Economics Major

Requirements for the Major in Economics

Students majoring in economics may choose from one of two options or plans.

Plan I. General economics. Eleven courses are required in addition to the senior exercise. These courses include six required core courses, consisting of introductory courses, ECON 051 PO , ECON 052 PO , and ECON 057 PO , and intermediate courses ECON 101 PO , ECON 102 PO , and either ECON 107 PO  or ECON 167 PO , plus five upper-division courses in economics (numbered 115 and above). At least two of the five upper-division courses must have an intermediate course as a prerequisite; these courses are numbered ECON 150 PO  or above. One accounting course may be counted as an elective. Completion of at least one course in calculus (MATH 030 PO  or higher) is required for all economics majors.

Plan II. Mathematical economics. Thirteen courses are required in addition to the senior exercise. The required economics courses include the core, i.e., ECON 051 PO , ECON 052 PO , ECON 057 PO , ECON 101 PO , ECON 102 PO  and ECON 167 PO , and four upper-division courses, at least two of which must be chosen from among ECON 151 PO , ECON 154 PO , ECON 161 PO , ECON 162 PO  or ECON 164 PO , ECON 166 PO , and ECON 169 PO . One accounting course may be counted as an elective. The mathematics requirement may be fulfilled with a course in multivariate calculus (such as MATH 032 PO  or MATH 067 PO ), MATH 060 PO  and any one of the following mathematics courses: MATH 101 PO , MATH 102 PO , MATH 131 PO , MATH 151 PO , MATH 183 PO , or MATH 187 PO .

Economics and mathematics courses offered for completion of the Economics Major (Plan I or II) must be taken for a letter grade. Courses taken on a P/NC basis are not acceptable in fulfillment of major requirements. A grade of C- or better in required core courses is required for majors in the field. Students majoring in economics may consider their course requirement for ECON 051 PO  or ECON 052 PO  waived if they perform satisfactorily on the corresponding placement test, but a student who skips both ECON 051 PO  and ECON 052 PO  must take one additional economics elective to fulfill the requirements of the major.

Senior Exercise. Both Plan I and Plan II culminate in a senior exercise that consists of ECON 190 PO - Senior Seminar in Economics  and ECON 195 PO - Senior Activity in Economics . December graduates should enroll in ECON 195 PO  only in the fall; and spring graduates should enroll only in the spring.

Interdisciplinary Majors with Concentrations in Economics

Economics can also be selected as an area of concentration within four other majors: environmental analysis (EA); public policy analysis (PPA); philosophy, politics and economics (PPE); and gender & women’s studies (GWS). Those who are interested should see the relevant program description and consult with their advisors.