School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences
Economics (BA, BS)
Economists study how people make choices in life when scarcity limits what is available and provides incentives to induce efficient behavior. They examine individual decisions of consumers and profit maximization within firms; 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 do firms maximize profits and use pricing schemes to differentiate markers? How are wages and prices set? How do firms select inputs in order to minimize costs? Why do we have a financial crisis? How should we use our natural resources? How will consumers and corporations react to a tax cut? What are the drivers of terrorism and how does this inform counter-terror policy? In order to protect consumers, 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 pricing, market analysis, consulting, data analytics, banking and other financial institutions, insurance, corporate strategic planning, real estate, management, and marketing.
Careers in government include federal reserve banks, 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 semester credit hours)1
View an Example of Degree Requirements by Semester
Faculty
Professors: Daniel G. Arce, Kurt J. Beron, Dong Li, Todd Sandler, Donggyu Sul
Associate Professors: Rodney Andrews, Seth Giertz, Asli Leblebicioglu, Susan Williams McElroy, Kevin Siqueira, Victor Valcarcel
I. Core Curriculum Requirements: 42 semester credit hours2
Communication: 6 semester credit hours
COMM 1311 Survey of Oral and Technology-based Communication
RHET 1302 Rhetoric
Mathematics: 3 semester credit hours
Choose one course from the following:
MATH 1325 Applied Calculus I3, 4
MATH 2413 Differential Calculus3, 4
Life and Physical Sciences: 6 semester credit hours
Select any 6 semester credit hours from Life and Physical Sciences core courses (see advisor)
Language, Philosophy and Culture: 3 semester credit hours
Choose one course from the following:
HUMA 1301 Exploration of the Humanities
LIT 2331 Introduction to World Literature
PHIL 1301 Introduction to Philosophy
PHIL 2316 History of Philosophy I
PHIL 2317 History of Philosophy II
Creative Arts: 3 semester credit hours
ARTS 1301 Exploration of the Arts
American History: 6 semester credit hours
HIST 1301 U.S. History Survey to Civil War
HIST 1302 U.S. History Survey from Civil War
Government / Political Science: 6 semester credit hours
GOVT 2305 American National Government
GOVT 2306 State and Local Government
Social and Behavioral Sciences: 3 semester credit hours
Choose one course from the following:
CRIM 1301 Introduction to Criminal Justice
CRIM 1307 Introduction to Crime and Criminology
ECON 2301 Principles of Macroeconomics3, 5, 6
ECON 2302 Principles of Microeconomics3, 5, 6
SOC 1301 Introduction to Sociology
Component Area Option: 6 semester credit hours
EPPS 2301 Research Design in the Social and Policy Sciences
And choose one course from the following:
EPPS 2302 Methods of Quantitative Analysis in the Social and Policy Sciences3, 5
EPPS 2303 Descriptive and Inferential Statistics for the Social and Policy Sciences3, 5
STAT 1342 Statistical Decision Making
OPRE 3360 Managerial Methods in Decision Making Under Uncertainty5, 7
STAT 3360 Probability and Statistics for Management and Economics5, 7
II. Major Requirements: 42-46 semester credit hours
Major Preparatory Courses: 3-7 semester credit hours beyond Core Curriculum
ECON 2301 Principles of Macroeconomics3, 5, 6
ECON 2302 Principles of Microeconomics3, 5, 6
EPPS 2302 Methods of Quantitative Analysis in the Social and Policy Sciences3, 5
or EPPS 2303 Descriptive and Inferential Statistics for the Social and Policy Sciences3, 5
or OPRE 3360 Managerial Methods in Decision Making Under Uncertainty5, 7
or STAT 3360 Probability and Statistics for Management and Economics5, 7
or STAT 1342 Statistical Decision Making5, 7
or MATH 1325 Applied Calculus I3, 4
or MATH 2413 Differential Calculus3, 4
Major Core Courses: 9 semester credit hours
ECON 3310 Intermediate Microeconomic Theory
ECON 3311 Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory
