Economics (B.A.)

Requirements:

• The Economics Department offers an honors thesis option to its majors. Candidates must have a 3.5 grade point average in economics, approval by a majority of the economics faculty and permission of the faculty member directing the thesis. The six hours for the thesis must be in addition to the hours required for the major. Please see the Chair of the Department for further details.

Admission to Major
Requirements

• Prospective majors should note that the Department has requirements for admission to the major. Full acceptance will be granted when the student has completed both Principles courses (ECON-1311 and ECON-1312) with an average grade of C or better. Successful completion of the major also requires at least a C average across the four Principles and Intermediate Theory courses (ECON-1311, ECON-1312, ECON-3425, and ECON-3426).

Requirements for the major
Departmental requirements: 
Economics majors may choose among six separate curricula: 

General Economics 

Students desiring to major in Economics without selecting a concentration must complete 33 credit hours in Economics, including ECON-1311, ECON-1312, ECON-2301, ECON-3425, and ECON-3426. (MATH-1320 or MATH-3335* may be substituted for ECON-2301.) 
Concentration in Theoretical Economics 

• Recommended: MATH-1311. 
• This concentration emphasizes mathematics and economics theory. It is recommended as the appropriate preparation for Ph.D. programs in economics. 

Departmental Requirements: 

33 credit hours in Economics, including: ECON-1311, ECON-1312, ECON-3425, ECON-3426, ECON-4465, ECON-4467, and ECON-4470; 
Concentration in Economics and Law 

• MATH-1311, MATH-1312, MATH-2321, MATH-3323, MATH-3326, MATH-3334, MATH-3335, and MATH-3360. (This combination satisfies the requirements for the minor in mathematics.) In addition, MATH-3336, MATH-3338, and CSCI-1320 are strongly recommended. 
• This concentration stresses the application of economic theory to questions of legal and social policy. It is especially appropriate for those planning to enter law school. 

Departmental Requirements: 

• 33 credit hours in Economics, including: ECON-1311, ECON-1312, ECON-3425, ECON-3426, ECON-4465, ECON-4467, and ECON-4470; 
• MATH-1311, MATH-1312, MATH-2321, MATH-3323, MATH-3326, MATH-3334, MATH-3335, and MATH-3360. (This combination satisfies the requirements for the minor in mathematics.) In addition, MATH-3336, MATH-3338, and CSCI-1320 are strongly recommended. 

Concentration in Economics and Business 

• This concentration is a liberal arts curriculum designed for students planning to enter graduate schools of business administration. In addition to a solid grounding in Economics, this concentration provides an introduction to many of the basic business subjects that students will encounter in MBA programs. 

Departmental Requirements: 

33 credit hours in Economics, including: 

• ECON-1311, ECON-1312, ECON-2301, ECON-3425, and ECON-3426 (MATH-1320 or MATH-3335* may be substituted for ECON-2301);
• ECON-3428 or ECON-3429 or ECON-3435;
• ECON-3447 or ECON-3448. 

18 credit hours outside Economics, including: 

• ACCT-1301, BUSN-3302, BAT-2302, MKTG-2301, FNCE-3301, and MGMT-2301.
• Recommended: MATH-1311 and MATH-1312. 

Concentration in International Economics 

• The focus of this concentration is the analysis of two general phenomena: a) economic transactions across international borders, and b) the role of international institutions in shaping international economic life. Besides a firm basis in economic theory, international economics provides an ideal analytical framework for those students interested in any area of international and comparative studies. 

Departmental Requirements: 

33 credit hours in Economics, including: 

• ECON-1311, ECON-1312, ECON-2301, ECON-3425, ECON-3426, ECON-3440, ECON-3447, and ECON-3448. (MATH-1320 or MATH-3335* may be substituted for ECON-2301)
• Three upper division credit hours in a modern foreign language. 

Two courses, approved by the adviser, that emphasize current sociopolitical aspects of: 

• A foreign country; 
• A group of foreign countries; and/or
• The relations between several countries or areas of the world. 
• Recommended: MATH-1311. 

Concentration in Economics and Public Policy 

• This concentration emphasizes the application of economic analysis to the design and implementation of public policy. It is especially appropriate for students intending to pursue careers and/or graduate study in public policy or public administration. 

Departmental Requirements: 

33 credit hours of Economics including:

• ECON-1311, ECON-1312, ECON-2301, ECON-3425, and ECON-3426. (MATH-1320 or MATH-3335* may be substituted for ECON-2301)
• Three of ECON-3423, ECON-3429, ECON-3430, ECON-3434, and ECON-3439 (with approval of the adviser, ECON-3440 or ECON-3447 may be substituted for one of these). 
• Two courses that examine the analysis of implementation of public policy from a perspective other than that of economics (e.g., BUSN-3302, HCAD-3350, PLSI-1301, PLSI-3413, URBS-3416/PLSI-3416). 
• Recommended (strongly recommended for students planning on an advanced degree in public policy/public administration): MATH-1311, MATH-1312, ECON-3434, and ECON-4470. 
• Students intending to use MATH-3335 to fulfill this requirement should note that MATH-1311, MATH-1312, MATH-2321, and MATH-3334 are prerequisites for that course.

University requirements:

• Completion of all other required elements of the Pathways curriculum and at least 120 credit hours.