New fans of economics
A few weeks back, after I published Professor Krohn’s introduction on the blog, I became curious about students who started at Fletcher with no intention of focusing on economics, but who ended up doing so anyway. As you all probably know, some of our APSIA peers require more economics study than Fletcher, but we prefer to take the approach that our students want to shape their own curriculum. We make the courses available, and then it’s pretty much up to them to decide how many to take, so long as they complete the basic economics course that can be fulfilled through an equivalency exam.
A quick note to the Social List later and I had heard from several students who are new econo-philes, and I want to share their stories. I think it says something special about Fletcher that there are so many students who feel comfortable taking a risk in their course selections. My observation is always that students here work very hard, but the academic atmosphere is collegial and non-competitive, perfect for diving into material that once seemed out of reach.
Arpita (second-year MALD):
I had had very little exposure to the field of economics during my undergraduate study at law school. Working on legal issues related to financial markets (as part of my work as a corporate lawyer) had made me want to understand the nuances behind them, and graduate school was the perfect opportunity to do so. While my elementary knowledge of economics and some last minute study enabled me to pass the equivalency exam for the class on introductory economics, speaking with my new classmates — many of whom had helped governments in formulating economic policies — made me very nervous. I felt very unsure of my ability to keep up with course work in advanced economics at Fletcher. While I contemplated and re-contemplated my intended Fields of Study, a chance conversation in the Hall of Flags with Dean Sheehan ultimately informed my decision to take up the challenge. He convinced me to move out of my comfort zone and pick the courses that I really wanted. After more contemplation I decided to take a leap and pursue Development Economics and International Monetary Theory and Policy as my two Fields. And I am glad I did. The transition from a world of contracts and legislation to one of graphs and data-sets has been both challenging and rewarding in equal measure. The supportive and collaborative academic environment at Fletcher has made it much easier to absorb the overwhelming amount of new information, handle the heavy coursework, and make peace with that occasional poor grade on an assignment. But my ultimate comfort was knowing that I was not alone; there were many others like me who were treading new academic territory at Fletcher. Now almost halfway through my second year, I am thankful that I ran into Dean Sheehan in the Hall of Flags that day.
Jesse (second-year MIB):
My appreciation for economics has quite a bit to do with Professor Michael Klein, Fletcher’s own macroeconomics guru. I am now in my fourth economics class with Professor Klein, and I have enjoyed each one. There is a certain comfort in the social science insights that can be gained with economic methods. There will always be a correct answer to an equation, and you can train yourself to master any theorem. The sense of satisfaction that arrives from mastering an economic concept, and then applying such a concept to inform your perspective on a real world problem, is palpable. It has been a pleasure to add economics to my analytical toolkit that I can draw upon in my academic and professional career.
Kerrlene (first-year MALD):
I didn’t hate economics but I didn’t like it, because there is a quantitative element to it and I thought I was bad at math. I had to take Quantitative Methods to fulfill a course requirement. When I received my first quiz grade I thought for sure I would fail the course. However, I greatly improved by the final and passed the course with flying colors! This only happened thanks to the Fletcher community. In addition to attending office hours (with a gracious and patient professor), I was helped by a student here who was an astrophysicist. (I don’t think I would have met an astrophysicist studying international relations at any other school.) He explained the calculus to me and I finally got it! I found my love for economic math in the common room at Blakeley Hall and now I cannot stop thinking about one day developing my own economic model. What it will explain, I am not too sure yet, but I look forward to figuring that out in Econometrics next term!
Nathan (second-year MALD):
I had previously been less than enthusiastic about having to take economics classes during my undergraduate course of study. I found the material to be unengaging, antiquated, and not applicable to the real world. Fletcher played a big role in changing much of that perception. The professors all have a wealth of practical and academic work experience, which has been a boon in the classroom and a benefit to the students taking their classes. Thanks to the engaging nature of the Fletcher economics courses, I have discovered a newfound interest in the subject. I even elected to concentrate in International Trade and Commercial Policies and will be a TA for a GMAP trade economics course in the Spring!