Undergraduate economics degrees awarded by U.S. colleges and universities increased almost 12 percent from 2013 through 2015, then stabilized at a little above the 2015 level until 2018, after which they began an accelerating decline over the past five years to end back at a little below 2015 levels.

Undergraduate economics degrees awarded by U.S. colleges and universities were stagnant from 2010 (2009-10) through 2013, increased almost 14 percent from 2013 through 2015, and have subsequently stabilized at just above one percent annual growth.

Undergraduate degrees awarded in economics by U.S. colleges and universities were stagnant from 2009-10 through 2012-13, increased rapidly (almost 15 percent) over the two years from 2012-13 through 2014-15, but have again leveled off in 2015-16.

ACTA's What Will They Learn?® (WWTL) project is designed to help students choose the best college or university for them. The printed report and its online companion WhatWillTheyLearn.com represent the only assessment of U.S. colleges and universities that focuses on what schools are actually teaching. This report assigns grades to over 1,130…

The number of undergraduate economics degrees awarded by colleges and universities in the United States rose by 18 percent from 2007 to 2010. The upward trend ended abruptly in 2010 and was followed by three years of virtual stagnation (Siegfried 2014). In 2013-14, undergraduate economics degrees began to accelerate again, rising about 5 percent…

"What Will They Learn?" has been documenting for the last 13 years the crisis of weak core curriculum requirements. In addition to helping students choose the right college for the right reasons, American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) works with college and university leaders on campuses around the country to strengthen curricula…

The 2007-10 growth spurt (18 percent over three years) in U.S. undergraduate economics degrees came to an abrupt end in 2011 and 2012. Degrees awarded grew less than one percent over the past two years.

In this 12th edition of its flagship annual survey of college general education curricula, "What Will They Learn?," American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) shines a light on the wide disparity in academic standards at institutions of higher learning across the country. "What Will They Learn?" reviews the core curricula…

In the United States, colleges and universities have traditionally undertaken the important task of preparing citizens to participate fully and effectively in the civic, political, and economic spheres of the republican system. They have done so by joining a general education curriculum--common to all students--to an area of specialized knowledge,…

Ten years ago, the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) gathered data on 100 colleges from the U.S. News & World Report's annual list of "Best Colleges and Universities." ACTA questioned whether these elite institutions were requiring their students to take rigorous, college-level courses in the core areas crucial for…

This is the first article that compares terminal master's degree programs in economics from universities that have a PhD program in economics with those that do not offer PhD programs in economics. The authors compare these differences based on surveys in 2002 and 2012. They examine differences in general program characteristics, department…

"What Will They Learn?"™ evaluates every four-year public university with a stated liberal arts mission as well as hundreds of private colleges and universities selected on the basis of size, mission, and regional representation. All schools in the "What Will Will They Learn"™ study are regionally-accredited, nonprofit…

In the fiercely competitive, global job market, solid preparation in core skills matters a lot. Will college graduates write with the clarity, grace, and accuracy that employers (and everyone else) expect? Will they have the basic mathematical and scientific skills--regardless of their majors--that equip them to navigate an increasingly…

The trend in U.S. undergraduate economics degrees continued its upward trajectory in 2008-9. (Contains 3 tables.)

Economic literacy is vital for functioning effectively in today's society. Consumers need to manage their finances, investors need to plan for their future, and voters need to choose among competing economic plans. As students move on to college or enter the workforce, their understanding of the economy will help them become financially…