Senior Obligation
The senior obligation is the capstone learning experience in the college. It is meant to provide a synthesis of the concepts, theories, and practices that have been learned up to that point. In economics, the senior obligation is a thesis. This is more than just a long paper; it is an original investigation of a question of the student's choosing. But what it really is a chance for the student to do in-depth research on a particular topic that interests her or him. In many instances it can also provide a direction for post-college plans.
Previous senior theses have spanned a variety of topics. Some are done solely for the economics major while some are combined work for more than one major. Recent titles include:
The Insufficiency of the Theory of Rational Economic Behavior, Timothy Appel, '04 recipient of the Catlin Medal (with Philosophy and Religion)
The Ecological and Economic Impacts of Invasive Species in South Africa and the Chesapeake Bay, Angela Crenshaw, '04 recipient of the George Washington Medal (with Environmental Studies)
Modern Day Gold Rush: the Case of Caritas in Romania's Transition Economy, Florin Ivan, '04 recipient of the Clark-Porter Medal (with International Studies)
Owning the Airwaves: A Study of Auction Theory and Electromagnetic Auctions, Pete Taylor (with Mathematics)
Education as a Wage Determining Factor, Kathryn Fluhr
The Economic Effects of the 2002 Collective Bargaining Agreement on Baseball's Labor Market, Ryan Sweet
The 2001 Bush Tax Cuts: Lessons from Reagan and Prospects for the Future, Mary McAuliffe (with Political Science)
Transaction Costs in Pollution Markets: the EPA's Open Market Trading Rule, Eric Dalski
The Effects of Vertical Structure and Internet Presence on Apparel Sales: An Empirical Analysis, Sarah Amato
Students are required to submit a general topic on which they would like to work in the spring of their junior year. Students are then encouraged to start work on their thesis over the summer when there may be more time to complete background reading, start to formalize a thesis statement or question, and begin genuine research work.
View a PowerPoint Slideshow about the Senior Obligation