Program Overview

Economic Analysis BAECON

The Bachelor of Arts in Economics introduces students to modern economics within the context of a broad liberal arts curriculum. The degree is well suited for students interested in the relation of economics to the other social science disciplines and humanities, and it provides an even broader liberal arts education than the Bachelor of Science in Economics. The BA in Economics offers students the flexibility to combine their studies in economics with a major or minor in another field of study.

About the Program

The Bachelor of Arts in Economics is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of economic principles and their applications. The program is structured to allow students to explore various aspects of economics, including microeconomics, macroeconomics, and international trade.

Degree Requirements

To graduate, students must complete the following requirements:

• General Education Requirements:
  • CIVC 101: Introduction to Civic Engagement (1.0 credit)
  • COM 270 [WI] or COM 230: Business Communication or Techniques of Speaking (3.0 credits)
  • COOP 101: Career Management and Professional Development (1.0 credit)
  • ENGL 101 or ENGL 111: Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research or English Composition I (3.0 credits)
  • ENGL 102 or ENGL 112: Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing or English Composition II (3.0 credits)
  • ENGL 103 or ENGL 113: Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres or English Composition III (3.0 credits)
  • UNIV B101: The Drexel Experience (1.0 credit)
  • UNIV B201 [WI]: Career Management (1.0 credit)
  • Natural Science electives (3.0-4.0 credits)
  • Culture & Diversity electives (3.0-4.0 credits)
  • Social & Behavioral Sciences electives (6.0-8.0 credits)
  • International Studies electives (3.0-4.0 credits)
  • Humanities & Fine Arts electives (6.0 credits)
  • Choose One Math Sequence (8.0-10.0 credits)
    • MATH 101 and MATH 102: Introduction to Analysis I and Introduction to Analysis II
    • MATH 105 and MATH 121: Algebra, Functions, and Trigonometry and Calculus I
    • MATH 116 and MATH 117: Calculus and Functions I and Calculus and Functions II
    • MATH 121 and MATH 122: Calculus I and Calculus II
  • STAT 201: Introduction to Business Statistics (4.0 credits)
• Required Economics Courses:
  • ECON 201: Principles of Microeconomics (4.0 credits)
  • ECON 202: Principles of Macroeconomics (4.0 credits)
  • ECON 250: Game Theory and Applications (4.0 credits)
  • ECON 301: Microeconomics (4.0 credits)
  • ECON 321: Macroeconomics (4.0 credits)
  • ECON 322 [WI]: Economics Seminar (4.0 credits)
  • ECON 326 [WI]: Economic Ideas (4.0 credits)
• Economics Electives: Select at least 32 credits from the following courses:
  • ECON 203 [WI]: Survey of Economic Policy
  • ECON 248: Mathematical Models in Economics
  • ECON 260: Economics of Small Business
  • ECON 270: Using Big Data to Solve Economic and Social Problems
  • ECON 324: Economics of Happiness
  • ECON 330: Managerial Economics
  • ECON 331: International Macroeconomics
  • ECON 334: Public Finance
  • ECON 336: Labor Economics
  • ECON 338: Industrial Organization
  • ECON 342: Economic Development
  • ECON 348: Mathematical Economics
  • ECON 350 [WI]: Applied Econometrics
  • ECON 351: Resource and Environmental Economics
  • ECON 354: Money and Banking
  • ECON 360: Time Series Econometrics
  • ECON 361: Health Economics
  • ECON 365: Behavioral Economics
  • ECON 366: Topics in Behavioral Economics
  • ECON 370: Experiments and Causality in Economics
  • ECON T280: Special Topics in Economics
  • ECON T380: Special Topics in Economics
  • ECON T480: Special Topics in Economics
  • INTB 332: Multinational Corporations
  • INTB 334: International Trade
  • INTB 336: International Money and Finance
  • INTB 338: Regional Studies in Economic Policies and International Business
  • INTB 440: Seminar in International Business
  • SMT 320: Sport Economics
• Free Electives: 71.0 credits
• Total Credits: 180.0-187.0

Sample Plan of Study

The sample plan of study is provided for three different co-op options: 4-year, no co-op; 4-year, one co-op; and 5-year, three co-op.

