The study of economics is an excellent way to acquire problem-solving skills and develop a logical way of analyzing various social problems. The economics major includes coursework in microeconomics, macroeconomics, economic policy, and econometrics. The department of Economics, Finance and Legal Studies offer a broad range of economic courses with a flexible major requirement so the students can choose to take courses that match their academic ability, interests, and career goals. Students with a major in economics are well prepared for advanced study in economics, law, and business as well as careers in business consulting, policy analysis, economic research, and financial services.
Prerequisite Policy
The catalog and registration system provide information on the preparation necessary in order to enroll in a specific course. All 300-level courses in the College of Arts and Sciences have either a specific prerequisite course or have the expectation that the student will have junior standing (61 earned hours), or the permission of the instructor, in order to enroll.
The College of Arts and Science offers a bachelor of arts (BA) in Economics. The degree is taught by the Department of Economics, Finance and Legal Studies in the Culverhouse College of Business. The BA, Economics Plan of Study is listed below.
Students are not required to complete the full list of lower division Business prerequisites that apply to the BS in Economics (AC 210 Intro To Accounting, LGS 200 Legal Environment of Business, MIS 200 Fundamentals of MIS, GBA 146 Professional Development I, GBA 246 Professional Development II). Students, however, must complete ancillary requirements for their chosen track before progressing to upper-level economics electives. Students pursuing a BA in Economics must earn, in addition to the major, a minor or second major. The Economics BA offers two tracks: the Standard Track and the Quantitative Economics Track. The Standard Track is the default track for students who select the Economics major through Arts and Sciences.
Standard Track
| Required Courses | Hours |
| EC 110 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| EC 111 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| EC 308 | Intermediate Microeconomics | 3 |
| EC 309 | Intermediate Macroeconomics | 3 |
| EC 496 | Policy Evaluation Methods | 3 |
| 1 | 15 |
| Total Hours | 30 |
Arts & Sciences Ancillary Requirements*, Standard Track
*Students must complete both ancillary requirements to be eligible to take upper-level Economics courses.
Quantitative Economics Track
| Required Courses | Hours |
| EC 110 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| EC 111 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| EC 308 | Intermediate Microeconomics | 3 |
| EC 309 | Intermediate Macroeconomics | 3 |
| EC 413 | Econ Forecasting & Analysis | 3 |
| EC 471 | Econometrics | 3 |
| EC 496 | Policy Evaluation Methods | 3 |
| 1 | 9 |
| Total Hours | 30 |
Arts & Sciences Ancillary Requirements*, Quantitative Economics Track
*These ancillary requirements allow students to earn a Mathematical Statistics Minor. Students need only complete MATH 125 Calculus I or MATH 145 Honors Calculus I and ST 260 Statistical Data Analysis or equivalent to be eligible to begin taking upper-level Economics courses.
Graduating with a degree in economics can serve as a strong signal to potential employers that you have analytical and reasoning skills — applicable to both qualitative and quantitative data, and the ability to think critically and draw inferences. The most popular destination for economics majors are careers in business and finance; however, recent graduates also have entered a broad range of careers, including medicine, law, teaching, government, and policy.
Academia & Graduate Studies
Approximately 10 percent of economics undergraduates plan to eventually attend graduate or professional school. On average, about half of the economics students surveyed at graduation reported that they have plans to pursue a master's in business administration. Students who are interested in pursuing graduate studies in economics should plan to take courses in the Department of Mathematics, as most competitive programs are quantitatively rigorous. Useful courses include multi-variable calculus, linear algebra, differential equations, real analysis, and introductory statistics and probability. Students contemplating a career in academia or economic research are strongly encouraged to consider participating in the Faculty Scholars program, through which they have the opportunity to engage in a meaningful, sustained research project with a faculty in the EFLS Department.
Industry
For the last five years, an average of 80.8 percent of students have accepted full-time jobs by graduation, with the majority going into finance, or into business and management consulting, and business services such as accounting and marketing.
