Major in Business Economics

Major Details

Business economics at the UC McMicken College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) provides a broad-based level of learning experiences for students contemplating a career in business. Students are exposed to the basic areas of business such as accounting and statistics, and concentrate in one of the traditional areas of business (marketing, finance, etc.) or a newer field, such as international business or information technology. The economics core of the major provides students with a solid analytical background and the choice of selective applied areas of economics (international, monetary, etc.). The business economics major is best suited for the student desiring to work in the more analytical areas of business.

McMicken College's flexible degree requirements allow for and highly encourage students to pursue multiple areas of study. Free electives allow for enough credits for students to pursue a minor, certificate program or even complete a second major. Some of the most common pairings are listed below.

  • any language
  • area studies program 
  • political science 
  • any business program 

Curriculum

This curriculum information is intended as a general information guide for students considering enrollment in this major. These online tools are designed to assist you, but are not a substitute for planning with an academic or faculty advisor.

If you are currently enrolled at UC, you can audit your degree online. If you are considering transferring to this major from another school use the course applicability system (CAS) to see how credits you have earned will apply to this major at UC. For course descriptions by college, click here.

Recommendations for the first and second years:
Business Economics majors should complete these courses first.

  • 15ECON101, Introductory Microeconomics
  • 15ECON102, Introductory Macroeconomics
  • 15ENGL101-102-289, English Composition
  • 15MATH224, Foundations of Applied Calculus (or substitution or waiver)
  • 15MATH226-227 Applied Calculus I & II (should be taken prior or simultaneously to required core courses in economics.
  • 22ACCT281, Introduction to Financial Accounting*
  • 22ACCT282, Introduction to Managerial Accounting*
  • 22BLAW280, Legal Environment of Business

*Failure to successfully complete any one of these courses will prevent the student from enrolling in junior/senior level College of Business courses.

Students with limited computer skills are strongly urged to take a course to remedy this deficiency. Completion of one of the following courses is suggested:

College of Applied Sciences:
32IET121, Microcomputer Applications I
32IT191, Introduction to Microcomputers I

College of Business:
22IS280, Computer Problem Solving for Business

Course Name Course Number Credits
First Year
*English Composition ENGL101 & 15ENGL102

6

Foundations of Applied Calculus (or subsitution or waiver) 15MATH224 (QR) 3
Applied Calculus I & II 15MATH226-227 (QR) 6
*Foreign Language see checklist

9-15

Introduction to Microeconomics (SS) 15ECON101 3
Introduction to Macroeconomics (SS) 15ECON102 3
*Social Sciences (SS) see offerings

3

*Humanities (HU) see offerings

3

*Natural Science (NS) see offerings 3
Courses in minor or other program see options

0-6

Total for first year

45

Second Year
*Intermediate Composition 15ENGL289 3
*Foreign Language (if necessary) see checklist

0-9

Statistics for Economists 15ECON320 4
Legal Environment of Business 22BLAW280 4
Introduction to Financial Accounting 22ACCT281 5
Introduction to Managerial Accounting 22ACCT282 5
*Historical Perspectives (HP) see offerings 9
*Natural Science (NS) see offerings 6
Courses in minor or other program see options 0-9
Total for second year

45

Third Year
Introduction to Applied Econometrics 15ECON321 4
Macroeconomics 15ECON372 4
***Economics Field Courses see list below 6
Microeconomic Theory 15ECON341-342 8
**College of Business Courses (22) see list below 8
*Humanities, Literature or Fine Arts (HU, LT or FA) see offerings 3
*Social & Ethical Issues (if not already taken, SE) see offerings

3

*Diversity & Culture (if not already taken, DC) see offerings

3

Courses in minor or other program see options

6

Total for third year 45
Fourth Year
***Economics Field Courses see list below 6
**College of Business Courses (22) see list below 4
Major Electives see not below 9
Economics Capstone 15ECON599 3
Courses in minor or other program see options 23
Total for fourth year 45
Minimum total overall: 180

* Need to fulfill A&S college requirements as outlined in the A&S checklist. Approved course lists are also available at the A&S Office of Undergraduate Student Affairs and Advising (102 McMicken Hall).

** 12 credit hours upper-division business courses (at least 9 hrs in one concentration).

*** Required economics field courses: 12 credits, to be completed with a field-courses average of "C" or better.

Major Requirements
Fifty-six upper-division credits are required for the economics major, distributed as follows: 

A. Core Courses (23 credit hours)

  • Each course must be completed with a grade of "C" or better.
  • All courses should be taken reasonably early in your major program (except capstone).

15ECON320   Statistics for Economists; 4 cr.
15ECON321   Introduction to Applied Econometrics; 4 cr.
15ECON341   Microeconomic Theory I; 4 cr.
15ECON342   Microeconomic Theory II; 4 cr.
15ECON372   Macroeconomic Theory; 4 cr.
15ECON599   Economics Capstone; 3 cr.

B. Economics Field Courses (12 credit hours) 

  • The average across all field courses must be a "C" or better.
  • Each student must take two courses in at least two fields.
  • Each of the area courses is a three-credit hour course.
  • Prerequisites for all required field courses, unless stated otherwise: 15-ECON-320, 15-ECON-342.

Labor Economics
15ECON557     Economics of Work and Family; 3 cr.
15ECON558     Labor Market Analysis; 3 cr.
15ECON559     Labor Market issues; 3 cr.
15ECON508     Economic Theory of Population; 3 cr.

International Economics
15ECON551     Open Economy Macroeconomics; 3 cr.
15ECON552     International Trade Theory; 3 cr.
15ECON575     Economic Development; 3 cr.

Industrial Organization
15ECON510     Strategic Thinking; 3 cr.
15ECON565     Industrial Organization; 3 cr.
15ECON569     Antitrust Policy and Trade Regulation; 3 cr.
15ECON578     Law and Economics; 3 cr.

Public Economics
15ECON482     Public Economics: Expenditures; 3 cr.
15ECON483     Public Economics: Taxation; 3 cr.
15ECON567     Politics and Economics; 3 cr.

Macro and Monetary Economics
15ECON371     Money and Banking; 3 cr.
15ECON551     Open Economy Macroeconomics; 3 cr.
15ECON571     Stabilization Policy; 3 cr.

Quantitative Economics
15ECON510     Strategic Thinking; 3 cr.
15ECON521     Applied Econometrics II; 3 cr.    

Urban/Regional Economics
15ECON570     Regional Economics; 3 cr.
15ECON506     Urban Economic Problems; 3 cr.

C. College of Business Courses (12 credit hours)

  • All courses must have a course number of 300 - 599.
  • Of the 12 credit hours, at least eight credits of these upper-division courses must be taken in one of the following areas:

Accounting concentration (22ACCT)
Finance concentration (22FIN)
Information Systems concentration (22IS)
International Business (22INTB)
Management concentration (22MGMT)
Marketing concentration (22MKTG)
Operations Management (22OM)
Quantitative Analysis concentration (22QA)
Real Estate concentration (22RE)

D. Major Electives (9 credit hours)

In addition to the 23 core credits, the 12 field credits and the 12 business school credits, business economics majors need another nine credit hours of electives to satisfy the 56-hour requirement. Students can satisfy the remaining nine hours in four ways:

  • Take additional courses from any of the listed fields.
  • Take any other upper-level course offered by the department, including Honors Seminar (15ECON431-432) and Special Problems (15ECON689).
  • Take a maximum of six credit hours of the Teaching Assistant Practicum (15ECON422).
  • Complete a maximum of six credit hours in the Internship Program (15ECON498).