School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences
Economics (B.A. B.S.)
Economists study how people make choices in life when scarcity limits what is available and the incentives to induce efficient behavior. They look at a society’s financial, industrial, and labor organizations; its distribution of income and ownership rights; its governmental activities; and its political and economic philosophies, and analyze how these and other factors influence the goods an economy produces, the resources it uses in production, and the distribution of its output. They also look at how incentives affect decisions relating to human behavior, such as whether to obey the law, get married, or have children.
Economic analysis leads to explanations, predictions, and policy suggestions. How are wages and prices set? Why do some cities boom while others decline? Why do we have an energy crisis? How should we use our exhaustible resources? How will consumers and corporations react to a tax cut? How can the crime rate be reduced? If we are to use our resources efficiently, what antitrust and government regulations should be enforced? What can be done to reduce inflation and unemployment? To prevent excess pollution? To achieve economic growth? To distribute income more equitably? In examining these sorts of questions, economics helps us to understand more clearly the choices available to us and the consequences of our decisions.
There is an abundance of career opportunities for an economics major.
Careers in business include consulting, banking and other financial institutions, insurance, corporate strategic planning, real estate, journalism, management, marketing, and public utilities.
Careers in government include consulting, publicly owned utilities, planning and forecasting, regulatory agencies, management, needs assessment, legislative staffs, judicial agencies, and executive support.
Careers in the interfacing of business and government include labor arbitration, regulation, environmental planning, urban and regional planning, and interest representation.
Economics is an excellent preparation for a career in law.
Bachelor of Arts in Economics Degree Requirements (120 hours)
I. Core Curriculum Requirements 1: 42 hours
- Communication (6 hours)
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (15 hours)
- Humanities and Fine Arts (6 hours)
- Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning (6 hours)3
- Science (9 hours including at least one course with a substantial laboratory component)
1 Curriculum Requirements can be fulfilled by other approved courses from accredited institutions of higher education. The courses listed in parentheses are the most efficient way to satisfy both Core Curriculum and Major Requirements at UT Dallas.
2 A Major requirement that also fulfills a Core Curriculum requirement. Hours are counted in Core Curriculum above.
3 Students wishing to pursue Master's or Ph.D. degrees in economics should consult their advisor about appropriate mathematics and quantitative methods courses.
4 Three hours are counted under Quantitative Reasoning core, and one hour is counted under Major Preparatory Courses.
II. Major Requirements: 43 hours
- Major Preparatory Courses (7 hours beyond Core Curriculum)
- ECON 2301 Principles of Macroeconomics*
- ECON 2302 Principles of Microeconomics*
- STAT 1342 Statistical Decision Making 2
- or EPPS 3405 Introduction to Social Statistics with Lab2, 4
- Major Core Courses (9 hours)
- ECON 3304 Basic Techniques for Economic Research*
- ECON 3310 Intermediate Microeconomic Theory
- ECON 3311 Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory
- One of the following:
- ECON 3330 Economics of Health2
- ECON 4332 Energy and Natural Resource Economics2
- ECON 4382 International Finance
- Major Related Courses (27 hours)
- 27 hours upper-division ECON courses
2 A Major requirement that also fulfills a Core Curriculum requirement. Hours are counted in Core Curriculum above.
3 Students wishing to pursue Master's or Ph.D. degrees in economics should consult their advisor about appropriate mathematics and quantitative methods courses.
4 Three hours are counted under Quantitative Reasoning core, and one hour is counted under Major Preparatory Courses.
* Indicates a prerequisite class to be completed before enrolling for upper-division classes in Economics and Finance.
III. Elective Requirements: 35 hours
Advanced Electives (9 hours)
All students are required to take at least nine hours of Advanced Electives outside their major field of study. These must be either upper-division classes or lower-division classes that have prerequisites.
Free Electives (26 hours)
This requirement may be satisfied with lower- and upper-division courses from any field of study. Students must complete at least 51 hours of upper-division credit to qualify for graduation.
