Skip to main content
Department of Economics

Bachelor of Arts in Economics

Students on Summer 2020, Fall 2020, or Spring 2021 requirements ECONBA

The Bachelor of Arts in Economics provides excellent preparation for graduate and professional school, including law school, and for rewarding careers in consulting, finance, and other private and public sector employment. Specific courses in microeconomic theory, macroeconomic theory, statistics, and mathematical modeling provide students with the tools to analyze and guide the decisions of business firms, consumers, and public policymakers in a variety of market settings. Elective courses add breadth and depth to students' understanding of the basic tools of economic analysis by focusing on their application within specific subfields.

Economics focuses on providing an understanding of how individuals and societies manage their scarce resources people must decide how much they work, what they buy, how much they save, and how they use their leisure time. Most societies use decentralized markets as the primary means of allocating resources, so economics gives students insight into how markets function in coordinating the activities of many diverse buyers and sellers. Economics also analyzes the trends and forces that affect the economy as a whole, including growth in average income, the portion of the labor force that cannot find work, and the rate at which prices are rising or falling.

Requirements

The major requires at least 30 credit hours (36 with Addenda Requirements), including the requirements listed below.
  1. Fundamentals of Economics I. One (1) course:
    • ECON-B 251 Fundamentals of Economics for Business I
    • ECON-E 251 Fundamentals of Economics I
    • ECON-S 251 Fundamentals of Economics for Business I: Honors
  2. Fundamentals of Economics II. One (1) course:
    • ECON-B 252 Fundamentals of Economics for Business II
    • ECON-E 252 Fundamentals of Economics II
  3. Intermediate Microeconomic Theory. One (1) course:
    • ECON-E 321 Intermediate Microeconomic Theory
    • ECON-S 321 Intermediate Microeconomic Theory: Honors
  4. Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory. One (1) course:
    • ECON-E 322 Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory
    • ECON-S 322 Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory: Honors
  5. Statistics. One (1) course:
    • ECON-E 370 Statistical Analysis for Business and Economics
    • ECON-S 370 Statistical Analysis for Business and Economics: Honors
  6. Econometrics. One (1) course:
    • ECON-E 371 Introduction to Applied Econometrics
    • ECON-E 471 Econometric Theory and Practice I
    • ECON-S 371 Introduction to Applied Econometrics: Honors
  7. Advanced Electives. Three (3) courses:
    • ECON-E 327 Game Theory
    • ECON-E 331 International Trade
    • ECON-E 332 International Monetary Economics
    • ECON-E 337 Economic Development
    • ECON-E 341 Economics of Labor Market
    • ECON-E 344 Health Economics
    • ECON-E 351
    • ECON-E 361
    • ECON-E 362 Public Finance: Taxation
    • ECON-E 364 Environment and Resource Economics
    • ECON-E 371 Introduction to Applied Econometrics
    • ECON-E 385 Economics of Industry
    • ECON-E 386 Soviet-Type Economies in Transition
    • ECON-E 390 Undergraduate Seminar in Economics
    • ECON-E 392 Seminar in Computational Methods and Econometrics
    • ECON-E 401 Machine Learning for Economic Data
    • ECON-E 402 Computational Methods In Macroeconomics
    • ECON-E 425
    • ECON-E 427
    • ECON-E 471 Econometric Theory and Practice I
    • ECON-E 472 Econometric Theory and Practice II
    • ECON-E 490 Advanced Undergraduate Seminar in Economics
    • ECON-E 411 when taken Summer 2024 or later
    • ECON-S 371 Introduction to Applied Econometrics: Honors
    • ECON-X 398 Independent Research in Economics
  8. Free Elective. One (1) course:
    • Additional course from the Advanced Electives list.
    • ECON-E 303 Survey of International Economics
    • ECON-E 305 Money and Banking
    • ECON-E 308 Survey of Public Finance
    • ECON-E 309 Topics in Economics
    • ECON-E 320 Models and Methods of Economic Analysis
  9. Addenda Requirements*.
    1. Finite Mathematics. One (1) course:
      • MATH-M 118 Finite Mathematics
      • MATH-S 118 Honors Finite Mathematics
    2. Calculus. One (1) course:
      • MATH-M 119 Brief Survey of Calculus I
      • MATH-M 211 Calculus I
  10. Major GPA, Hours, and Minimum Grade Requirements.
    1. Major GPA. A GPA of at least 2.000 for all courses taken in the major—including those where a grade lower than C- is earned—is required.
    2. Major Minimum Grade. Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the major.
    3. Major Upper Division Credit Hours. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed at the 300–499 level.
    4. Major Residency. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed in courses taken through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.
    5. College Breadth. At least 58 credit hours must be completed in courses from College of Arts and Sciences disciplines outside of the major area.

Major Area Courses

Unless otherwise noted below, the following courses are considered in the academic program and will count toward academic program requirements as appropriate:

  • Any course at the 100–499 level with the ECON subject area prefix—as well as any other subject areas that are deemed functionally equivalent
  • Any course contained on the course lists for the academic program requirements at the time the course is taken—as well as any other courses that are deemed functionally equivalent—except for those listed only under Addenda Requirements
  • Any course directed to a non-Addenda requirement through an approved exception
Exclusions

The following courses cannot be applied toward major requirements or the College Breadth requirement:

  • ECON-E 115 Everyday Economics
  • ECON-E 203 Introduction to International Economics
  • ECON-X 373 Internship in Economics
Restrictions

The following restrictions apply to the minimum credit hours required in the major:

  • No more than 3 credit hours may count toward the major:
    • ECON-E 499 Honors Thesis
  • No more than 3 credit hours of the following may count toward the major:
    • ECON-X 398 Independent Research in Economics
  • No more than 6 combined credit hours of the following may be counted toward major:
    • ECON-E 303 Survey of International Economics
    • ECON-E 331 International Trade
    • ECON-E 332 International Monetary Economics
  • No more than 6 combined credit hours of the following may be counted toward major:
    • ECON-E 308 Survey of Public Finance
    • ECON-E 361 Public Finance: Government Spending
    • ECON-E 362 Public Finance: Taxation

This program of study cannot be combined with the following:

  • Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Mathematics (ECONMATHBA)
  • Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science (ECONPOLSBA)
  • Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and Economics (MATHECONBA)
  • Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Economics (POLSECONBA)
  • Interdepartmental Minor in Economics and Political Science (ECONPOLMIN)
  • Interdepartmental Minor in Political Science and Economics (POLSECNMIN)
  • Minor in Economics (ECONMIN)
  • Minor in International Economics (INTECONMIN)

Exceptions to and substitutions for major requirements may be made with the approval of the unit's Director of Undergraduate Studies, subject to final approval by the College of Arts and Sciences.