Academic Programs Catalog

The Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics emphasizes the use of quantitative techniques in the analysis of economic theories.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics

1. The graduation requirements of the University as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics.
   
   The University's Mathematics requirement for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics is met by completing Mathematics 124, 132, or 152H.
   
   The University's Tier II writing requirement for the Economics major is met by completing one of the following courses: Economics 404, 410, 413, 414, 425, 435, 436, 438, 440, 441, 450, 460, 480, 485, 495, 498, or 499. Those courses are referenced in item 3. c. below.
2. The requirements of the College of Social Science for the Bachelor of Arts degree.
3. The following requirements for the major (36 or 37 credits):

   Students may elect to complete more economics courses than those needed to complete the requirements for the major, with the understanding that the grades earned in such courses will be included in the computation of the grade-point average for courses in the major to meet College of Social Science graduation requirements. In order to be eligible to enroll in Economics 499, as referenced in item 3. below, students must have a grade-point average of 2.0 across attempted Economics courses.
   a.	All of the following courses in the Department of Economics (15 credits):
   	EC	201	Introduction to Microeconomics				3
   	EC	202	Introduction to Macroeconomics				3
   	EC	301	Intermediate Microeconomics				3
   	EC	302	Intermediate Macroeconomics				3
   	EC	420	Introduction to Econometric Methods				3
   	A minimum grade of 2.0 must be achieved in both Economics 201 and 202. A maximum of one course repeat (3 credits) may be used to satisfy the 2.0 grade requirement.
   	Economics 251H may be substituted for Economics 201 and 301. Students who elect this substitution, and who do not take Economics 252H, may satisfy the requirement referenced in item 3. a. by completing at least 2 to 3 credits in Economics courses at the 300-400 level, in addition to the 9 credits referenced in item 3. d.
   	Economics 252H may be substituted for Economics 202 and 302. Students who elect this substitution, and who do not take Economics 251H, may satisfy the requirement referenced in item 3. a. by completing at least 3 credits in Economics courses at the 300-400 level, in addition to the 9 credits referenced in item 3. d.
   	Economics 251H and 252H may be substituted for the following group of courses: Economics 201, 202, 301, and 302. Students who elect this substitution may satisfy the requirement referenced in item 3. a. by completing at least 5 to 6 credits in two Economics courses at the 300-400 level, in addition to the 9 credits referenced in item 3. d.
   	Students who elect to use Economics 251H as a substitute for Economics 201 and/or Economics 252H as a substitute for Economics 202 must achieve a minimum grade of 2.0 in the course substitute. A maximum of one course repeat (3 credits) may be used to satisfy the 2.0 grade requirement.
   b.	One of the following courses in the international area (3 credits):
   	EC	310	Economics of Developing Countries				3
   	EC	340	Survey of International Economics				3
   	EC	410	Issues in the Economics of Developing Countries (W)				3
   	EC	413	Economic Analysis of Asia (W)				3
   	EC	414	Economic Analysis of Sub-Saharan Africa (W)				3
   	EC	440	International Trade (W)				3
   	EC	441	International Finance (W)				3
   	The course used to fulfill this requirement may not be used to fulfill requirement c. below.
   c.	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   	EC	404	Behavioral Economics (W)				3
   	EC	410	Issues in the Economics of Developing Countries (W)				3
   	EC	413	Economic Analysis of Asia (W)				3
   	EC	414	Economic Analysis of Sub-Saharan Africa (W)				3
   	EC	425	Law and Economics (W)				3
   	EC	435	Public Expenditures (W)				3
   	EC	436	Public Revenues (W)				3
   	EC	438	Urban Economics (W)				3
   	EC	440	International Trade (W)				3
   	EC	441	International Finance (W)				3
   	EC	450	Economics of Environmental Policy (W)				3
   	EC	460	American Industry: Structure and Behavior (W)				3
   	EC	480	Analysis of Labor Markets (W)				3
   	EC	485	Economics of Education (W)				3
   	EC	495	Economics of Poverty and Income Distribution (W)				3
   	EC	498	Economics of Health Care (W)				3
   	EC	499	Senior Seminar for Economics Majors (W)				3
   	The course used to fulfill this requirement may not be used to fulfill requirement b. above.
   d.	Nine additional credits in economics courses, of which at least 6 credits must be at the 400-level and at least 3 credits must be at the 300-level or higher.
   e.	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   	MTH	124	Survey of Calculus I				3
   	MTH	132	Calculus I				3
   	MTH	152H	Honors Calculus I				3
   	The course used to fulfill this requirement may also be used to fulfill the University mathematics requirement.
   f.	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   	STT	315	Introduction to Probability and Statistics for Business				3
   	STT	421	Statistics I				3
   g.	One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
   	CMSE	201	Computational Modeling and Data Analysis				4
   	CSE	102	Algorithmic Thinking and Programming				3

The Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics emphasizes the use of advanced math and science in the analysis of economic theories. The program offers students more emphasis on mathematics, statistics, and computer science, as preparation for those who wish to pursue graduate training in economics.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics

1. The graduation requirements of the University as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Science degree in Economics.
   
   The University's Mathematics requirement for the Bachelor of Science degree in Economics is met by completing Mathematics 132, or 152H.
   
   The University’s Tier II writing requirement for the Economics major is met by completing one of the following courses: Economics 404, 410, 413, 414, 425, 435, 436, 438, 440, 441, 450, 460, 480, 485, 495, 498, or 499. Those courses are referenced in item 3. c. below.
    
2. The requirements of the College of Social Science for the Bachelor of Science degree.
3. The following requirements for the major (30 credits):
   Students may elect to complete more economics courses than those needed to complete the requirements for the major, with the understanding that the grades earned in such courses will be included in the computation of the grade-point average for courses in the major to meet College of Social Science graduation requirements. In order to be eligible to enroll in Economics 499, as referenced in item 3. c. and 3.e. below, students must have a grade-point average of 2.0 across attempted Economics courses.

   a.	All of the following courses (15 credits):
   	EC	201	Introduction to Microeconomics				3
   	EC	202	Introduction to Macroeconomics				3
   	EC	301	Intermediate Microeconomics				3
   	EC	302	Intermediate Macroeconomics				3
   	EC	420	Introduction to Econometric Methods				3
   	A minimum grade of 2.0 must be achieved in both Economics 201 and 202. A maximum of one course repeat (3 credits) may be used to satisfy the 2.0 grade requirement.
   	Economics 251H may be substituted for Economics 201 and 301. Students who elect this substitution, and who do not take Economics 252H, may satisfy the requirement referenced in item 3. a. by completing at least 2 to 3 credits in Economics courses at the 300-400 level, in addition to the credits referenced in item 3. f.
   	Economics 252H may be substituted for Economics 202 and 302. Students who elect this substitution, and who do not take Economics 251H, may satisfy the requirement referenced in item 3. a. by completing at least 3 credits in Economics courses at the 300-400 level, in addition to the credits referenced in item 3. f.
   	Economics 251H and 252H may be substituted for the following group of courses: Economics 201, 202, 301, and 302. Students who elect this substitution may satisfy the requirement referenced in item 3. a. by completing at least 5 to 6 credits in two Economics courses at the 300-400 level, in addition to the credits referenced in item 3. f.
   	Students who elect to use Economics 251H as a substitute for Economics 201 and/or Economics 252H as a substitute for Economics 202 must achieve a minimum grade of 2.0 in the course substitute. A maximum of one course repeat (3 credits) may be used to satisfy the 2.0 grade requirement.
   b.	One of the following courses in the international area (3 credits):
   	EC	310	Economics of Developing Countries				3
   	EC	340	Survey of International Economics				3
   	EC	410	Issues in the Economics of Developing Countries (W)				3
   	EC	413	Economic Analysis of Asia (W)				3
   	EC	414	Economic Analysis of Sub-Saharan Africa (W)				3
   	EC	440	International Trade (W)				3
   	EC	441	International Finance (W)				3
   	The course used to fulfill this requirement may not be used to fulfill requirement 3. c. below.
   c.	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   	EC	404	Behavioral Economics (W)				3
   	EC	410	Issues in the Economics of Developing Countries (W)				3
   	EC	413	Economic Analysis of Asia (W)				3
   	EC	414	Economic Analysis of Sub-Saharan Africa (W)				3
   	EC	425	Law and Economics (W)				3
   	EC	435	Public Expenditures (W)				3
   	EC	436	Public Revenues (W)				3
   	EC	438	Urban Economics (W)				3
   	EC	440	International Trade (W)				3
   	EC	441	International Finance (W)				3
   	EC	450	Economics of Environmental Policy (W)				3
   	EC	460	American Industry: Structure and Behavior (W)				3
   	EC	480	Analysis of Labor Markets (W)				3
