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Frequently Asked Questions about the Economics Major
 
 

The answers to these and many other questions can also be found in the Handbook for Economics Majors.


What do I need to do before I can declare as an Economics major?
The Economics major became impacted in 2002-03.  The requirements depend on your catalog year.  Beginning with the 2005-06 catalog, you will need a 2.4 GPA (cumulative only) and a C or better in Economics 101 and 102, Accountancy 201 (Accountancy 230 as of Fall 2005), and the math, statistics and computer courses to declare the major.  Click here for a list of required courses from earlier catalog years.

What can I do with an Economics degree?
Click here for lots of information about job possibilities for Economics majors.

What are the required classes for the Economics major?
  All majors must take:
(Courses marked with * must be passed with a C or better to meet impaction standards in place in the 2004-05 and 2005-06 catalogs)

LOWER DIVISION COURSES

  • Economics 101* and 102*

  • Accountancy 230*  (NOTE:  RENUMBERED from Accountancy 201 in Fall 2005)

  • Economics 201* OR Statistics 119*

  • Math 120* OR Math 121* OR Math 150*

  • IDS 180* OR Social Science 201B*, 201C*, and 201D* OR Social Science 201C* and a computer course of at least two units* 

  • Social Science 201A  (As of the 2005-2006 catalog, you need a C or higher to satisfy the preparation for the major.)

UPPER DIVISION COURSES (for catalog year 2005)

A MINIMUM of 9 upper division classes to include:

  • Economics 301 - Collection and Use of Data in Economics

  • Economics 320 - Intermediate Macro Theory

  • Economics 321 - Intermediate Micro Theory

Plus 6 electives to include:

  • At least TWO International courses, chosen from Economics 330, 336, 360, 365, 464, 465, 489, 561, 565, 592.

  • FOUR additonal upper-division courses (any course numbered 300 or higher)


 Plus:

  • Third semester of a foreign language [4 years of high school classes or foreign high school graduation/background is equivalent, can test out]

  • Completion of an online survey during your final semester.

  • Upper-division writing requirement [must pass a "W" course with C or better, or can test out]

[Note: these are the requirements for the regular Economics major.  If you are interested in the Emphasis in International Economics, the Emphasis in Preprofessional Studies or the Specialization in Quantitative Economics, click here.]

What if my catalog year is earlier than 2005-2006?
Click here for a list of required courses from earlier catalog years.

What are the requirements for the Economics minor?
Click here for information about the minor.

What about internships (Economics 495)?
The Economics department has an extensive internship program and students may use up to three credits from an internship to replace one of the courses for the major.  For more information about the internship program, click here.  Note that the internship can be used to replace any of the six upper-division electives (that is, it can be substituted into any of the three distributional categories).

What about Economics 496 or 596?
Economics 496 and 596 are courses with rotating topics (for example, in recent years we have offered the Economics of Sports or Development Economics).  You may use this in place of one of your upper-division electives but will need an advisor to sign a waiver.  Which distributional category it goes into will depend on the topic of the specific course (note that this is different from Economics 495, Internship, which can be used in any category), so you may want to check with an advisor before enrolling.  In Fall 2004, Economics 496 is a course in Law and Economics which will be in the Institutions and Methods category.

I liked Econ 101 (Macro) better than 102 (Micro).  Any suggestions for what upper-division classes I should take?
Economics 336, 338, 365, 422, 464, 465, 490 and 592 are all courses that deal more with the tools of macroeconomics.  Economics 320 (Intermediate Macro Theory) is a good basis for all these courses and taking it early on will make life easier in the other courses.

I liked Econ 102 (Micro) better than 101 (Macro).  Any suggestions for what upper-division classes I should take?
Economics 360, 380, 382, 401, 452, 453, 454, 458, 489 and 561 are all courses in applied microeconomics.  Economics 321 (Intermediate Micro Theory) is a good basis for all of these courses and taking it early on will make life easier in the other courses.

What sorts of classes will help me get a good job?
Many employers are looking for good quantitative and computer skills.  Economics 301 is already required for all majors.  Econometrics (Economics 441) is the next level up and is excellent training for any job that will involve quantitative analysis of any kind.  Employers also like to see work experience and an internship is a good way to get that experience while also taking care of some credits.

I am interested in a career in business/government/academics.  Any suggestions for what upper-division classes I should take?
Click here for suggested courses that will help you to prepare for various types of jobs.

I took a statistics/computer/economics course at another college - can I substitute that for a statistics/computer/economics course here?
Many courses taken at California junior colleges will automatically articulate to courses at SDSU (that is, the University automatically makes the substitution).  If you think a course you took somewhere else is the same as a course that you are required to take here, and it does not show up on your graduation evaluation as a substitute, talk to an Economics advisor.  Whether the substitution is made will depend on the specifics of the course and you will need an advisor to fill out a Request for Adjustment of Academic Requirements form.

I have heard that some students have had trouble getting the classes they need to graduate on time.  What do I do if that happens to me?
The best thing you can do is prevent this from happening at all.  Plan ahead and take required courses (Econ 301, 320, 321) as early as possible.  Because these specific courses are required, it is more difficult to find substitutes for them and leaving them until your last semester can be risky.  Taking these courses early also has the advantage of preparing you for other upper-division courses.  Also, consider the distribution requirements as you plan your schedule.  Many upper-division courses are only taught once a year.  If there are specific courses you want to take, talk to the professors that teach them, or an advisor, to find out when they will be offered. 
 

I want to graduate this semester/year.  How do I figure out what classes I still need to take?
Your degree audit will tell you specifically which requirements (both for the major and the University) you have or have not met.  To access your degree audit online, go to SDSU's e-services Web Portal and choose the 'students' option.  Login by entering your username and password.  Click on the degree audit option (upper left-hand side of the screen).  If you have additional questions, print out your degree audit and bring it with you when you go to see an advisor.

I got a C-minus (or worse) in one of my economics classes?  Do I need to re-take it?
No, AS LONG AS you still have a 2.0 G.P.A. overall.  Any grade above an F is considered 'passing' for the purposes of fulfilling requirements; however, you must have a 2.0 in the major and a 2.0 overall in order to graduate.