The Undergraduate Program: Detailed Requirements

Requirements for the major

» ECON 103, Introductory Microeconomics, and ECON 104, Introductory Macroeconomics. These two courses can be taken in either order, or simultaneously.

» One of the following: MATH 127 or MATH 131.

» One of the following: MATH 128 or MATH 132.

» One course in statistics chosen from the following list: RES EC 211 or RES EC 212 (recommended), STAT 240, STAT 501, or STAT 515.

Note: Students who may do graduate work in Economics at some later time are strongly urged to elect MATH 131-132 rather than MATH 127-128, to elect STATISTC 515 for the statistics course, and to take STATISTC 516 and MATH 233 as electives. They should also consult their advisor and/or the Director of Undergraduate Studies about the choice of courses.

» ECON 203, Intermediate Microeconomics, and ECON 204, Intermediate Macroeconomics.

The prerequisites for ECON 203 are ECON 103, and MATH 127 or MATH 131. The prerequisites for ECON 204 are ECON 103, ECON 104, and one of the following: MATH 127 or MATH 131.

» The Junior-Year-Writing Requirement.

This is normally fulfilled by taking ECON 397W.

Occasionally, an ECON course numbered between 300 and 600 may have the suffix 'W' attached to it. The suffix indicates that such a course is writing-intensive, and satisfies the Junior-Year-Writing Requirement. Such a course also serves as an 'upper-level' course for purposes of the requirements of the major. FOR SPRING 2004, HOWEVER, ECON 397W CANNOT BE COUNTED AS AN UPPER-LEVEL ELECTIVE IN ECONOMICS. FOR FALL 2004 THE JUNIOR WRITING REQUIREMENT CAN BE FILLED BY 397W ONLY, AND 397W CAN NOT BE COUNTED AS AN UPPER LEVEL ELECTIVE IN ECONOMICS.

» Either of Option A or B.

OPTION A: Six upper-level courses in Economics numbered 300 or above, other than ECON 383 and ECON 400, or ECON 397W during Spring 2004. One course in Resource Economics chosen from a list of courses obtainable from the Undergraduate Office may be substituted for one of the six courses.

OPTION B: Four upper-level courses in Economics, numbered 300 or above, other than ECON 397W; and five courses comprising an approved collateral field.

A collateral field, for the purposes of the major in Economics, consists of at least fifteen credits in some other discipline which relates to your understanding of Economics. This requirement may be satisfied in any of a variety of ways, including a major in any other field or a minor as well as any approved certificate program.

Note: All students interested in pursuing Economics as a second major or obtaining a second degree in Economics must speak to an advisor in the Economics Department.

Collateral study

Completion of any of the following Certificate Programs:

African-American Studies
Asian & Asian American Studies
Asian/Pacific/American Studies
Coastal and Marine Science
Criminal Justice
Culture, Health, and Science
Film Studies
International Agricultural Studies
International Relations
Interpreter's Studies
Latin American Studies
Logic
Medieval Studies
Middle Eastern Studies
Native American Indian Studies (UMass)
Native American Indian Studies (Five Colleges)
Population Studies
Public Policy & Administration
Religious Studies

Completion of any five 3-credit courses in the Isenberg School of Management

Completion of a group of five courses entirely outside the Economics Department, chosen by the student and approved by the Undergraduate Program Director in Economics. The student should present, in writing, a convincing case that these courses form a coherent area of study and are relevant to the study of Economics.

IMPORTANT: A minor or certificate program MUST BE declared in the registrar's office by mid semester of that term so that we can clear you for graduation on time. You are allowed to do this early during the term that you graduate, even if your minor or certificate courses are not yet complete. You must do this in order to be cleared as soon as the relevant course grades are turned in.

Resource Economics

You may use one course in the Resource Economics Department to satisfy requirements of the major in Economics. One of these courses may be used as part of the four required upper-level courses in Economics. The list of courses approved for this purpose includes

ResEcon 262    Environmental Economics
ResEcon 263    Natural Resource & Energy Economics
ResEcon 312    Intro Econometrics
ResEcon 313    Quantitative Methods in Applied Economics
ResEcon 324    Small Business Finance
ResEcon 390A Econ of Contemp. Information Technology
ResEcon 428    Managerial Economics
ResEcon 452    Industrial Org. in Res. Economics
ResEcon 453    Public Policy
ResEcon 462    Experimental Economics
ResEcon 472    Ad. Tpc REs & Environmental Economics

Other regulations

No course required for the major may be taken Pass/Fail, except for MATH 131, 132, and STAT 515.

Students must receive a grade of C- or higher in all courses presented for the major, except introductory microeconomics, introductory macroeconomics, Math 131, Math 132 and Statistics 515. This rule applies to all courses taken on or after September 1, 2004. If Option B is chosen, the gpa in the courses comprising the collateral field must also be at least 2.0. A gpa of at least 2.0 is required in any major.

No more than one independent study course may be counted toward the requirements of six (four in Option B) upper-level courses. Econ 396, 496, or 596 (499T for honors students) may be used for this purpose. Click here for an independent study contract (honors students go to the ComCol web site or see a ComCol advisor for a contract).

Students who entered UMass on or after 1 September 1999, and who major in any field within the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences must complete the fifteen-credit Global Education Requirement. There are a variety of ways by which this requirement may be satisfied. You cannot use the same course for this requirement and the major in Economics or for a Gen. Ed requirement.

More information about this requirement is available at http://www.umass.edu/csbs/globaled.html. Questions regarding this requirement should be addressed to a college-level advisor in Machmer E-24.

Requirements for the minor

» Any two of the following courses: ECON 103, 104, or 105.

» One of the following: MATH 127 or 131.

» One of the following: MATH 128, 132, RES EC 212, STAT 240, 501 or 515

» Three 3-credit economics courses numbered 200 or higher, at least one of which must be ECON 203 or 204.

NOTE: You must attain a gpa of at least 2.0 in all courses required of the minor and at least a C- for all courses presented for the minor. Neither practicum nor independent study courses may be counted toward the minor in Economics. Also, at least two of the five required Economics courses must be taken in the Economics Department at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.