ECON 4320 Public Sector Economics
Major Related Courses: 30 semester credit hours
30 semester credit hours of upper-division ECON courses.8
Optional Major Core Concentrations: 9 semester credit hours9, 10
Green Economics
Choose one course from the following:
ECON 4333 Environmental Economics
ECON 4336 Environmental Economic Theory and Policy
And choose two courses from the following:
ECON 4320 Public Sector Economics
ECON 4332 Energy and Natural Resources Economics
ECON 4333 Environmental Economics
ECON 4336 Environmental Economic Theory and Policy
ECON 4342 Public Policies Toward Business
International Economics
ECON 4360 International Trade
Choose two courses from the following:
ECON 3332 Economic Geography
ECON 3369 Political Economy of Terrorism
ECON 4362 Development Economics
ECON 4382 International Finance
GEOG 3370 The Global Economy
GEOG 3372 Population and Development
Business Economics
Choose three courses from the following:
ECON 3312 Money and Banking
ECON 3332 Economic Geography
ECON 4301 Game Theory
ECON 4310 Managerial Economics
ECON 4340 Labor Economics and Human Resources
ECON 4342 Public Policies Toward Business
ECON 4345 Industrial Organization
ECON 4355 Econometrics
ECON 4385 Business and Economic Forecasting
III. Elective Requirements: 32-36 semester credit hours
This requirement may be satisfied with lower- and upper-division courses from any field of study. Students must complete at least 51 semester credit hours of upper-division courses to qualify for graduation.
Note: Students wishing to pursue Master's or PhD degrees in economics should consult their advisor about appropriate mathematics and quantitative methods courses.
Bachelor of Science in Economics
Degree Requirements (120 semester credit hours)1
View an Example of Degree Requirements by Semester
Faculty
Professors: Daniel G. Arce, Kurt J. Beron, Dong Li, Todd Sandler, Donggyu Sul
Associate Professors: Rodney Andrews, Seth Giertz, Asli Leblebicioglu, Susan Williams McElroy, Kevin Siqueira, Victor Valcarcel
I. Core Curriculum Requirements: 42 semester credit hours2
Communication: 6 semester credit hours
COMM 1311 Survey of Oral and Technology-based Communication
RHET 1302 Rhetoric
Mathematics: 3 semester credit hours
Choose one course from the following:
MATH 1325 Applied Calculus I3, 4
MATH 2413 Differential Calculus3, 4
Life and Physical Sciences: 6 semester credit hours
Select any 6 semester credit hours from Life and Physical Sciences core courses (see advisor)
Language, Philosophy and Culture: 3 semester credit hours
Choose one from the following:
HUMA 1301 Exploration of the Humanities
LIT 2331 Introduction to World Literature
PHIL 1301 Introduction to Philosophy
PHIL 2316 History of Philosophy I
PHIL 2317 History of Philosophy II
Creative Arts: 3 semester credit hours
ARTS 1301 Exploration of the Arts
American History: 6 semester credit hours
HIST 1301 U.S. History Survey to Civil War
HIST 1302 U.S. History Survey from Civil War
Government / Political Science: 6 semester credit hours
GOVT 2305 American National Government
GOVT 2306 State and Local Government
Social and Behavioral Sciences: 3 semester credit hours
Choose one course from the following:
CRIM 1301 Introduction to Criminal Justice
CRIM 1307 Introduction to Crime and Criminology
ECON 2301 Principles of Macroeconomics3, 5, 6
ECON 2302 Principles of Microeconomics3, 5, 6
SOC 1301 Introduction to Sociology
Component Area Option: 6 semester credit hours
EPPS 2301 Research Design in the Social and Policy Sciences
And choose one course from the following:
EPPS 2302 Methods of Quantitative Analysis in the Social and Policy Sciences3, 5
EPPS 2303 Descriptive and Inferential Statistics for the Social and Policy Sciences3, 5
STAT 1342 Statistical Decision Making
OPRE 3360 Managerial Methods in Decision Making Under Uncertainty5, 7
STAT 3360 Probability and Statistics for Management and Economics5, 7
II. Major Requirements: 51-56 semester credit hours
Major Preparatory Courses: 6-11 semester credit hours beyond Core Curriculum
ECON 2301 Principles of Macroeconomics3, 5, 6
ECON 2302 Principles of Microeconomics3, 5, 6
