Coastal Carolina University has established a new degree program in economics scheduled to begin in the spring 2005 semester. The new bachelor of science degree program was recently approved by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education and by Coastal’s board of trustees.

The new program, offered through Coastal’s E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration, is designed to “provide students with a solid foundation in economic analysis applied to the changing business environment with emphasis on local and regional business communities,” according to Coastal Provost Peter B. Barr.

The curriculum will include a service-learning component that will be facilitated through the Coastal Federal Center for Economic and Community Development, the community outreach division of the Wall College of Business Administration.

An economics major will open a broad range of career opportunities for students, including economics, law, management and public administration, according to David DeCenzo, dean of the Wall College.

“The service-learning requirement is an important feature of the new program,” said DeCenzo. “All economics majors will be required to do a senior year research project, which will give them the opportunity to apply their classroom knowledge to research problems within the local and regional community. This serves Coastal’s longstanding public service mission and provides a comprehensive educational experience that will help our students compete for positions in the marketplace and for admission into graduate programs.”

The Wall College of Business is fully accredited by the AACSB International-The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.