What majors and minors are offered?
What are the admission requirements for the program?
What is the typical class size?
What student organizations are available?
How do students work together with faculty?

What majors and minors are offered?
The department offers a variety of majors and minors in Economics, Political Science and Sociology:

What are the admission requirements for the program?

The admission requirements for economics are the same as those required by the institution.

Applicants for the political science and public affairs major must have a GPA of 2.0 and complete Government 101 and English 104 with a grade of C or higher. The program is academically challenging and requires students to take the prerequisite courses to polish reading, writing and analytical thinking skills.

What is the typical class size?

The introductory economics courses range from 25 to 40 students, while upper level courses generally have between 15 and 25 students. Most majors courses in political science and sociology range from 15 to 25 students. The department is small and friendly, with many opportunities for individualized attention to students.

What student organizations are available?

The department has an active Economics club. The club has an informal meeting once a month and membership is free and open to all majors. Activities range from organized community service to visits to the Federal Reserve Bank to organizing city leaders for a local debate.

The department of Economics also has an active chapter of Omicron Delta Epsilon (ODE). Omicron Delta Epsilon, the International Honors Society in economics, is the world's largest economics honorary society and is dedicated to the encouragement of excellence in economics.

Omicron Delta Epsilon has six important objectives:

• Recognition of scholastic attainment in economics
• Recognition of outstanding achievements in economics on the part of economists at all levels
• Establishment of closer ties between students and faculty in economics within their own colleges and universities
• Establishment of closer ties between students and faculty in economics on all campuses
• Publication of an official journal
• Emphasize the professional aspects of economics as a career field for service in the academic world, business, government, and international organizations

ODE organizes a wide range of activities including a yearly banquet at which different awards are presented to students based on academic performance.

Please contact Prof. Nader Vargha for further information or questions at 816-271-4339 or by email at vargha@missouriwestern.edu.

Students may join from the Political Science Club and Phi Alpha Honor Society to share their interests in government and public affairs. These organizations sponsor political forums and provide volunteer service to the community, among other activities.

How do students work together with faculty?

Professors work one-on-one with students on research projects, and faculty members offer individualized attention on assignments if students request assistance.

Faculty members have an “open-door” policy for their students, as they are willing to offer individualized instruction if it is needed.

In the Department of Economics, Political Science and Sociology, faculty involvement is our biggest asset. All of the faculty pride themselves on their accessibility to students, and their clear commitment to teaching is evidenced by the time devoted to students, both inside and outside the classroom.

Students also have the opportunity to work with faculty on research projects, especially in the summer through the Undergraduate Research Summer Institute and the Summer Research Institute. When students declare a major in Economics,Political Science or Sociology, they are assigned an advisor who will closely monitor their progress toward a degree. The department is small enough for all faculty members to get to know the students and to take a keen interest in their education and careers.