This Double Major is Studying Economics & the World

For Miguel Hoyos, deciding on a major in his freshman year came down to a process of elimination .

“I crossed out the majors I wasn’t interested in and economics was the only major left,” he says. Then he took an intro to macro and microeconomics course. “I liked the professor and I liked the content,” he says. So, Hoyos settled in.

He is now in his junior year, double majoring in both economics and global studies, with a minor in environmental studies.

“Global studies wasn’t on the list when I was a freshman because it’s a fairly new major,” he says. “But I like to travel, so I decided to add it. It’s cool because it’s interdisciplinary. You take courses in different majors, like economics, history and even anthropology. We learned about the history of global trade, the interconnectedness of different countries and the history of globalization.”

Though Hoyos isn’t sure how he’s going to meld economics and global studies into a career, the 20-year-old can see the benefits of both.

“The good thing about economics is that it helps you understand how the markets work, how the government makes decisions and how we as a society contribute to and affect the economy,” he says. “It’s also versatile. With an economics degree, you can get jobs in any business field, like finance, management and marketing.”

“With a global studies degree, you could go into international relations,” he says. “With both these majors, I’ve become way more open to other people, cultures and ways of life.”

A poster child for extracurricular activities, Hoyos is an RA in Weber Hall, a RIC ambassador, an orientation leader, treasurer for the Class of 2026 and a member of parliament (Student Community Government). 

Last fall, he took advantage of the Shinn Study Abroad Fund and studied Spanish for four months in Spain. He’s also a Hope Scholar, maintaining a 3.87 GPA, while carving out time to attend all the on-campus events. 

Though Hoyos may not have his finger on the exact pulse of his future, if what he’s doing right now is any indication, he’s destined to find his own personal pot of gold.
 

See Economics B.A. and Minor and the Global Studies B.A. and Minor, for more information.