   	EC	485	Economics of Education (W)				3
   	EC	495	Economics of Poverty and Income Distribution (W)				3
   	EC	498	Economics of Health Care (W)				3
   	EC	499	Senior Seminar for Economics Majors (W)				3
   	Courses used to fulfill requirement 3. b. above may not be used to fulfill this requirement.
   d.	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   	EC	401	Advanced Microeconomics				3
   	EC	402	Advanced Macroeconomics				3
   e.	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   	EC	421	Advanced Econometric Methods				3
   	EC	499	Senior Seminar for Economics Majors (W)				3
   	EC 499 may not be used to fulfill this requirement if used to fulfill requirement 3. c. above.
   f.	Three to six additional credits in economics courses at the 300-level or higher to total at least 30 credits in Economics courses.
   g.	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   	MTH	132	Calculus I				3
   	MTH	152H	Honors Calculus i				3
   	The course used to fulfill this requirement may also be used to fulfill the University mathematics requirement.
   h.	One of the following courses (4 credits):
   	MTH	133	Calculus II				4
   	MTH	153H	Honors Calculus II				4
   	The course used to fulfill this requirement may also be used to fulfill the College of Social Science STEM requirement.
   i.	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   	STT	351	Probability and Statistics for Engineering				3
   	STT	380	Probability and Statistics for Data Science				4
   	STT	430	Introduction to Probability and Statistics				3
   	STT	442	Probability and Statistics II: Statistics				3
   	The course used to fulfill this requirement may also be used to fulfill the College of Social Science STEM requirement.
   j.	A minimum of 7 credits from the following courses:
   	CSE	231	Introduction to Programming I				4
   	CMSE	201	Computational Modeling and Data Analysis I				4
   	MTH	234	Multivariable Calculus				4
   	MTH	235	Differential Equations				3
   	MTH	254H	Honors Multivariable Calculus				4
   	MTH	299	Transitions				4
   	MTH	309	Linear Algebra I				3
   	MTH	310	Abstract Algebra I and Number Theory				3
   	MTH	314	Matrix Algebra with Computational Applications				3
   	MTH	320	Analysis I				3
   	MTH	340	Ordinary Differential Equations I				3
   	STT	441	Probability and Statistics I: Probability				3
   	STT	461	Computations in Probability and Statistics				3
   	Students may count only one of CSE 231 or CMSE 201 in this requirement. The courses used to fulfill this requirement may also be used to fulfill the College of Social Science STEM requirement.

The Minor in Economics, which is administered by the Department of Economics, provides a basic foundation for the breadth of study within the field of economics and a grounding in general economic theory.

The minor is available as an elective to students who are enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs at Michigan State University other than the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics.  With the approval of the department and college that administers the student’s degree program, the courses that are used to satisfy the minor may also be used to satisfy the requirements for the bachelor’s degree.

Students who plan to complete the requirements for the minor should consult an undergraduate advisor in the Department of Economics.

Requirements for the Minor in Economics

Complete 18 credits of economics course work with a minimum grade-point average of 2.0 in courses used in fulfillment of the requirements for the minor.

The Minor in Social Science Quantitative Data Analytics, administered by the Department of Economics, enhances the education and empowers students interested in understanding how core social science skills such as critical thinking and theoretically oriented analysis are useful in the systematic collection, integration, analysis, and presentation of large-scale and dense information.

The minor is available as an elective to students who are enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs in the College of Social Science. With the approval of the department and college that administer the student’s degree program, the courses that are used to satisfy the minor may also be used to satisfy the requirements for the bachelor’s degree.

Requirements for the Minor in Social Science Quantitative Data Analytics

Students must complete a minimum of 15 credits from the following: