Economics
Economics is the study of how best to satisfy the wants and desires of all people given the limited resources available to us on this Earth. It concerns the wealth of nations, its origins in production and exchange, its allocation among competing uses, its distribution among individuals, its accumulation or decline. The approach is descriptive and analytical; many issues of national and international policy are considered; the focus is on social institutions and social outcomes rather than on personal financial success per se.
Students intending to pursue graduate work in economics are strongly urged to major in Mathematical Economics Major or double major in Economics and Mathematics, due to the increased use of mathematical modeling in Economics at the graduate level.
Pitzer Advisers: M. Bizuneh, A. Calderon, M. Federman, D. Goel, L. Yamane.
Minor Requirements
The minor in Economics requires the successful completion of at least 6 courses. All courses for the minor must be taken for a letter grade and be separate from the courses in the student’s major. If there is overlap in specific required courses (as is the case with some majors), additional upper-level courses must be added. Please consult with an Economics advisor for more detail.
Required Courses
Upper-level courses are those that both (1) have Economics 51 and/or Economics 52 as a prerequisite and (2) are numbered 100 or above. Please consult with an Economics advisor in advance for courses requiring only Economics 50 as a prerequisite. Accounting and Business Law courses do not fulfill the upper-level elective course requirement. Senior Seminar must be taken at Pitzer; it is offered only in Fall semesters; students should plan accordingly in consultation with their advisors.
AP Credit
An AP score of 5 on the AP Economics exam will be granted one elective course credit toward graduation (one-half credit for a score of 4), but will not be counted toward an economics major or minor requirement.
Study Abroad and Transfer Credit
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. Only two courses taken at an institution outside of the Claremont Colleges consortium can be counted towards the major. Within this limit of two, at most one course counted can be taken online. Econometrics generally cannot be taken outside the Claremont Colleges consortium. Overall, students should not assume that classes taken outside the Claremont Colleges consortium will be automatically counted for the major or minor; there is no guarantee. It is best to discuss with a professor in Economics prior to enrolling in class to confirm. These limits apply to the major, combined major, special majors, and to the economics courses in the Mathematical Economics major.
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