Economics is the study of how people make choices when faced with scarcity. It is therefore the study of the process of decision-making by individuals, businesses, governments, or any other group that must make such choices, and the study of the institutional context in which these decisions are made.

The department of economics offers courses that provide the lower-division requirements for students majoring in economics, business, computer science, and engineering, and also provide students majoring in other fields with an understanding of economic principles and a familiarity with the economic institutions that affect their lives. The courses offered by the department meet general education and transfer requirements for economics, business, and social sciences.