Minor in Economics (18 hours)
For a minor in Economics, students must take ECON 2301, ECON 2302, either ECON 3310 or ECON 3311, and nine hours of ECON electives. Electives may be any upper-division course with the ECON prefix with the exception of ECON 4V97, ECON 4V98, and ECON 4V99.
Bachelor of Science in Economics
Degree Requirements (120 hours)
I. Core Curriculum Requirements 1: 42 hours
- Communication (6 hours)
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (15 hours)
- Humanities and Fine Arts (6 hours)
- Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning (6 hours) 3
- Science (9 hours including at least one course with a substantial laboratory component)
- Major Preparatory Courses (12 hours beyond Core Curriculum)
- ECON 2301 Principles of Macroeconomics*
- ECON 2302 Principles of Microeconomics*
- MATH 2417 Calculus I (recommended)2, 4
- or MATH 1325 Applied Calculus I*2
- MATH 2418 Linear Algebra (recommended)
- or MATH 2333 Matrices, Vectors and Their Application
- MATH 2419 Calculus II (recommended)2, 4
- or MATH 1326 Applied Calculus II2
- Major Core Courses (15 hours)
- ECON 3310 Intermediate Microeconomic Theory
- ECON 3311 Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory
- ECON 4351 Mathematical Economics
- ECON 4355 Econometrics
- STAT 3360 Probability and Statistics for Management and Economics One of the following:2
- ECON 3330 Economics of Health2
- ECON 4332 Energy and Natural Resource Economics2
- ECON 4382 International Finance2
- Major Related Courses (21 hours)
- 21 hours upper-division ECON courses
- Optional Major Core Concentrations (9 hours)**
- Green Economics
- One course from:
- ECON 4332 Environmental Economics
- ECON 4336 Environmental Economic Theory and Policy
- Two additional courses from:
- ECON 4320 Public Sector Economics
- ECON 4332 Energy and Natural Resource Economics
- ECON 4332 Environmental Economics
- ECON 4336 Environmental Economic Theory and Policy
- International Economics
- Both of the following:
- ECON 4360 International Trade
- ECON 4382 International Finance
- Select one course from:
- ECON 3369 Political Economy of Terrorism
- ECON 4362 Development Economics
- GEOG 3370 The Global Economy
- GEOG 3372 Population and Development
- Business Economics
- Three courses from:
- ECON 3312 Money and Banking
- ECON 4301 Game Theory
- ECON 4310 Managerial Economics
- ECON 4340 Labor Economics and Human Resources
- ECON 4345 Industrial Organization
- ECON 4355 Econometrics
- ECON 4385 Business and Economic Forecasting
- Communication (6 hours)
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (15 hours)
- Humanities and Fine Arts (6 hours)
- Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning (6 hours) 3
- Science (9 hours including at least one course with a substantial laboratory component)
- Major Preparatory Courses (18 hours)
- ACCT 2301 Introductory Financial Accounting *
- ACCT 2302 Introductory Management Accounting *
- BA 2301 Business and Public Law *
- ECON 2301 Principles of Macroeconomics*
- ECON 2302 Principles of Microeconomics*
- MATH 1325 Applied Calculus I *2, 3
- MATH 1326 Applied Calculus II *2, 3
- MATH 2333 Matrices, Vectors and Their Application *4
- Major Core Courses (45 hours)
- BA 3311 Business Communications
- BA 3341 Business Finance
- BA 3351 Introduction to Management Information Systems
- BA 3352 Production Management
- BA 3361 Organizational Behavior
- BA 3365 Principles of Marketing
- BA 3390 Quantitative Methods in Finance
- BA 4305 Strategic Management
- BA 4346 Investment Management
- BA 4371 International Business
- ECON 3310 Intermediate Microeconomic Theory
- ECON 3311 Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory
- ECON 4351 Mathematical Economics
- ECON 4355 Econometrics
- STAT 3360 Probability and Statistics for Management and Economics
- ACCT 3320 Financial Information Management
- Optional Major Core Concentrations (9 hours)
- Green Economics
- One course from:
- ECON 4332 Environmental Economics
- ECON 4336 Environmental Economic Theory and Policy
- Two additional courses from:
- ECON 4320 Public Sector Economics
- ECON 4332 Energy and Natural Resource Economics
- ECON 4332 Environmental Economics
- ECON 4336 Environmental Economic Theory and Policy
- International Economics
- Both of the following:
- ECON 4360 International Trade
- ECON 4382 International Finance
- Select one course from:
- ECON 3369 Political Economy of Terrorism
- ECON 4362 Development Economics
- GEOG 3370 The Global Economy
- GEOG 3372 Population and Development
- Business Economics
- Three courses from:
