General Economics Degree

Twenty (20) additional units in Economics courses

• No more than 8 additional units at the 200-level, and
• No fewer than 8 units at the 400-level.

Recommendations:

• ECON - 111 and ECON - 112 are normally taken in the freshman year and are prerequisites for ECON - 311 and ECON - 312 . Economics 101 and 102 can also be taken to fulfill these requirements with additional class credit from other major courses.
• ECON - 311 and ECON - 312 are prerequisites for many upper division courses in Economics and should be taken as soon as possible.
• Students are advised to combine a Foundation Program with one of the four Areas of Emphasis as the best way to meet the upper-division course requirements.

Learning Goals/Outcomes for the B.A. in Economics

Students who complete the B.A. in Economics will be able to:

• Employ economic reasoning. Specifically, to meaningfully evaluate costs and benefits in the allocation of scarce resources, and to understand the application of scientific method (theory, model and data analysis) to understanding individual and aggregate economic behavior.
• Utilize economic terminology. Specifically, to develop a command of the language of macro and microeconomics, including the use of simple algebraic models, economic statistics, and graphical representations of economic relationships, especially in the applied areas of finance, international, and development economics.
• Have knowledge of core economic insights. Specifically, in the case of microeconomics, to understand the supply and demand framework; the utility maximization principle and consumer choice; marginal production and cost analysis, the impact of market structure on equilibrium price and quantity, and the causes and consequences of market failure. In the case of macroeconomics, students should comprehend the nature of aggregate relationships between output, prices, and employment, and the impacts of fiscal and monetary policy on economic growth.
• Be familiar with fundamental economic institutions. Specifically, to comprehend the roles and functions of firms, households, and the public sector in a market economy.
• Understand the most important economic policy options. Specifically, to be able to use economic theory and methods to evaluate public policy in areas such as taxation, regulation of firms, monetary and fiscal policy, development policies and programs, international finance, and international trade.