Economics Major

Requirements for the Major

A major in economics requires the successful completion of:

1. A major in Economics requires the successful completion of:
2. One year of Principles of Economics (ECON 051 PZ  & ECON 052 PZ )
3. One year of Economic Theory (ECON 104 PZ  & ECON 105 PZ )
4. One semester of Economic Statistics (ECON 091 PZ )
5. One semester of Econometrics (ECON 125 PZ )
6. Four additional upper-level courses in economics (i.e., courses having principles of economics as a prerequisite).
7. Senior Seminar in Economics in the student’s final year (ECON 198 PZ )
8. Senior thesis for honors candidates.

Completion of MATH 030 PZ  or equivalent is required before taking Macroeconomic Theory and Microeconomic Theory. Accounting courses do not fulfill the upper-level elective course requirement.

Students planning to study abroad or wanting to transfer in courses taken at institutions outside of the Claremont Colleges consortium should consult with an Economics advisor beforehand. At most one course for the major can be taken abroad. Additionally, only two courses taken at an institution outside of the Claremont Colleges consortium can be counted towards the major (any course taken abroad is included in this count). Econometrics cannot be taken abroad; similarly, students wanting to take Econometrics at an institution outside the Claremont Colleges consortium must get permission in advance and confirm if the course is eligible. These limits apply to the minor, combined major, special majors, and to the economics courses in the Mathematical Economics major.

Students intending to pursue graduate work in economics are strongly urged to major in Mathematical Economics or double major in Economics and Mathematics, due to the increased use of mathematical modeling in Economics at the graduate level.

Pitzer College and Claremont Graduate University offer an accelerated program for completion of the BA and MA in Economics in five years. Interested students apply in the fall of their junior year and should contact the Pitzer economics faculty for more information.

Honors:

Honors candidates will be expected to achieve excellence in the above, maintain a 3.5 grade point average in the major and overall, and to submit a worthy senior honors thesis.