Economics (B.A.)

The Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Economics prepares students to qualify for positions in business and government. Specific areas include finance, labor, transportation, international trade, banking, and regulatory agencies. A major in economics also provides a foundation for teaching at the college or high school level, and for entrance into graduate school or law school.

The total number of units required for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics is 120 units, of which 55-61 units are in the major depending on the option selected.  Consult with an adviser for the specific number of units required in all areas of the degree including GE and free electives.

Two options are offered:

• Applied Economics, and
• Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Students pursuing either the major or minor are urged to complete lower-division courses before taking upper-division courses.

Major Requirements:  A total of 54-61units is required for the major, depending on the option selected. All students complete a 30-unit common core of lower and upper division courses in economics, business, and mathmatics, and take courses in one of the two options to complete remaining degree requirements.

Requirements for the Major (54 or 61 units)
Core Requirements (30 units)

Lower Division Required Courses (15 units)

• ACCT 2100 - Principles of Financial Accounting [3]
• CIS 1200 - Information and Technology Literacy (also listed as CS 1200) [3]
• ECON 2010 - Principles of Economics I: Microeconomics [3]
• ECON 2020 - Principles of Economics II: Macroeconomics [3]
• ECON 2090 - Applied Business and Economic Statistics I [3]

Upper Division Required Courses (15 units)

• ECON 3030 - Money, Banking, and the Economy [3]
• ECON 3090 - Applied Business and Economic Statistics II [3]
• ENGL 3010 - Advanced College Writing [3] or
• BUS 3050 - Business Communications [3]
• ECON 4030 - Macroeconomics [3]
• ECON 4910 - Data Analysis, Reporting and Presentation [3]

(ECON 4910 is the capstone course for the program. Students must take ECON 4910 after they have achieved senior standing and have completed all other required upper division option courses.)

Option Requirements
Students select one of the following two options, comprising 24-31 units, to fulfill requirements for the major.

• Applied Economics 
• Social and Behavioral Sciences 

Option 1: Applied Economics (31 units)

• This option provides students with applied, more specialized training in economics. It is recommended for students interested in a career that requires applied business and economics skills.

Lower Division Required Course (4)

• MATH 2110 - Calculus I [4]

Upper Division Required Courses (12 units)

• ECON 4010 - Mathematical Economics [3]
• ECON 4100 - Microeconomics [3]
• ECON 4140 - Econometrics I [3]
• ECON 4150 - Applied Economic and Business Forecasting [3]

Elective Field Courses (15 units)

• Select  12 units of courses from one of the following fields, plus  3 additional units of upper division economics courses, with adviser approval.

Field 1: International Economics

• ECON 4260 - International Political Economy (also listed as POLS 4260) [3]
• ECON 4600 - Economics of Developing Countries [3]
• ECON 4610 - Economics of International Trade [3]
• ECON 4620 - International Monetary Economics [3]
• ECON 4650 - Current Issues in Latin American Economies [3]
• ECON 4900 - Issues in the Economics of Globalization [3]

Field 2: Public Policy

• GEOG 3690 - Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems [3]
• ECON 3500 - Economics of Poverty and Inequality in the U.S. [3]
• ECON 4110 - Market Structure and Strategic Firm Behavior [3]
• ECON 4300 - Labor Economics [3]
• ECON 4330 - Economics of the Public Sector [3]
• ECON 4340 - Environmental Economics [3]
• ECON 4400 - Urban and Regional Economics [3]
• ECON 4720 - Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining [3]
• ECON 4800 - Economics of Health Care [3]

Field 3: Financial Economics

• ECON 4350 - Market Indicators and Federal Reserve Policy [3]
• ECON 4620 - International Monetary Economics [3]
• FIN 3030 - Business Finance [3]
• FIN 3320 - Investments [3]
• FIN 4500 - Fixed Income Securities, Analysis and Strategies [3]
• FIN 4400 - Futures and Options [3]

Option 2: Social and Behavioral Sciences (24 units)
This option serves students with interdisciplinary interests in economics and other areas of social and behavioral sciences.

• Upper Division Required Courses (3 units)
• ECON 4110 - Market Structure and Strategic Firm Behavior [3]
• Electives (21 units)

Electives on Economics Issues (9 units)
Select 9 units from the following:

• ECON 3500 - Economics of Poverty and Inequality in the U.S. [3]
• ECON 4260 - International Political Economy (also listed as POLS 4260) [3]
• ECON 4300 - Labor Economics [3]
• ECON 4330 - Economics of the Public Sector [3]
• ECON 4340 - Environmental Economics [3]
• ECON 4400 - Urban and Regional Economics [3]
• ECON 4650 - Current Issues in Latin American Economies [3]
• ECON 4720 - Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining [3]
• ECON 4800 - Economics of Health Care [3]
• ECON 4900 - Issues in the Economics of Globalization [3]

General Electives (12 units)

• Select 12 upper division units in the social sciences, economics or other courses in the College of Business and Economics, with adviser approval.