Economics and Business

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We prepare tomorrow’s leaders, who are especially well-suited for careers in finance, management, marketing, and the military. Our students also gain a solid foundation for prospective graduate studies in disciplines such as economics, business, health and public administration, and law.

Choosing ECBU at VMI

ECBU provides a comprehensive degree in Economics and Business that is grounded in a liberal arts education. Our degree includes the essentials of a double major with a rigorous course of study, focused on quantitative methods and skills. One of VMI’s most popular majors, ECBU is headed by a highly qualified faculty who hold PhDs from prestigious institutions. The program maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio, allowing us to focus on the student as an individual.

Our commitment to maintaining our accreditation with the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business—International (AACSB) demonstrates our desire to adhere to rigor and excellence. Less than 5 percent of the world’s business programs have earned AACSB accreditation.

Mission and Overview

Mission: The Department of Economics and Business develops effective leaders with the knowledge and skills to solve the challenges of a diverse and dynamic global business environment.

Trying to decide if Economics and Business is right for you? Learn more about our curriculum, faculty, and opportunities in our program overview. ECBU Program Overview.

Focused Faculty

Department faculty members provide cadets with a variety of research opportunities and programs. Interested cadets can view available projects and grant opportunities.

Cadets in the ECBU program have also been honored both within the department and across the Institute for their collaborative efforts with our faculty.

Our full-time faculty earned PhDs from prestigious institutions. Excellence in teaching is the primary responsibility of the faculty. However, several are also internationally recognized researchers in their fields.

Extracurricular Activities and Scholarship Opportunities

We provide opportunities and activities outside the classroom. Extracurricular activities that support the academic program include: the John W. and Jane M. Roberts’ American Free Enterprise Program, the WELD program, the VMI chapter of Omicron Delta Epsilon (the international honor society in economics), the VMI chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma (the international honor society in business), the Cadet Investment Club, the ECBU Book Club, the Building BRIDGEs Club, and internships and internships for credit. Many of these activities provide cadets with real-life experiences.

Scholarships are available to cadets majoring in economics and business after their rat year. Each is based primarily on academic excellence, although other factors such as need, character, extracurricular activities and leadership may be considered.

Cadet Educational Outcomes and Career Placement

Economics and Business graduates consistently find success in both the civilian workforce and commissioned in the military following their time at VMI.

For those entering the civilian workforce, the average starting salary of a VMI graduate surpasses the average starting salaries of those with economics degrees, business degrees, and combined economics and business degrees.

Our graduates have found employment in major corporations such as Microsoft, Wells Fargo, Bloomberg LP, and Lockheed Martin. Those choosing to continue their education at the graduate level have gone on to prestigious programs such as those at William & Mary and Seton Hall.

Current Events

The VMI ECBU department regularly hosts Roberts Lunch Research Workshops. Generously supported by the Jane and John Roberts Endowment, the VMI ECBU Roberts Lunch Workshop provides a useful venue for ECBU faculty to present and share their research with their colleagues. The workshop allows faculty to learn more about their colleagues’ ongoing projects and to give constructive feedback on their research and working papers. The Roberts Workshop also presents a forum for exchange of ideas and potential research collaborations.

The ECBU department also hosts a joint seminar with Washington and Lee. The W&L/VMI Economics Seminar Series provides a forum for scholars from institutions across universities to present original research from all fields of economics.