BA in Economics: Standard Track

The program in economics is intended to equip students with the basic tools to understand the operation of a modern economy: the origin and role of prices and markets, the allocation of goods and services, and the factors that enter into the determination of income, employment, and the price level. Students can satisfy the requirements of the BA in economics in the standard track, the specialization in data science, or the specialization in business economics.

The specialization in data science provides training in computation and data analysis beyond the basic methods discussed in the empirical methods sequence. The specialization in business economics is organized around the fundamental economic theory and empirical methods that students interested in pursuing careers in the private sector, the non-profit sector, and the public sector (among others) will find useful.

The program in economics can be divided into five component parts:

• Fundamentals: provides students with the basic skills required to be successful in the major.
• Core Curriculum: consists of three courses designed to introduce students to the "economic approach.”
• Empirical Methods sequence: provides students with the fundamental techniques of data analysis.
• Economic Policy course: applies the tools developed in the core curriculum to issues of fiscal policy, monetary policy, and other policy discussions relevant to the current state of the economy.
• Electives: allows students to tailor the economics major to their interests.

Fundamentals

Students must begin the economics major by demonstrating competence in basic calculus and principles of economics. The fundamentals sequence consists of the following courses. The first two are required; the second two are strongly recommended:

• MATH 13300 Elementary Functions and Calculus III 100
• Or MATH 15300 Calculus III
• Or MATH 16300 Honors Calculus III
• Or MATH 16310 Honors Calculus III (IBL)
• MATH 15250 Mathematical Methods for Economic Analysis    100
• Or MATH 20400 Analysis in Rn II
• Or MATH 20410 Analysis in Rn II (accelerated)
• Or MATH 20420 Analysis in Rn II (IBL)
• Or MATH 20800 Honors Analysis in Rn II
• ECON 10000 Principles of Microeconomics    100
• ECON 10200 Principles of Macroeconomics    100