The mission of the Economics Department at Baldwin-Wallace complements the mission of the College. We subscribe to that mission in both principle and particulars. At both levels we are committed to “the liberal arts and sciences as the foundation for lifelong learning. [We fulfill] this mission through a rigorous academic program that is characterized by excellence in teaching and learning within a challenging, supportive environment that enhances students' intellectual and spiritual growth.”1 We believe that the environment we foster will help our students “in their preparation to become contributing, compassionate citizens of an increasingly global society and in their pursuit of personal and professional excellence.”2
In keeping with this end, the Department maintains a climate in which faculty direct, instruct and collaborate with students in an atmosphere of shared learning. The Department of Economics focuses specifically on communicating the “economic way of thinking” about scarcity and the necessity of choice in the use of resources. The Department recognizes the challenge and obligation of encouraging the development of economic understanding in students with diverse backgrounds, capabilities, and career goals. As we help students to incorporate the economic way of thinking into their lives, we expect them to grow as citizens of their local, national and global communities.
Departmental courses from introductory to capstone present the economic way of thinking in the contexts of pure theory, empirical testing and policy application. To help students gain an appreciation for the problems implied by scarcity, we employ a range of strategies including lecture, research, problem-solving, and use of quantitative techniques. Significantly, the Department has identified problem-solving and quantitative skills as those areas to be given special emphasis in economic courses designated as college core courses. The Department maintains a commitment to educational and scholarly excellence within the study of economics. This commitment, together with a program designed to serve individual students' needs, defines the on-going mission of the Department of Economics.
References:
[1] Mission Statement, Baldwin-Wallace College.
[2]ibid.
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