School of Economics Offers New Minor in Microeconomics of Strategic Analysis

Posted July 16, 2020

By Michael Pearson

A new minor offered by the School of Economics will provide students from across the Georgia Institute of Technology campus — but especially those in engineering, computer science, and business — with knowledge and tools crucial to understanding the economics of strategic decision-making.

Microeconomics of Strategic Analysis (MESA) will expose students to core microeconomic theory, as well as game theory, industrial organization, behavioral economics, network economics, and the economics of information, according to Laura Taylor, chair of the School.

"We are really excited to offer this new minor, which will provide Georgia Tech students with key career-enhancing tools in the economics of strategic decision-making with applications in a variety of sectors,” Taylor said. “We know students will be excited as well, because demand is consistently high for the courses that make up this minor.”

MESA, which launches with the start of the fall semester, is the latest initiative by the school to fulfill its mission of providing Georgia Tech students with the skills they need to develop robust economic insights on phenomena in technologically complex environments.

It is expected to be popular with students across campus, including among those interested in careers in consulting or strategic analysis. But Taylor anticipates it will be particularly attractive to majors in the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISyE), the College of Computing, and the Scheller College of Business.

According to Matthew Oliver, director of undergraduate programs, students who complete the program will gain knowledge crucial for understanding a range of industries and challenges, including business analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence, electric power sector transformation, transportation design and management, and network development and management.

The program of study consists of at least 15 credit hours of study, including two core courses — Advanced Microeconomic Analysis (ECON 3110) and Game Theory Economics (ECON 4180). Students must also take a minimum of nine credit hours of elective courses. Courses that count toward the minor include Mathematics for Economic Modeling (ECON 4170); Economics of Strategy & Information (ECON 4190); Economics of Industrial Competition (ECOND 4360) and Behavioral Economics (ECON 4400).

Economics majors may not declare the minor but can choose a MESA concentration.

Students interested in learning more about the MESA minor should contact Aselia Urmanbetova, associate academic professional and advisor for the program.

The School of Economics is a unit of the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts.