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

FACG> epps-economics-ba

Professors: Daniel G. Arce @dga071000, Kurt J. Beron @kberon, Dong Li @dxl145430, Donggyu Sul @dxs093000

Associate Professors: Rodney Andrews @rja091000, Seth Giertz @sxg154831, Susan Williams McElroy @skm028000, Darwin (Trey) Miller @dwm052000, Irina Panovska @ixp190001, Kevin Siqueira @kjs064000, Victor Valcarcel @vjv150130

Assistant Professors: Anne Burton @axb210050, Jonas Hedlund @jxh180030, Maria (Camila) Morales @mcm200006

Professor Emeritus: Todd Sandler @tms063000

Associate Professor of Instruction: Luba Ketsler @lxk010300

Assistant Professor of Instructiion: William Grover @wcg071000

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

Or select any 6 semester credit hours from Communication Core courses (see advisor)

Mathematics: 3 semester credit hours

Choose one course from the following:

MATH 1325 Applied Calculus I^{3, 4}

MATH 2413 Differential Calculus^{3, 4}

MATH 2417 Calculus I^{3, 4}

Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Mathematics Core courses (see advisor)

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

Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Language, Philosophy and Culture Core courses (see advisor)

Creative Arts: 3 semester credit hours

ARTS 1301 Exploration of the Arts

Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Creative Arts Core courses (see advisor)

American History: 6 semester credit hours

HIST 1301 U.S. History Survey to Civil War

HIST 1302 U.S. History Survey from Civil War

Or select any 6 semester credit hours from American History Core courses (see advisor)

Government/Political Science: 6 semester credit hours

GOVT 2305 American National Government

GOVT 2306 State and Local Government

Or select any 6 semester credit hours from Government/Political Science Core courses (see advisor)

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 Macroeconomics^{3, 5, 6}

ECON 2302 Principles of Microeconomics^{3, 5, 6}

SOC 1301 Introduction to Sociology

Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Social and Behavioral Sciences Core courses (see advisor)

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 Sciences^{3, 5}

STAT 1342 Statistical Decision Making

Or select any 6 semester credit hours from Component Area Core courses (see advisor)

II. Major Requirements: 42-46 semester credit hours

Major Preparatory Courses: 3-7 semester credit hours beyond Core Curriculum

ECON 2301 Principles of Macroeconomics^{3, 5, 6}

ECON 2302 Principles of Microeconomics^{3, 5, 6}

EPPS 2302 Methods of Quantitative Analysis in the Social and Policy Sciences^{3, 5}

or OPRE 3360 Managerial Methods in Decision Making Under Uncertainty^{5, 7}

or STAT 3360 Probability and Statistics for Management and Economics^{5, 7}

or STAT 1342 Statistical Decision Making^{5, 7}

MATH 2417 Calculus I^{3, 4}

or MATH 1325 Applied Calculus I^{3, 4}

or MATH 2413 Differential Calculus^{3, 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 hours^{9, 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

FACG> epps-economics-bs

Professors: Daniel G. Arce @dga071000, Kurt J. Beron @kberon, Dong Li @dxl145430, Donggyu Sul @dxs093000

Associate Professors: Rodney Andrews @rja091000, Seth Giertz @sxg154831, Susan Williams McElroy @skm028000, Darwin (Trey) Miller @dwm052000, Irina Panovska @ixp190001, Kevin Siqueira @kjs064000, Victor Valcarcel @vjv150130

Assistant Professors: Anne Burton @axb210050, Jonas Hedlund @jxh180030, Maria (Camila) Morales @mcm200006

Professor Emeritus: Todd Sandler @tms063000

Associate Professor of Instruction: Luba Ketsler @lxk010300

Assistant Professor of Instruction: William Grover @wcg071000

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

Or select any 6 semester credit hours from Communication Core courses (see advisor)

Mathematics: 3 semester credit hours

Choose one course from the following:

MATH 1325 Applied Calculus I^{3, 4}

MATH 2413 Differential Calculus^{3, 4}

MATH 2417 Calculus I^{3, 4}

Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Mathematics Core courses (see advisor)

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

Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Language, Philosophy and Culture Core courses (see advisor)

Creative Arts: 3 semester credit hours

ARTS 1301 Exploration of the Arts

Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Creative Arts Core courses (see advisor)

American History: 6 semester credit hours

HIST 1301 U.S. History Survey to Civil War

HIST 1302 U.S. History Survey from Civil War

Or select any 6 semester credit hours from American History Core courses (see advisor)

Government/Political Science: 6 semester credit hours

GOVT 2305 American National Government

GOVT 2306 State and Local Government

Or select any 6 semester credit hours from Government/Political Science Core courses (see advisor)

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 Macroeconomics^{3, 5, 6}

ECON 2302 Principles of Microeconomics^{3, 5, 6}

SOC 1301 Introduction to Sociology

Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Social and Behavioral Sciences Core courses (see advisor)

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 Sciences^{3, 5}

STAT 1342 Statistical Decision Making

Or select any 6 semester credit hours from Component Area Option courses (see advisor)

II. Major Requirements: 51-56 semester credit hours

Major Preparatory Courses: 6-11 semester credit hours beyond Core Curriculum

ECON 2301 Principles of Macroeconomics^{3, 5, 6}

ECON 2302 Principles of Microeconomics^{3, 5, 6}

EPPS 2302 Methods of Quantitative Analysis in the Social and Policy Sciences^{3, 5}

or OPRE 3360 Managerial Methods in Decision Making Under Uncertainty^{5, 7}

or STAT 3360 Probability and Statistics for Management and Economics^{5, 7}

or STAT 1342 Statistical Decision Making^{5, 7}

MATH 2417 Calculus I^{3, 4}

or MATH 1325 Applied Calculus I^{3, 4}

or MATH 2413 Differential Calculus^{3, 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 hours^{9, 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.