- ECON 3312 Money and Banking
- ECON 4301 Game Theory
- ECON 4310 Managerial Economics
- ECON 4340 Labor Economics and Human Resources
- ECON 4345 Industrial Organization
- ECON 4355 Econometrics
- ECON 4385 Business and Economic Forecasting
1 Curriculum Requirements can be fulfilled by other approved courses from accredited institutions of higher education.
2 A Major requirement that also fulfills a Core Curriculum requirement. Hours are counted in Core Curriculum above.
4 Three hours are counted under Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning core, and one hour is counted under Major Preparatory Courses.
II. Major Requirements: 48 hours
2 A Major requirement that also fulfills a Core Curriculum requirement. Hours are counted in Core Curriculum.
3 Students wishing to pursue Master's or Ph.D. degrees in economics should consult their advisor about appropriate mathematics and quantitative methods courses.
4 Three hours are counted under Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning core, and one hour is counted under Major Preparatory Courses.
* Indicates a prerequisite class to be completed before enrolling for upper-division classes in Economics and Finance.
** Hours to be counted as part of major related courses.
III. Elective Requirements: 30 hours
Advanced Electives (9 hours)
All students are required to take at least nine hours of Advanced Electives outside their major field of study. These must be either upper-division classes or lower-division classes that have prerequisites.
Free Electives (21 hours)
This requirement may be satisfied with lower- and upper-division courses from any field of study. Students must complete at least 51 hours of upper-division credit to qualify for graduation. Note: students may need more than 19 hours, depending on the mathematics sequence selected.
One option of specialization offered by the Economics program to students pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree is a double major with a Bachelor of Science in Finance with the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) track. The CFA® program, administered by the CFA® Institute, is a globally recognized standard for measuring the competence and integrity of financial analysts. Three levels of examination measure a candidate’s ability to apply the fundamental knowledge of investment principles at a professional level. The CFA® examinations are administered annually in more than 70 nations worldwide. For information about registering in the CFA® program, see the CFA® web site at www.cfainstitute.org/pages/index.aspx. The Economics Program, in conjunction with the Finance Program in the Naveen Jindal School of Management , offers a number of courses that help prepare students for the Level I examination. Specific information is provided in the section on requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Economics.
Bachelor of Science in Economics and Finance (Double Major) with an emphasis in CFA® Degree Requirements (126-127 hours)
I. Core Curriculum Requirements 1: 42 hours
1 Curriculum Requirements can be fulfilled by other approved courses from accredited institutions of higher education. The courses listed in parentheses are recommended as the most efficient way to satisfy both Core Curriculum and Major Requirements at UT Dallas.
* Degree is 127 hours if student is required to take RHET 1101.
II. Major Requirements: 57 hours
2 A Major requirement that also fulfills a Core Curriculum requirement. Hours are counted in Core Curriculum.
3 These hours are counted under Mathematics Core above; students may substitute MATH 2313 and MATH 2414 or MATH 2417 and MATH 2419.
4 Students may substitute MATH 2418 or CS 2305.
* Indicates a prerequisite class to be completed before enrolling for upper-division classes in Economics and Finance.
III. Guided Elective Requirements: 24 hours
Select 9 hours from: BA 4199, BA 4299, BA 4345, BA 4347, BA 4348, BA 4349, BA 4350, or BA 4361.
Select 3 hours from: ACCT 3320, ACCT 3331, ACCT 3351, ACCT 4332, ACCT 4336, or ACCT 4337.
Select 12 hours from: ECON 3312, ECON 4301, ECON 4310, ECON 4320, ECON 4345, ECON 4360, ECON 4382, ECON 4385, ECON 4396, or ECON 4399.
