Economics (BA)
The information on the tabs below will help students planning to major in Economics to choose appropriate classes for their first semester. The recommendations below are for your first semester only, so you may have additional Core requirements, for example, that you'll learn more about during your first semester here.
Advising Notes
Important Notes for Economics majors from Advising:
- Economics (BA) is in the College of Arts and Sciences. We also have an Economics (BBA) major in the Quinlan School of Business. This BA major primarily requires ECON courses, while the BBA major requires many additional business courses (Accounting, Marketing, etc.) to broaden students’ knowledge of all areas in the business field.
- If you earn a 4 or 5 on your AP Statistics exam, do not enroll in STAT 103.
- If you earn a 4 or 5 on your AP Microeconomics exam, do not enroll in ECON 201.
- If you earn a 4 or 5 on your AP Macroeconomics exam, do not enroll in ECON 202.
- ECON 201 and ECON 202 are the pre-requisite courses for most of the upper-level ECON courses for this major.
- If you are interested in a minor that requires calculus-track math (such as statistics, economics, or finance) or are unsure, please respond to your registration email to get more directions on your math class recommendation.
- Don’t forget to check the AP/IB guide to ensure you know if you have any incoming credit that will count towards your Core requirements.
- With this major, it is very manageable to add a second major or a minor in the future, and study abroad at almost any time.
- Please keep in mind that the Quinlan School of Business offers many courses at the Water Tower Campus (You can identify these classes because LOCUS will show WTC as the campus and they will be held in Schreiber, Corboy, School of Communication buildings). Be sure to leave at least an hour between classes if you are traveling between the Lake Shore and Water Tower campuses.
First Semester Course Recommendations
As an Economics major, you will enroll in the following courses:
Zero or one of the following math courses based on your math placement (0-3 credits):
- MATH 100 if placement is MATH 100
- MATH 110 if placement is MATH 117 or MATH 118
- MATH 130 if placement is MATH 131 or MATH 161
One or two of the following classes (3-6 credits):
- ECON 201 or 202
- STAT 103
One Freshman Seminar:
- UNIV 101 (1 credit)
Two or three of the following Core classes (Pick only one course per category, 6-9 total credits):
- College Writing Seminar: UCWR 110, based on writing placement
- Foundational Historical Knowledge: HIST 101, HIST 102, HIST 103, or HIST 104
- Foundational Scientific Knowledge: ENVS 101
- Foundational Philosophical Knowledge: PHIL 130
- Foundational Literary Knowledge: UCLR 100M, UCLR 100C, or UCLR 100E
- Foundational Theological Knowledge: THEO 100 or THEO 107
- Ethics Knowledge: PHIL 181, PHIL 182, THEO 185, or THEO 186
- Artistic Knowledge: (see options in the Undergraduate Catalog)
The total number of credits you will enroll in for the fall is 16 credits.
Interdisciplinary Honors First Semester Course Recommendations
As an Economics major, you will enroll in the following courses:
Zero or one of the following math courses based on your math placement (0-3 credits):
- MATH 100 if placement is MATH 100
- MATH 110 if placement is MATH 117 or MATH 118
- MATH 130 if placement is MATH 131 or MATH 161
One or two of the following classes (3-6 credits):
- ECON 201 or 202
- STAT 103
One Freshman Seminar:
- UNIV 101 (1 credit)
Interdisciplinary Honors Requirements (6 credits)
- HONR 101
- HONR D101
Up to one of following Core classes based on major class enrollment (Pick one course from a category, 0-3 total credits):
- Foundational Historical Knowledge: Any 100/200/300-level HIST course
- Foundational Scientific Knowledge: ENVS 101
The total number of credits you will enroll in for the fall is 16 credits.
The information on the tabs below will help students planning to major in Economics to choose appropriate classes for their first semester. The recommendations below are for your first semester only, so you may have additional Core requirements, for example, that you'll learn more about during your first semester here.