Students in the Department of Economics and Finance have a wide choice of curricula offered by highly qualified faculty members, most of whom hold the doctorate degree. The department offers a major in economics for those students who wish to pursue a traditional liberal arts education containing a mixture of business and non-business classes outside the College of Business and Public Affairs. This option may be especially attractive for pre-law students. The flexibility of the economics major allows students to tailor the program to their career goals or for further graduate study. It is also one of the approved majors for teaching the social sciences. In such cases the required minor and non-economics electives should be carefully selected in consultation with a departmental advisor. The department offers minors in economics, business economics and international economics. The department also supports a minor in Secondary Social Studies for those students seeking secondary certification in social studies (grades 8-12). This minor combined with the economics major, increases the probability for success on the PRAXIS examination.

The department offers an area in finance that prepares a student to operate in a variety of career paths, including banking, corporate finance, investments, securities analysis, and financial services. Students successfully completing requirements for the area in finance are prepared to successfully transition into a business environment or to continue on to graduate studies in finance or other areas of business. In addition to the area in finance, the department offers an area in finance with an information systems option and an area with a financial planning option. The first area of study provides finance professionals with advanced skills that allow them to easily interact with information system professionals at all levels in both financial and non-financial corporations. The financial planning option is an area in which many career opportunities exist, is approved by the Certified Financial Planning Board of Standards, and provides students with the background necessary to be allowed to take the test for CFP certification. The department also offers a minor in finance for non-business students. Each area of specialization provides preparation for a variety of employment opportunities or serves as a basis for graduate study. Electives are available to prepare qualified students for positions calling for skills in financial analysis in both the private and public sectors of the economy.

Also located in the department are the Center for Economic Education, the Bureau for Business and Economic Research, and the Center for Banking and Finance. The Center for Economic Education provides materials and aid to area school systems in incorporating economics into the K-12 curriculum, while the Bureau conducts research on a wide variety of governmental and business needs and problems. The Center of Banking and Finance at Murray State University is dedicated to serving current and future financial services professionals by developing and maintaining strong relationships between MSU and area financial institutions, and by developing internship and permanent employment opportunities available to MSU students.