Economics, B.A.

Requirements for the Major in Economics:

Twelve courses in the department:

• ECO 101 - Introduction to Economics
• ECO 241 - Microeconomic Analysis
• ECO 242 - Macroeconomic Theory and Policy
• ECO 243 - Introduction to Econometrics
• ECO 498 - Economics Senior Thesis 1
• ECO 499 - Economics Senior Thesis 2

• and

• six others

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  Majors are required to take a minimum of three 300- or 400-level courses in the department (in addition to ECO 498   and ECO 499  ) ECO 390  may not be counted as a 300-level course to satisfy these requirements.

   

  Majors are required to take one *seminar course as one of their three 300-level electives.  The seminar course must be from one of the economics courses listed on the course catalogue with the word “seminar” in its title. Students cannot petition to have courses taken on terms abroad or at other institutions substitute for the seminar course.

   

  *Transition on Seminar Requirement:
   

  Current seniors (class of 2020) are not subject to the seminar requirement and should take an ECO 243  section with a WAC requirement.
  
  Current juniors (class of 2021), sophomores (class of 2022), and all newer classes (class of 2023 and onward) are subject to the seminar requirement and can take any section of ECO 243.

   

Additional Requirements

Majors and Interdepartmental majors should normally complete the core sequence of ECO 241  , ECO 242  , and ECO 243  by the beginning of the junior year. This will allow sufficient time to take upper-level courses prior to the senior thesis. Majors and Interdepartmental majors who have reached the junior year may not enroll in courses numbered below 240, except ECO 123  . Students may not count toward the major more than one elective that does not list ECO 101   as a prerequisite. Also, students may not count toward the major more than one internship-related course.

Majors and Interdepartmental majors must have a minimum grade of C in each of the courses in the core sequence of ECO 241  , ECO 242  , and ECO 243   before taking ECO 498  -ECO 499  , or IDM 498  -IDM 499   with Economics as one component. Students receiving a grade lower than C in any of the core sequence of ECO 241   ,ECO 242  , and ECO 243  may repeat the core course only once.

Majors and Interdepartmental majors must complete a seminar course as a prerequisite for enrollment in ECO 498, or IDM 498; concurrent enrollment would be allowed.

Majors and Interdepartmental majors taking ECO 498  -ECO 499  , or IDM 498  -IDM 499   with Economics as one component, must pass an oral defense of their senior thesis proposal before enrolling in ECO 499  or IDM 499   .

Students interested in economics might also consider the Quantitative Economics track or a major in Managerial Economics. Students planning graduate study in economics or business are advised to take additional courses in mathematics or consider the Quantitative Economics track as their advisors recommend.

Requirements for Honors in Economics:

Departmental honors require that a student enroll in and successfully complete the Honors Program.  The eligibility requirements for the honors program in economics are, in additional to the college-wide requirements, (1) a minimum grade average of 3.3 in Economics 241, 242, and 243, (2) nomination for honors at the end of the first term of thesis work by the advisor and first-term oral examiner, (3) a minimum grade of “A minus” on the senior thesis; and (4) a presentation in the Steinmetz Symposium in the Spring term.

Course Selection Guidelines

Course Sequence: Students intending to major in economics should take ECO 101  in the first year, and complete MTH 101  or MTH 110  in the first year if possible, early in the sophomore year if not. They should also take one or more 200-level electives in the first or second year, since these courses are not open to junior and senior majors. In the sophomore year they should take the core ECO 241  ,ECO 242  ,ECO 243  sequence; the sequence need not be taken in numerical order but ECO 243  should normally not be taken first. Majors should complete several 300-level elective courses as juniors prior to enrolling in senior thesis, including where possible courses in the area of economics in which the thesis will be written; interdepartmental majors should complete at least one such course in the junior year, and preferably more.

Placement: The economics department gives credit for ECO 101  to students receiving a score of 5, 6, or 7 on the Higher Level International Baccalaureate exam, a grade of A or B on the economics A-levels, and a score of 4 or 5 on both the AP Microeconomics and Macroeconomics exam, but does not give credit for ECO 101   to students who have taken only one of the two AP exams, regardless of the score received.

Prerequisites: ECO 101   is a prerequisite for all courses in the department, unless otherwise indicated.