Degree Requirements

Home Undergraduate Program Degree Requirements

MAJOR REQUIREMENTS

*Students must include at least 3 from the following list:

• 104 Is There Truth in Numbers: The Role of Statistics in Economics
• 105 Topics in Macroeconomic Theory
• 106 Evolutionary Thought in the Social Sciences
• 107 Economic Justice
• 108 Business and Society
• 109 Business Ethics
• 114 Advanced Quantitative Methods
• 120 Economic Development
• 121 Economic Growth
• 125 Economic History of the U.S.
• 126 Why Economies Succeed or Fail
• 128 Poverty and Public Policy
• 130 Money and Banking
• 137 Performing Arts in the Public and Private Economy
• 140 International Trade
• 141 International Finance
• 142 Advanced Topics in International Finance
• 143 Policy Issues in the International Economy
• 148 Latin American Economies
• 149 The Economies of East and Southeast Asia
• 150 Public Finance
• 152 Setting Domestic Priorities
• 153 Cost-Benefit Analysis
• 156 Health Care and Medical Economics
• 157 Economics of Aging
• 159 The Economics of Organizations
• 160A Industrial Organization
• 160B Government and Industry
• 165 Economics as an Experimental Science
• 166A Game Theory and Applications I
• 166B Game Theory and Applications II
• 169 Economic Analysis of the Law
• 170 Environmental Economics
• 171 Natural Resource Economics
• 175 Energy Economics
• 183 Women in the Economy
• 184 Labor Wars in Theory and Film
• 185 Value and Support of the Arts: Challenges and Opportunities in American Society
• 189 Political Economy of Capitalism
• 190 Senior Proseminar
• 195 Senior Thesis
• 199 Tutorial

Mathematics requirement: Successful completion of Economics 11A and 11B, Mathematical Methods for Economists (or equivalent; two quarters) and Applied Mathematics and Statistics (AMS) 5, Statistics, is required of all economics majors. Economics 11A and 11B are prerequisite to Economics 100A/M, Intermediate Microeconomics and 100B/N, Intermediate Macroeconomics. Economics 11B and AMS 5 are prerequisite to Economics 113, Introduction to Econometrics. Therefore, students are advised to take Economics 11A-B or its equivalent as early as possible in their undergraduate career. Mathematics 11A-B, Calculus with Applications (two quarters) with Mathematics 22, Introduction to Calculus of Several Variables or Mathematics 19A-B, Calculus for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics (two quarters) with Mathematics 22, Introduction to Calculus of Several Variables are acceptable equivalents to Economics 11A-B. Students should not attempt to meet the requirement by combining courses from the economics and math sequences. Students must complete whichever sequence they begin. Students planning to do graduate work in economics or business should seriously consider more intensive mathematical training (consult adviser). Students who are committed to the major early in their academic career or who are considering the combined B.A./M.S. program should plan to complete Economics 1, 2, 11A, 11B, and AMS 5 by the end of their sophomore year.

Students planning to do graduate work in economics or business should seriously consider additional work in mathematics. A suggested program would include the following: Economics 1, 2; Mathematics 11A-B or 19A-B, 21, 22, 24; Economics 100A/M, 100B/N, 113, 114, 115, and three other upper-division courses in economics.

COMPREHENSIVE REQUIREMENT

The comprehensive requirement may be satisfied in one of the following ways:

1. The Economics Comprehensive Examination: By completing Economics 100A/M, 100B/N, and 113 with grades of “C” or better. Students are allowed two attempts to pass these courses. Students who fail these courses should arrange to retake them within two quarters of their initial attempt. .
2. Senior Thesis: A senior thesis may be offered to meet the comprehensive exam. A student proposing to write a senior thesis must find a faculty advisor and enroll in Economics 195. A copy of the senior thesis must be submitted to the Economics Department to be kept on file for student reference..

MINOR REQUIREMENTS

• The number of additional upper-division courses is reduced from five to three.
• There is no comprehensive requirement.
• Courses 191, 192, 193, and 198 may not be used to meet minor requirements. Course 199 may be counted only once toward the upper-division minor requirements.

DUAL DEGREE

A minimum of two quarters of calculus and one quarter of statistics (AMS 5) is required. The math requirement is usually met by taking Economics 11A & 11B, or Math 11A-B & 22 (or 23A) or Math 19A-19B & 22 (or 23A). Mathematics 21 (Linear Algebra) is also recommended. In addition, students find that previous experience with the UNIX text editor and some statistical software (e.g. TSP, SAS) is helpful. Economics 186/210A is strongly advised. It is taught in the late summer, before the beginning of Fall quarter, with credit given during fall quarter.

Students interested in the program should take the GRE General Test no later than January of their junior year to be admitted the following fall. Students may enter the dual degree program in the Fall quarter only. Applicants must demonstrate an ability to do graduate level work by having an excellent academic record, three letters of recommendation, and excellent GRE scores. Application forms and a program brochure are available in the Economics Graduate Office, 401 Engineering 2. Applications are due to the Department no later than February 15th of your junior year. Students interested in this program should contact:

Sandra Reebie
Department of Economics
401 Engineering 2
University of California
Santa Cruz, CA 95064
Phone: (831) 459-2219
FAX: (831) 459-5077
Email:econ_grad_coor@ucsc.edu

DECLARING THE MAJOR

1. To apply to one or more major and/or minor programs, complete a STUDY PLAN - DECLARATION OF MAJOR/MINOR (PDF).
2. Students enter their contact information and complete the UNIVERSITY, GENERAL EDUCATION, and COLLEGE REQUIREMENTS on the DECLARATION.
3. Submit to the college who approves this section.
4. Students must attend a declaration of major advising session and then get a signature from a faculty advisor from the Economics Department. (see schedule under "Declaration of Major Session").
5. The academic program(s) then reviews the STUDY PLAN to insure accurate proposed completion of program requirements and gives approval, which confirms acceptance into the major(s) and/or minor(s).

Students may be advised by their faculty advisor to alter the plan to achieve greater breadth or concentration and will be encouraged to select related courses from other departments which complement their interests in Economics. A plan of study may later be modified. Students who wish exemptions from a requirement or wish to apply courses taken elsewhere to these requirements should discuss this process with the Undergraduate Assistant. These substitutions or exemptions must be noted on a declaration worksheet.

After all the necessary signatures have been obtained, the petition will be forwarded to the student's college. Students will be unable to enroll the beginning of their Junior year if they have not yet declared a major.

Declaration of Major/Minor Deadlines for 2009-2010: In order to meet campus deadlines and to be effective for advance enrollment for the following quarter, a completed declaration form must be in the Academic Programs office by the following dates:

Friday, October 23, 2009 - effective for Winter 2010

Friday, February 5, 2010 - effective for Spring 2010

Friday, April 30, 2010 - effective for Fall 2010

Other key academic dates can be found on the Academic and Administrative Calendar.