Programs of Study Spring 2005 illinois home
 

Curriculum in Economics

Effective Fall 2004 the business college will phase out this undergraduate degree program. Only students currently enrolled in the College of Business economics curriculum may complete the program. Others interested in pursuing economics should consult with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences about their Bachelor of Arts in Economics degree.

For the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Economics

Economics has been defined as the study of how people use limited resources to produce various goods and services for the unlimited material wants of the population. So, the economist is concerned with what is produced, how goods and services are distributed, the organization of industries, labor supply and its use, international trade, production and distribution of national income, government finance, and the use and conservation of land and natural resources.

An economics major first establishes a core of knowledge in intermediate economic theory and statistics. The student may then specialize in one of several areas such as taxation and government finance, international economics, economic history, labor economics, economic development, quantitative economics, or public policy. The economics major can alternatively take a general rather than specialized approach to economics.

An economics major is well prepared for further study in an M.B.A. or law program or for graduate work in areas such as economics, planning and administration, or policy studies. Career opportunities include sales and management positions in business, industry, and government; teaching and administrative positions in colleges and universities; and research positions in private and public institutions.

Requirements for the degree include ECON 303 Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory plus 12 additional hours in economics at the 200 to 400 level (excluding ECON -398 Senior Research II and 399 Undergraduate Open Seminar). Students with interest in further work in economics are advised to fulfill the college mathematics requirement with MATH 220 and 230 or MATH 235, and to take additional training in courses such as MATH 242 Calculus of Several Variables or 245 Accelerated Calculus II and MATH 415 Linear Algebra.

Courses used to satisfy a major in economics may not be taken on a credit-no credit basis.