EPPS 2302 Methods of Quantitative Analysis in the Social and Policy Sciences3, 5
or EPPS 2303 Descriptive and Inferential Statistics for the Social and Policy Sciences3, 5
or OPRE 3360 Managerial Methods in Decision Making Under Uncertainty5, 7
or STAT 3360 Probability and Statistics for Management and Economics5, 7
or STAT 1342 Statistical Decision Making5, 7
or MATH 1325 Applied Calculus I3, 4
or MATH 2413 Differential Calculus3, 4
MATH 2419 Calculus II
or MATH 1326 Applied Calculus II
or MATH 2414 Integral Calculus
Major Core Courses: 15 semester credit hours
ECON 3310 Intermediate Microeconomic Theory
ECON 3311 Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory
ECON 4320 Public Sector Economics
ECON 4351 Mathematical Economics
ECON 4355 Econometrics
Major Related Courses: 30 semester credit hours10
30 semester credit hours of upper-division ECON courses.8
Optional Major Core Concentrations: 9 semester credit hours9, 10
Green Economics
Choose one course from the following:
ECON 4333 Environmental Economics
ECON 4336 Environmental Economic Theory and Policy
And choose two courses from the following:
ECON 4320 Public Sector Economics
ECON 4332 Energy and Natural Resources Economics
ECON 4333 Environmental Economics
ECON 4342 Public Policies Toward Business
ECON 4336 Environmental Economic Theory and Policy
International Economics
ECON 4360 International Trade
Choose two courses from the following:
ECON 3332 Economic Geography
ECON 3369 Political Economy of Terrorism
ECON 4362 Development Economics
ECON 4382 International Finance
GEOG 3370 The Global Economy
GEOG 3372 Population and Development
Business Economics
Choose three courses from the following:
ECON 3312 Money and Banking
ECON 3332 Economic Geography
ECON 4301 Game Theory
ECON 4310 Managerial Economics
ECON 4340 Labor Economics and Human Resources
ECON 4342 Public Policies Toward Business
ECON 4345 Industrial Organization
ECON 4355 Econometrics
ECON 4385 Business and Economic Forecasting
III. Elective Requirements: 22-27 semester credit hours
This requirement may be satisfied with lower- and upper-division courses from any field of study. Students must complete at least 51 semester credit hours of upper-division courses to qualify for graduation.
Note: Students wishing to pursue Master's or PhD degrees in economics should consult their advisor about appropriate mathematics and quantitative methods courses.
Minor in Economics: 18 semester credit hours
Required Courses: 9 semester credit hours
ECON 2301 Principles of Macroeconomics
ECON 2302 Principles of Microeconomics
ECON 3310 Intermediate Microeconomic Theory
or ECON 3311 Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory
Upper-Division Courses: 9 semester credit hours
Any upper-division ECON courses excluding ECON 4V97, ECON 4V98, and ECON 4V99.
1. Incoming freshmen must enroll and complete requirements of UNIV 1010 and the corresponding school-related freshman seminar course. Students, including transfer students, who complete their core curriculum at UT Dallas must take UNIV 2020.
2. Curriculum Requirements can be fulfilled by other approved courses from institutions of higher education. The courses listed are recommended as the most efficient way to satisfy both Core Curriculum and Major Requirements at UT Dallas.
3. A Major requirement that also fulfills a Core Curriculum requirement. Semester credit hours are counted in Core Curriculum.
4. Three semester credit hours are counted under Mathematics core, and one semester credit hour is counted under Major Preparatory Courses.
5. Indicates a prerequisite class to be completed before enrolling for upper-division classes in Economics and Finance.
6. Preferred course for Economics Majors.
7. Preferred course for School of Management majors.
8. Only one independent study is permitted to count towards the degree.
9. Semester credit hours to be counted as part of major-related courses.
10. If students choose to select an optional major concentration for 9 semester credit hours, then they only need to take 21 semester credit hours in major related courses.