Economics & Business

Major in Economics

The Economics & Business Department has revised the old, 2015 Economics major to the 2021 Economics Major and introduced its newest major, Business, Economics, and Society

Economics Major

Preregistration - Fall 2023

The objective of the major in Economics is to develop a general knowledge of how economies function to allocate scarce resources. By applying economic theories of decision-making and coordination to public policy issues, majors will gain an understanding of the operation of the United States and other economies and of their interactions. Specialization in economics is valuable to students who intend to enter business or government service. For many positions with federal or state governments, training in economics or related social sciences is required. Moreover, undergraduate specialization in economics is the first step for students who wish to make a career of college teaching of economics or who wish to secure positions as professional economists with business or government. To hold such positions, graduate study of economics is usually required.

The Economics major also hopes to shape effective citizens by promoting knowledge of structures and processes central to democratic society in a global age and by addressing issues of economic inequality and social injustice. This goal contributes to the college’s commitment to the liberal arts, and it reinforces the college’s anti-racism agenda and its efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion.

Key Documents and Links

Course of Study and Major Declaration

Review the 2021 Economics Major Requirements for a full picture of the course of study.

Visit the Econ Major Course Catalog  for a list of all courses that count toward the major.

To declare your major, visit the Registrar's Office or complete the Major Declaration Form online.

For all students who declared an Economics Major before AY 2021-22, here is the old major requirement form for reference:

2015 Economics Major Requirements (non-declarable)

 

Other Relevant Links

Visit the Registrar’s Transfer Credit Into CC page for information on getting AP, GCE, and Transfer credit. The site includes AP and GCE score requirements for getting credit toward courses in the major. 

IB courses are approved for credit on a case by case basis by the department. If you would like to receive credit for an IB course, please contact the current Department Chair.

Visit the Global Education Office’s Credit Transfer Overview page for information on getting credit for classes taken during study abroad. You must declare your major before you study abroad in order to get credit toward your major from your program. 

 

Notes on the 2015 Economics Major

Students who declared the 2015 Economics Major prior to Academic Year 2021-2022 have three options:

  1. Continue to fulfill the requirements of the 2015 version of the Economics Major. 
  2. Change their major to 2021 Economics.
  3. Change their major to Business, Economics, and Society (BESoc).

As a reminder, the 2015 Major in Economics organizes electives in theme-based tracks and requires students to develop expertise in at least two of them.*

The tracks are:

  • Business: EC 211-230, 311-330 and 411-429
  • Microeconomics: EC 241-260, 341-360, 441-459
  • Macroeconomics/International: EC 271-290, 371-390, 471-489

Some courses may count toward more than one theme, as noted in individual course descriptions (e.g. 245, 347, 351, 405, 406, 407). Be sure to ask your advisor for additional clarification.

*The 2021 Economics major does not use theme-based tracks.

Report an issue - Last updated: 05/08/2023

Ready to Declare Your Major?

We are temporarily pausing major declarations until the beginning of Block 1 in fall 2023. If you have an urgent need to declare your major due to immigration issues, please contact our chair, Christina Rader.

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In the fall, please book an appointment with the Economics and Business Paraprofessional; at your appointment, you will be assigned an advisor and assisted in completing the major declaration form. When you book your appointment, please indicate the major you intend to declare in the notes section.

Please complete the tasks below prior to your appointment for the best possible outcome:

  • Determine the exact number of General Education requirements you have completed/still need to complete. Bring this to your meeting.
  • Review your anticipated major’s list of requirements on the Catalog of Courses site.
  • Based on the major requirements, create a list of courses you have taken that will satisfy your anticipated major’s requirements. Bring this to your meeting.

At the meeting, you will complete the registrar’s Major Declaration Form together. You can prefill the form before the meeting, but please do not submit the form until you have had your meeting. Please see our examples of all four possible major declarations for reference.

We look forward to welcoming you into the department!