Economics as a discipline is constructed around the need to identify agents in the economy and analyze their interactions. As such it is based upon deriving generalizations by identifying behavioral rules and examining causal relationships between economic variables. The emphasis on examining causal relationships is a distinguishing feature of economics and forms an important part of its claim to be a social science. As well as addressing these central concerns, the Department of Economics recognizes the interaction between the economy and other broader social, political, cultural and technological forces. The Department therefore places special emphasis on courses that analyze institutions, facilitate comparative studies, encourage a historical approach, and recognize the pervasiveness of technological change.

Besides literacy and numeracy, citizenship and diplomacy are fundamental skills needed to achieve a good quality of life. Citizenship includes both the rights and duties of membership in a political community. Diplomacy is the art and practice of reaching agreements through negotiation. A healthy democracy requires the active and informed participation of its citizens, but this is only possible with a good understanding of its political institutions, processes and issues. Political Science is the discipline devoted to the systematic investigation of citizenship and diplomacy in local, national and international communities.