Undergraduate Programme in Economics

The undergraduate programmes in Economics at Ashoka University are designed to provide students with a sound understanding of the principles of economics. Students will master a set of tools that will enable them to think critically and contribute to debates on a wide array of interesting problems and issues of public policy.

Although the primary focus of study will be on economics, students will be exposed to ideas and techniques from many other disciplines through the Foundation courses in other disciplines such as History, Sociology, Literature, and Politics. Students will also be taught the quantitative techniques in Mathematics and Statistics that have become an integral part of modern economic analysis.

We are confident that students will imbibe the skills necessary to enter a wide range of careers. Some will go on to further studies in Economics. Some others may wish to work as professional economists in the private or the public sector.

The department recommends that students complete mathematics in Classes 11 and 12 to be eligible for any economics-related major or minor. This includes the pure Economics major and Economics-related Interdisciplinary majors, such as Economics and Finance; Economics and Public Policy; Politics, Philosophy, and Economics; and Economics and History. Students meeting this requirement are automatically eligible for all economics-related majors or minors.

For students who have not studied mathematics in Classes 11 and 12 to be eligible for any economics-related major or minor, they need to:

• Take MAT 1000: Calculus (a 1000-level course) offered by the Mathematics department in their first semester and
• Secure at least an A- to be eligible

Structure and Curriculum

Ashoka University’s Economics programs are taught by faculty members who hold expertise in Game Theory, Behavioural Economics, Experimental Economics, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics and much more. The faculty combines superb teaching with focused research. 

• Economics Major Requirements
• The credit requirements for the Economics major are listed below.

4-year NEP Programs: For students admitted to Ashoka in 2022/23 and beyond:

• Undergraduate batches admitted in 2022 and later will fall within the 4-year NEP Programs. The details are here. For students admitted before 2022, the three-year UG + ASP structure holds.
• Here are the descriptions of both compulsory and elective economics courses from recent semesters.

For students admitted to Ashoka in 2020 and 2021:

• Foundation Courses: one must take eight (8) foundation courses and one (1) ICT.
• Compulsory courses in Economics: these include nine (9) courses — Introduction to Economics, Mathematics for Economics, Microeconomic Theory I, Macroeconomic Theory I, Statistics for Economics, Microeconomic Theory II, Macroeconomic Theory II, Econometrics, and Development Economics.
• Elective courses in Economics: one must take six (6) elective courses in Economics from a set of courses to be offered in the 5th and the 6th semesters.

For students admitted to Ashoka in 2018-2019:

• Foundation Courses: one must take eight (8) foundation courses and one (1) ICT.
• Compulsory courses in Economics: these include nine (9) courses — Introduction to Economics, Mathematics for Economics, Microeconomic Theory I, Macroeconomic Theory I, Statistics for Economics, Microeconomic Theory II, Macroeconomic Theory II, Econometrics, and Development Economics.
• Elective courses in Economics: one must take six (6) elective courses in Economics from a set of courses to be offered in the 5th and the 6th semesters.

For students admitted to Ashoka in 2018:

• Students from this batch need to take 6 FCs.
• Critical Thinking Seminars: students from this batch must take 1 ICT and 1 CTS.
• Compulsory courses in Economics: same as current.
• Elective courses in Economics: same as current.

For students admitted to Ashoka in 2017:

• To fulfill requirements for an Economics Major, students from this batch need to take 6 FCs, if they have taken “Indian Civilisations”. If not, they need to take 7 FCs.

Minor Requirements

• For a student to Minor in Economics, one must have studied mathematics in Classes 11 and 12.

4-year NEP Programs: For students admitted to Ashoka in 2022/23 and beyond:

• Undergraduate batches admitted in 2022 and later will fall within the 4-year NEP Programs. The details are here. For students admitted before 2022, the three-year UG + ASP structure holds.

For students admitted to Ashoka in 2017-2021: Students must take the following economics courses:

• Introduction to Economics
• Maths for Economics
• Microeconomic Theory I
• Macroeconomic Theory I

In addition to the above requirement, students completing the minor in Economics must also take either of these two combinations: Statistics and Econometrics OR Microeconomic Theory II and Macroeconomic Theory II.

For students admitted to Ashoka before 2017: Students will have to do Maths for Economics, Intermediate Microeconomics, Intermediate Macroeconomics, Statistics for Economics, Econometrics and choose one other course from the list of courses offered by the Economics faculty. Mathematics for Economics is offered in the Spring Semester (Jan-April). Statistics for Economics, Intermediate Microeconomics and Intermediate Macroeconomics are offered in the Monsoon Semester (Sep-Dec). Statistics is a prerequisite for Econometrics, which is offered in the Spring Semester (Jan-April).

Interdisciplinary Majors Requirements
The Department of Economics currently offers the following interdisciplinary majors:

• Economics and Finance
• Economics and Public Policy
• Politics, Philosophy and Economics
• Economics and History