4-year, no co-op

• First Year:
  • Fall: CIVC 101, ECON 201, ENGL 101, UNIV B101, Math Sequence Course (13-14 credits)
  • Winter: ECON 202, ENGL 102, ECON Elective, Math Sequence Course (15-16 credits)
  • Spring: COM 270, ENGL 103, ECON Elective, Natural Sciences Elective (16-18 credits)
• Second Year:
  • Fall: ECON 301, STAT 201, Humanities & Fine Arts electives, Free Elective (15 credits)
  • Winter: ECON 321, Humanities & Fine Arts electives, Free Elective (12 credits)
  • Spring: ECON 250, Culture & Diversity electives, Free Elective (15-16 credits)
• Third Year:
  • Fall: ECON 326, ECON Elective, International Studies elective, Free Elective (15-16 credits)
  • Winter: ECON Elective, Social & Behavioral Sciences Elective, Free Elective (14-15 credits)
  • Spring: COOP EXPERIENCE (0 credits)
• Fourth Year:
  • Fall: UNIV B201, ECON Elective, Free Elective (17 credits)
  • Winter: ECON Elective, Free Electives (16 credits)
  • Spring: ECON 322, Free Electives (16 credits)

4-year, one co-op

• First Year:
  • Fall: CIVC 101, ECON 201, ENGL 101, UNIV B101, Math Sequence Course (13-14 credits)
  • Winter: ECON 202, ENGL 102, ECON Elective, Math Sequence Course (15-16 credits)
  • Spring: COM 270, ENGL 103, ECON Elective, Social & Behavioral Sciences elective (13-14 credits)
• Second Year:
  • Fall: ECON 301, STAT 201, Humanities & Fine Arts electives, Free Elective (15-16 credits)
  • Winter: ECON 321, Humanities & Fine Arts electives, Free Elective (17-18 credits)
  • Spring: ECON 250, Culture & Diversity electives, ECON Elective, International studies elective (15-16 credits)
• Third Year:
  • Fall: ECON 326, Free Electives, COOP EXPERIENCE (16 credits)
  • Winter: Free Electives (12 credits)
  • Spring: COOP EXPERIENCE (0 credits)
• Fourth Year:
  • Fall: UNIV B201, ECON Elective, Free Elective (16 credits)
  • Winter: ECON Elective, Free Electives (16 credits)
  • Spring: ECON 322, Free Elective (16 credits)

5-year, three co-op

• First Year:
  • Fall: CIVC 101, ECON 201, ENGL 101, UNIV B101, Math Sequence Course (13-14 credits)
  • Winter: ECON 202, ENGL 102, ECON Elective, Math Sequence Course (15-16 credits)
  • Spring: COM 270, ENGL 103, COOP 101, ECON Elective (14-15 credits)
• Second Year:
  • Fall: ECON 301, STAT 201, Humanities & Fine Arts electives, Free Elective (15-16 credits)
  • Winter: ECON 321, Humanities & Fine Arts electives, Free Elective (17-18 credits)
  • Spring: COOP EXPERIENCE (0 credits)
• Third Year:
  • Fall: ECON 250, Culture & Diversity electives, ECON Elective, COOP EXPERIENCE (15-16 credits)
  • Winter: International studies elective, Free Elective, COOP EXPERIENCE (15-16 credits)
  • Spring: COOP EXPERIENCE (0 credits)
• Fourth Year:
  • Fall: ECON 326, Free Elective, COOP EXPERIENCE (16 credits)
  • Winter: Free Electives (12 credits)
  • Spring: COOP EXPERIENCE (0 credits)
• Fifth Year:
  • Fall: UNIV B201, ECON Elective, Free Elective (16 credits)
  • Winter: ECON Elective, Free Electives (16 credits)
  • Spring: ECON 322, Free Elective (16 credits)

Co-op/Career Opportunities

The study of economics prepares students for a variety of fields, including research economists in banks, government, and universities; law; economic development for local government, banks, and firms; business management and consulting; government and international agencies; and business and economic journalism.

