Economics Major

The Bachelor of Arts in Economics provides a range of coursework in economics and related fields to prepare students for a wide range of careers in economics-related occupations.

Goal 1: Students will understand how all issues in economics involve making choices in the context of scarcity.       

Outcome 1.1: Students will be able to explain key concepts related to tradeoffs including opportunity cost and/or marginal decision-making of consumers and/or firms.

Goal 2: Students will understand how economic agents interact.

Outcome 2.1: Students will be able to explain the supply and/or demand model and/or how it is applied to input and/or output markets.

Goal 3:  Students will understand important economic variables, how they are measured, and their relevance.

Outcome 3.1: Students will be able to define and explain key macroeconomic variables and/or how they affect the economy.

 

Goal 4: Students will understand how public policy impacts the economy.

Outcome 4.1: Students will be able to explain how policy affects the economy from micro and/or macroeconomic perspectives.

The traditional undergraduate programs includes a minimum of 120 credits distributed across three components: A General Education component divided into Signature Courses, Variable Courses, and an Integrative Learning requirement; a Major and Divisional component; and Free Electives. In addition to course requirements as specified in each area, students must complete one certified course in each of the following overlay areas1:

  1. Diversity, Globalization or Non-western Area Studies,
  2. Ethics Intensive
  3. Writing Intensive, and
  4. Diversity
1

Overlay requirements are part of the 120 credit requirements

General Education Signature Courses

See this page about Signature courses. 

General Education Variable Courses

See this page about Variable courses. Six to Nine courses

Social/Behavioral Science:
ECN 101Introductory Economics Micro3
Natural Science:4-6
A natural science course with a laboratory, or two courses without a laboratory
Math:3
Students can take any Math "Beauty" course to fulfill the requirement of the GEP. However, we recommend:
MAT 131
Linear Methods
MAT 132
Math of Games & Politics
MAT 134
Math of Uncertainty:Rules/Prob
MAT 155
Fundamentals of Calculus
MAT 161
Calculus I

General Education Overlays

See this page about Overlays.

General Education Integrative Learning Component

See this page about Integrative Learning Component. Three courses:

Economics majors must take one course from each of the following three categories:

Any Statistics Course, including:3
MAT 118
Introduction to Statistics
MAT 128
Applied Statistics
MAT 322
Mathematical Statistics
DSS 210
Business Statistics
Any Calculus Course*, including:3
MAT 123
Differential Calculus
MAT 155
Fundamentals of Calculus
MAT 161
Calculus I
*Note: This course is not required for those who earned credit for AP Calculus or completed calculus for the Math Beauty requirement. These students must choose an alternate course from the list below. However, students are encouraged to take additional math courses.

Students may choose from the following for the remaining ILC course(s):

  • Any additional math course (this is in addition to the Beauty requirement and the statistics requirement).  For students considering graduate school in economics, we highly recommend additional courses in calculus or linear algebra.
  • Any Computer Science (CSC) course
  • Any Social Science Course
  • Any Geographic Information Systems (GIS) course 
  • THE 373 Economic Ethics

  • PSY 127 Behavioral Economics

Major Requirements

ECN 101Introductory Economics Micro3
ECN 102Introductory Economics Macro3
ECN 290Professional Prep Seminar1
ECN 301Microeconomic Theory3
ECN 302Macroeconomic Theory3
Any six additional ECN 300/400-level economics courses 118
For students completing ECN410 Econometrics, only five (5) economics electives are required (in total)
Experiential Learning Requirement
Includes ECN491, Service-Learning course, Study abroad, The Washington Center, Independent Study – research, Summer Scholars, Winter Immersion Program (WIP), or Honors Thesis.
Total Hours31
1

MAT 311, MAT 322, MAT/DSC 424, DSC 425, DSS 420, DSS 435, DSS 470, FIN 201 and FIN 302 can be substituted for the above requirements at a maximum of two substitutions.