<p>How is the economics program at Swarthmore? How is it different from other schools' programs? I tried looking for this info on the website..but I could not find it.</p>
<p>Also, can you guys give me some insight as to how Swarthmore is different from other LACs?</p>
<p>thanks</p>
<p>Here is a link to Swarthmore's Economics Department with a mission statement, links to faculty, links to lectures, and links to a paper on the history of the Econ department:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.swarthmore.edu/SocSci/Economics/%5B/url%5D">http://www.swarthmore.edu/SocSci/Economics/</a></p>
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<blockquote> <p>Also, can you guys give me some insight as to how Swarthmore is different from other LACs?</p> </blockquote>
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<p>Focusing on the differences compared to most other top LACs:</p>
<p>a) Swarthmore is more academically intense and intellectually focused, i.e. academics play a somewhat larger role in the daily lives of more students. Many in the academic community view Swarthmore and the University of Chicago as the most challenging undergrad programs in the country (along with the top tech schools). The students seem to enjoy being challenged. This manifests itself in one of the highest per capita PhD rates in the country.</p>
<p>b) Due in large part to its Quaker roots, Swarthmore's mission statement (and campus culture) includes a component of egalitarianism, social activism, and civic responsibility. Swarthmore people have embraced many progressive political causes including abolition of slavery, anti-war movements, woman's suffrage, civil rights, anti-McCarthyism, and divesture of apartheid related investments. The degree depends on the times. Today, the student body is mostly liberal, but not in a terribly overt or showy way. You don't see much in the way of "radical" in-your-face style (such as piercings, "goth", etc.) as you might as some other "liberal" campuses.</p>
<p>c) Swarthmore is one of the few elite colleges that was founded as a co-ed school and, according to its original bylaws, must have equal numbers of men and women on its board of directors.</p>
<p>d) Swarthmore is one of the few elite LACs with easy access to a large urban center. (commuter rail station on campus)</p>
<p>e) Swarthmore is one of the few elite LACs with an engineering department, offering a B.S. degree in Engineering.</p>
<p>f) Swarthmore has a somewhat less prevalent drinking culture and less emphasis on varsity athletics than most elite LACs.</p>
<p>g) Swarthmore's campus culture is diverse and egalitarian. All events are open to all students (and "free"). Freshman live in dorms with upperclassmen. There are no racially segregated "theme" dorms. All students eat together in a common dining hall. </p>
<p>h) The attitude of the administration is that Swarthmore students are responsible adults and the campus culture expects students to (more or less) behave that way. In many ways, the campus is self-governing based on the expectations, traditions, and style of Swarthmore students. For example, the administration makes no real effort to prevent underage drinking, however "irresponsible" drinking is largely viewed as "not cool" by the student body, so there is less of it, without the administration needing to get involved.</p>
<p>Note: Of course, Swarthmore is not the only LAC with some of these characteristics. However, it is a fairly unique blend of qualities.</p>
<p>I have not done much research on the Econ program at all, but I was talking with Nicholas Perna (apparently one of the top 20 economists in the nation) when he came to do a presentation at my high school, and he seemed to have a very high opinion of Swarthmore.</p>
<p>The econ department is among the strongest and most popular at Swarthmore. Bernard Saffran, one of the oldest members of the department, was a fairly prominent economist, with a regular column in an important academic journal. He passed away recently. One of the most popular profs, for Intro to Econ anyway, is Philip Jefferson, who has made a few appearances on CNBC.
I'd say one of the biggest differences between other LACs' econ programs and Swat's is the fact that the honors seminars are open to all majors, and basically all upperclassmen econ majors are in these lengthy, small classes.</p>