The Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar (SFS-Qatar) has launched a new major that will allow students to earn a Bachelor of Science in International Economics (IECO).
Officials announcing the new course at the university yesterday
The new major, which will be officially inaugurated on February 13, is expected to produce economists to fulfill the growing demand in the public and private sectors within the global economy field.
Applications into the major for next fall, with a deadline of March 1, are currently being accepted by SFS-Qatar.
The International Economics major provides students with strong analytical and quantitative skills that distinguish them on the job market and among applicants to graduate and professional schools.
International Economics, taught as a core subject at Georgetown, has become the university’s third major, in addition to majors in International Politics and Culture, and Politics.
The institution currently has 180 students and five economists on its faculty.
The International Economics major is designed to develop in students the ability to conduct innovative, well-informed, rigorous, quantitative analysis of all aspects of the world economy.
Whether it is used in the service of business strategy, public policy, scientific research, or any other endeavour, the ability for such analysis is essential to understanding the economic forces at work in the world and making sound decisions in the face of them.
All students are expected to master the theoretical and empirical tools necessary to conduct such analysis.
As part of a partnership between all the Education City’s universities, students from other institutions can also avail the opportunity of the course study provided they meet the pre-requisites set by Georgetown.
“Students majoring in IECO at SFS-Qatar will receive rigorous training in economic analysis and quantitative methods. Courses in economics, international trade, international finance, economic development and globalisation will serve as the core curriculum for the major,” SFS-Qatar assistant professor Dr Alexis Antoniades explained yesterday at a press conference announcing the launch of the major.
The SFS-Qatar interim dean Dr Mehran Kamrava said that with Qatar and the Gulf region becomingly increasingly involved in the global economy, there couldn’t be a better time to launch the major.
“The International Economics major will add significantly to our curriculum and will prepare a new generation of economists for Qatar, who are already in such high demand in the public and private sectors,” he said.
Qatar Foundation assistant vice-president for students Dr Dennis Roberts was also present at the press conference.
SFS-Qatar Economics department head Prof Daniel Westbrook said: “I am very excited about the new IECO major at SFS-Qatar.
“Economists are always in demand, but particularly so in the Gulf, where economic growth remains robust. Former students have often let me know their jobs involve exactly the skills we taught them as economics majors.”
