Bachelor of Arts in Economics

About
Requirements
Academic Plan

Learn more about the Bachelor of Arts in Economics.

The major in economics exposes a student to the economist's way of thinking about social problems and behavior. The major helps a student understand the economic aspect of current events and public policy and is good preparation for careers in law and business.

Special Opportunities

Accelerated Degree Program

Students who wish to earn a B.A. and an M.A. in Economics may do so in a combined +1 accelerated program. Students begin graduate study during their undergraduate program and are able to count some electives towards both degrees. This program is only open to students who will complete both degrees in a total of five years or less. See the Economics faculty advisor if you are considering this option.

Honors Society and Majors' Association

The student honorary fraternity is Omicron Delta Epsilon. Along with the more general student organization, The Economics Society, it provides opportunities for students to network with other students and with practicing economists in learning more about economics and finding internships and employment opportunities.

Internships

Students may participate in an Internship, gaining valuable work experience which can enhance their job market prospects upon graduation. By completing an academic research project under the guidance of a faculty member, student interns may earn credit for ECON 2585.

Summary of Degree Requirements

University Requirements:

MATH 0701 (4 s.h.) and/or ENG 0701 (4 s.h.), if required by placement testing.
All Temple students must take a minimum of two writing-intensive courses as part of the major. The specific courses required for this major are ECON 3598 and one of the following: ECON 3596, ECON 3597, ECON 3696, ECON 3697, or ECON 3698.
Students must complete requirements of the General Education (GenEd) Program. See the General Education section of the Undergraduate Bulletin for more details.

College of Liberal Arts Requirements:

Completion of a minimum of 123 credits, including:
- 90 credits in CLA/CST courses;
- 45 credits of which must be at the upper level (numbered 2000-4999).
  - For Social Science majors, 6 upper level credits (numbered 2000-4999) must be taken in Humanities Subject Areas: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Greek (Ancient), Greek and Roman Classics, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Philosophy, Religion, Russian, and Spanish in the College of Liberal Arts, Art History in the Tyler School of Art and Architecture, or any department in the College of Science and Technology.
- A minimum GPA of 2.0, cumulatively, in CLA/CST coursework, and in the major.
- Only courses in which a student receives a grade of at least C- can satisfy GenEd, major, minor, or CLA Foreign Language and Global Studies requirements.
- Professional Development Requirement
  - All students in the College of Liberal Arts are required to take a 1 credit seminar in professional development. CLA 1002 Professional Development for Liberal Arts Majors is the appropriate course option for this major. Other courses that fulfill this requirement may be found on the CLA College Requirements page. Only one course in this category may count towards graduation.
- Foreign Language/Global Studies Requirements:
  - All students must complete or test out of the first and second levels of a foreign language, these are numbered 1001 and 1002;
  - All students must complete at least one course from the GenEd Global/World Society category; and
  - All Bachelor of Arts students must complete one of the following options:
    - Third semester of a foreign language;
    - Demonstrated proficiency beyond the third semester in a foreign language (placement exam or certification from the language department);
    - Take one Global Studies course from the list on the CLA College Requirements page;
    - Study Abroad at an approved program; or
    - Take a second General Education Global/World Society course.
  - Notes on Foreign Language Study
    - The third level of language is numbered 1003 in French, German, Spanish, and Portuguese and numbered 2001 in all other foreign language subjects.
    - Students are strongly encouraged to take the third level of a foreign language as it is the minimum required for election to the prestigious honors society Phi Beta Kappa. (Taking the course does not guarantee admission but not taking it guarantees exclusion.)
    - See the College of Liberal Arts Policies section of this Bulletin for more information on the Foreign Language Placement, Regression in Coursework, and guidelines for students' other experiences with language.

General Electives are typically one-third of a student's program of study and can be focused on a second major, a minor, or towards some other personal enrichment or professional goals. See an academic advisor for assistance in developing an academic plan for these courses.

Major Requirements (37 credits):

Course List
Code	Title	Credit Hours
Required Courses
ECON 1101	Macroeconomic Principles ¹	3
or ECON 1901	Honors Macroeconomic Principles
ECON 1102	Microeconomic Principles ¹	3
or ECON 1902	Honors Microeconomic Principles
STAT 2103	Statistical Business Analytics	4
ECON 3501	Intermediate Microeconomic Analysis	3
or ECON 3701	Intermediate Microeconomic Analysis with Calculus
ECON 3502	Intermediate Macroeconomic Analysis	3
or ECON 3702	Intermediate Macroeconomic Analysis with Calculus
ECON 3503	Introduction to Econometrics	3
or ECON 3703	Econometric Theory
ECON 3563	International Trade	3
or ECON 3564	International Monetary Economics
Writing-intensive elective
Select one of the following:		3
ECON 3596	Energy, Ecology, and Economy
ECON 3597	Health Economics
ECON 3696	Behavioral Economics
ECON 3697	The Economics of Sports
ECON 3698	Economic Inequality
Capstone Course
ECON 3598	Economics Writing Seminar	3
Major Electives
Three electives in Economics at the 3000 level or above		9
Total Credit Hours		37

These courses are prerequisites for most of the Economics 2000-3999 courses. Check specific course descriptions for details.

Note: Students preparing for graduate study in economics or in an economics-related area are strongly encouraged to take ECON 3701, ECON 3702, ECON 3703, and ECON 3504 as well as courses in calculus and linear algebra in the Mathematics department.

Suggested Academic Plan