Departments & Programs
Economics
Major in Economics
Purpose
The B.A. Major in Economics provides excellent preparation for graduate and professional school, including law school, and for rewarding careers in consulting, finance, and other private and public sector employment. Specific courses in microeconomic theory, macroeconomic theory, statistics, and mathematical modeling provide students with the tools to analyze and guide the decisions of business firms, consumers, and public-policy makers in a variety of market settings. Elective courses add breadth and depth to students' understanding of the basic tools of economic analysis by focusing on their application within specific subfields.
Economics focuses on providing an understanding of how individuals and societies manage their scarce resources-- people must decide how much they work, what they buy, how much they save, and how they use their leisure time. Most societies use decentralized markets as the primary means of allocating resources, so economics gives students insight into how markets function in coordinating the activities of many diverse buyers and sellers. Economics also analyzes the trends and forces that affect the economy as a whole, including growth in average income, the portion of the labor force that cannot find work, and the rate at which prices are rising or falling.
Required Courses
- Introductory economics: E201 and E202
- Mathematics: M118 and either M119 or M211 or M213
- Intermediate economic theory: E321 and E322
- Statistics: E370
- Econometrics: E371 or E471
- Economics electives: At least four additional economics courses (12 credit hours) at the 300 or 400 level, excluding E496 and Y398. At least three of the elective courses (9 credit hours) must be numbered above E322, and all three courses must be taken in residence on the Bloomington campus. A minimum of 18 credit hours of courses in the major must be taken on the Bloomington campus.
- A total of at least 30 credit hours of economics.
Students must also complete all degree requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences.