Undergraduate Program
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.
But 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 tries to avoid the sometimes excessive specialization that characterizes more traditional undergraduate majors. At Tulane, while providing students basic skills of economic analysis, the political economy major 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.
Internships & Honors
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.
Events
Undergraduate majors in political economy are invited to participate in various activities sponsored by the Murphy Institute of Political Economy. 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.
Study Abroad
The Murphy Institute of Political Economy also sponsors semester and summer abroad programs in London and Cambridge.