Career Paths and Degree Combinations

Economics provides an excellent foundation for many career options and can also be combined with many other majors and minors in preparing students for great careers. Some examples include:

• Banking and Finance: Economics and Finance, Economics and Business, Economics and Mathematics, Business Economics Concentration, Economics and Physics
• Academia: Economics and Anthropology, Economics and Psychology, Economics and Mathematics, Economics and Public Health, Economics and Philosophy
• Economics Research in Industry: Economics and Mathematics, Mathematical Economics Concentration, Economics and Marketing, Economics and Finance
• High Tech and IT Industries: Economics and Data Science, Economics and Information Systems, Economics and Chemistry, Economics and Biology
• Economics Research in Governments and International Organizations: Economics and Environmental Studies, Economics and Political Science, Economics and International Studies
• Law School and Other Graduate School Options: Economics and Legal Studies, Economics and Philosophy, Economics and Political Science, Economics and International Studies

Program Level Outcomes

Upon graduation, students will:

• Understand how to build their career
• Be able to express ideas clearly in writing
• Understand the foundational ideas and methods of modern economics
• Be able to evaluate economic issues in light of alternative economic theories

School of Economics Faculty

The School of Economics faculty includes:

• Marco Airaudo, PhD: Professor, Computational economics, international economics, macroeconomics, and monetary economics
• Patricia Awerbuch, MBA: Associate Clinical Professor, Distance learning, environmental economics
• Richard Barnett, PhD: Clinical Professor, Economic theory, macroeconomics
• Sebastien Bradley, PhD: Associate Professor, Public finance, tax policy, behavioral response to taxation
• Mian Dai, PhD: Associate Professor, Industrial organization
• Pia DiGirolamo, PhD: Associate Clinical Professor, Forensic economics, distance learning
• Shawkat M. Hammoudeh, PhD: Professor, Energy economics, environmental economics, financial economics
• Teresa Harrison, PhD: Professor, Economics of nonprofits, empirical industrial organization, applied microeconometrics
• Paul E. Jensen, PhD: Professor, International trade
• Bang Nam Jeon, PhD: Professor, Financial economics, the Korean economy, currency crises, FDI, regional economic integration, and newly industrializing economies
• Stephen Joyce, MA: Assistant Clinical Professor, Education and human capital
• Andre Kurmann, PhD: Professor, Computational economics, financial economics, labor economics, macroeconomics, monetary economics
• Ohyun Kwon, PhD: Assistant Professor, International trade and trade agreements
• Christopher A. Laincz, PhD: Associate Professor, Macroeconomics, economic growth, developing nations, economics of innovation
• Vibhas Madan, PhD: Professor, International trade theory, applied microeconomics
• Roger A. McCain, PhD: Professor, Computational economics, game theory
• Eydis Olsen-Robinson, MA: Associate Clinical Professor, International business, banking
• Tristan Potter, PhD: Associate Professor, Macroeconomics, labor
• Konstantinos Serfes, PhD: Professor, Industrial organization, microeconomics, game theory
• Ricardo Serrano-Padial, PhD: Associate Professor, Microeconomic theory, information economics with applications in finance, macroeconomics, industrial organization
• Mark Stehr, PhD: Professor, Health policy, health economics, applied microeconometrics
• Constantinos Syropoulos, PhD: Professor, International trade, political economy, applied microeconomics
• Yoto Yotov, PhD: Professor, International trade, applied microeconomics, political economy

Writing-Intensive Requirements

In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid "clustering" these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.