment. The student gains the values, the principles, and the insight to weigh short-term versus longer-term profit, to weigh technical versus fundamental analyses.

     BUSINESS majors are required to take courses in finance, accounting, quantitative analysis, marketing, and management. Economics majors study the major areas of economic theory and econometrics. Yet, rather than the simple acquisition of technical skills, majors are also required to take courses which place these issues in a historical and institutional context; thus, the student learns to understand why the issues and techniques are important.

     ECONOMICS is a perfect major for a student interested in careers such as public policy, finance and banking, corporate planning, and market analysis, besides a host of other areas.  Employers understand that an ECONOMICS major is a more rigorous major than business, and more definitive than a major in political science and sociology.  A student with an ECONOMICS major is more capable of analytical thinking and hence more potentially valuable to the business corporation or government unit.

     The INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS major is one of the fastest growing disciplines at Monmouth College.  With the dramatic growth in job opportunities in International Management, the program was designed to prepare graduates in both business fundamentals and knowledge of the historical, cultural, and institutional shifts that shape the world economy today. 

     Students are encouraged to enroll in one of Monmouth College's foreign exchange programs in Asia, Latin America, or Europe.  These exchange programs allow students an opportunity to become proficient in a foreign language and the business practices of one particular country of interest.  Participants in the INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS major at Monmouth College learn about political economy, trade, finance, culture, and business environment of each major region rather than concentrating on one particular country of interest.  Students who can not devote a semester or more to study abroad may participate in a travel study course that includes travel to a foreign business environment with visits to major business and cultural sites in that region.

     Career opportunities for INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS majors exist in many types of organizations since even small firms sell internationally via the World Wide Web.  Employers of international business graduates include financial institutions, manufacturers, management and marketing consulting, government, and technology companies.  Graduates joining small and mid-sized firms will also find many complex and challenging international business opportunities in the United States and abroad.