Undergraduate Programs
Requirements for a Major in Economics
College Requirements for the BA and BSBA
Choosing Between the BA and the BSBA
Fields of Specialization
Requirements for a Minor in Economics
Undergraduate Programs
Economics majors can earn either a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Economics through the College of Arts and Sciences or a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BS in BA) in Business Economics through the Williamson College of Business Administration. The economics major is designed to prepare students for careers both in the public and private sectors and for graduate study in economics. Economics majors are qualified for a wide variety of positions in the financial sector, and jobs in business and government research. Students also frequently use a major in economics as preparation for law school. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: "Competition, the growing complexity of the global economy, and increased reliance on quantitative methods for analyzing the current value of future funds, business trends, sales, and purchasing should spur demand for economists. The growing need for economic analysis in virtually every industry should result in additional jobs for economists."
For additional career information, see the Career Opportunities page.
Requirements for a Major in Economics
The requirements for the major in economics for the BA in Economics and the BSBA in Business Economics are identical. To earn a major in economics a student must complete 32 semester hours of courses from the Department of Economics. Required courses are: 2610, 2630, 3780, 3781, 3710, 3712, and 4880. Students must take a course in calculus (MATH 1549, 1570, or 1571) prior to taking ECON 3710 and 3712.
College Requirements for the BA and BSBA
The BA in Economics and the BSBA in Business Economics differ in the college level requirements. The BA in Economics is awarded by the College of Arts and Sciences. The College of Arts and Sciences requires students to demonstrate a minimum level of proficiency in a foreign language, which is met by completing an intermediate course in a foreign language (2600) or receiving a sufficiently high score on the foreign language placement exam. The BSBA in Business Economics is awarded by the Williamson College of Business Administration. Students earning the BSBA must take all of the tool courses required for the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. The tool courses include: BUS 1500, MATH 1548, MATH 1549, ECON 2610, ECON 2630, ACCTG 2602, ACCTG 2603, MGT 2604, ECON 3780, ECON 3781. In addition, students must also take the following upper-division courses: FIN 3720, MGT 3725, MKTG 3703, and MGT 4850.
Choosing Between the BA and the BSBA
The BA in Economics is most appropriate for students who intend to pursue graduate study in economics or law, or combine their work in economics with another liberal arts discipline. Students intending to apply for Ph.D. programs in economics should consider taking MATH 1571, 1572, 2673, and 3720. Graduates choosing to pursue additional study in economics have been very successful in gaining admission to masters and doctoral programs. The BSBA in Business Economics is best suited for students who intend to seek a job in the private sector after graduation or who intend to pursue an MBA. For examples of the kinds of positions economists hold in the private sector, please visit the website for the National Association for Business Economists .
Fields of Specialization
The following are suggested curricula for students wishing to concentrate their studies in a specific area of economics.
Specialization in International Economics:
Recommended economics electives: ECON 3701, 3720, 5809, 5811, and 5812. Students should also consider taking electives outside the major in accounting, marketing, and international relations.
Specialization in Labor Markets:
Recommended economics electives: ECON 4843 and 5831. Students should also consider taking electives outside the major such as labor law and other courses offered by the Department of Management.
Specialization in Money and Banking:
Recommended economics electives: ECON 3701, 3702, 5809, and 4810. Students should also consider taking electives in accounting and finance.
Specialization in Quantitative Economic Methods:
Recommended economics electives: ECON 5824, 5853, and 5856. Suggested non-economics electives are MATH 1571, 1572, 2673, and 3720, as well as introductory courses in computer programming.
Requirements for a Minor in Economics
ECON 2610 (Principles 1, Microeconomics), ECON 2630 (Principles 2, Macroeconomics), and 12 semester hours of electives. Courses at the 1500 level cannot be counted toward the minor. The following is a list of suggested electives for students in different majors:
| Major | Suggested Electives |
| Political Science | ECON 3702, 4843, and 4855 |
| Accounting and Finance | ECON 3701, 3710, 3712, 5809, 5811, and 581 |
| Marketing | ECON 3710, 3712, and 5801 |
| Management | ECON 3710, 3712, 4810, 5801, and 5831 |
| Pre-Law | ECON 3702, 3710, and 3712 |
| Environmental Studies | ECON 3710, 3712, and 4813 |