<p>Most of the top LACs have excellent Economics departments.</p>
<p>Econ is particular strength at Swarthmore. The largest department in terms of majors. And, the schools produces more future Econonmics PhDs per 100 graduates than any other college or university in the country. Other top LACs, such as Williams and Amherst produce high rates of future MBAs, many of whom were Econ majors.</p>
<p>The answer to your question about Engineering is a difficult one. If you are already absolutely sure that you will pursue a career as a working engineer directly out of college, then going to a tech school or a dedicated Engineering School would be the most typical, and probably better, approach.</p>
<p>The few LACs with engineering programs tend to offer engineering majors in the context of a broader education. Compared to dedicated engineering schools, you will graduate with a degree in general engineering instead of a particular specialty (Mech Eng, Chem Eng., etc.). This is probably a negative if you wnat to get hired as an entry level engineer upon graduation. On the flip side, you will get a much stronger education in other areas such as communication skills, critical thinking, etc. that would complement the engineering background nicely if you are thinking about a career that includes business managment in a tech field, more entrepreneurial pursuits, grad school, etc. Engineering at an LAC (or comparable univerity program like Dartmouth's) should be viewed as less "vocational" in nature and more as general preparation for future study, etc. These programs are also an option for students who aren't ready to decide on an engineering career at age 17.</p>
<p>Among the LACs with engineering programs, Swarthmore's is one of the oldest and most rigorous. If you want an overview of the pluses and minus of engineering at an LAC, you might contact the head of the engineering dept there and start asking questions. The following two links provide a starting point.</p>