Economics, BS

and Chair:

Amy Ellen Schwartz
110 Eggers Hall
315-443-3612

Faculty

Merima Ali, Elizabeth Ashby, Badi Baltagi, Kristina Buzard, Carmen Carrion-Flores, Gary V. Engelhardt, Alfonso Flores-Lagunes, William Horrace, Hugo Jales, Andrew Jonelis, Leyla Karakas, Jeffrey D. Kubik, Derek Laing, Yoonseok Lee, Chung-Chin (Eugene) Liu, Mengxiao (Michelle) Liu, Michael Lorenzo, Mary E. Lovely, Devashish Mitra, Inge O’Connor, Jan Ivar Ondrich, Stuart S. Rosenthal, Alexander Rothenberg, Amy Ellen Schwartz, Abdulaziz Shifa, Perry Singleton, Aron Tobias, Yulong Wang, John M. Yinger, Maria Zhu

Economists analyze the internal functioning of markets and market outcomes. While modern economics focuses on market forces, markets function imperfectly in some cases and that introduces scope for policy action. Our curriculum emphasizes the application of economics to the study of public policy issues and the role of government in a market economy. Examples include analysis of international trade and relations, economic behavior in the workplace, health care, taxation, and numerous other spheres of a global economy. Students who major in economics prepare themselves for a variety of careers. Some move on to graduate study in economics and become professional economists; the majority, however, pursue careers in law, public policy, government, and many aspects of business, including banking and financial analysis, management, and marketing. Consequently, some students choose to pursue double majors and dual degrees. Further information on these programs is available in the Academic Rules and Regulations section of this catalog or in the economics department office.

The department offers both the B.A. and STEM-designated B.S. degree in economics. The B.A. has a liberal arts focus and emphasizes the applied and policy aspects of economics. The B.S. is attractive to the more mathematically oriented student.

The B.S. degree is STEM-designated and has an orientation toward the statistical and mathematical skills necessary to work as a professional economist or pursue graduate work in economics, public policy, or business. Students who want these career tracks or who want to acquire more analytical skills that can be used in a variety of careers should pursue the B.S. degree.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Correctly define advanced/field specific level economics vocabulary

2. Correctly utilize advanced/field specific level economics vocabulary

3. Effectively identify the applications of advanced/field specific level graphical economic tools and analytic techniques

4. Independently choose and effectively utilize appropriate advanced/field specific level economic graphical analysis to policy analysis

Major Requirements

To Earn a B.S. in Economics

A student becomes an economics major after consulting with an economics advisor on a plan and course of study and bringing them to the department office for approval. To earn a B.S. in economics, a student:

1. Completes calculus courses:

MAT 295 - Calculus I
MAT 296 - Calculus II
Students must achieve a C average in the two calculus courses.

2. Completes 6 credits of Principles of Economics:

(ECN 101 and ECN 102 ) or (ECN 101 and ECN 203 )

3. Completes 27 credits of upper-division economics courses, including:

Four other Upper-Division Electives in Economics

Upper-division electives in economics are ECN 300 or higher, (excluding ECN 301 , ECN 302 , ECN 303 , ECN 311 , ECN 365 , ECN 422 and ECN 470 , ECN 505 , ECN 521 , ECN 522 ), including at least two courses that have a prerequisite of:

Additional Information

In all, 27 credits of upper-division coursework (courses numbered 300 or higher) in economics are required, in addition to the two courses in calculus, and principles of economics. In some instances, SOM majors will be allowed to substitute MAS 261 and BUA 345 for ECN 521 .

The Economics Department applies a two-thirds rule to the upper-division economics courses (item 3 above). Two-thirds of the upper-division coursework must be taken at Syracuse University or its affiliate programs, such as Syracuse Abroad. In practical terms, no more than three of the upper-division courses may be taken at another college or university and applied to B.S. economics major. Because of the specialized nature of ECN 311 , ECN 505 and ECN 522 , it may be difficult to find acceptable substitutes for these courses at other colleges or universities.

Graduation with a B.S. in Economics requires an overall grade point average of 2.0 or higher in the 27 credits of upper-division economics courses.

Scheduling

It is recommended that students sequence their courses in the following manner:

The Principles of Economics ECN 101 and ECN 102 or ECN 101 and ECN 203 and the two required calculus courses, MAT 295 and MAT 296 , should be completed by the end of the sophomore year or earlier, and before taking ECN 311 .
ECN 311 and ECN 302 should be taken no later than the fall of the junior year.
ECN 521 and ECN 522 should be taken in the junior year.
Two of the four economics upper-division electives should be taken by the end of the junior year.

Substitutions

Courses not listed in the above plan and/or taken outside Syracuse University will not be counted toward the fulfillment of economics degree requirements except upon the approval of a petition. Such petitions should be approved before the substitution course is taken, unless it was completed while the student was regularly enrolled in the school or college in which the course was offered. For management students with a second major in economics, FIN 355 may be used as a substitute for ECN 481 . Credit is not given for both ECN 481 and FIN 355 .

Curriculum Suggestions

Students planning to enter law school after graduation may find ECN 431 , ECN 451 , and ECN 481 , of particular interest, while those who plan to pursue graduate degrees in management may want to choose from ECN 465 , ECN 481 , and ECN 487 . Students pursuing an international specialty might be interested in ECN 410 (Economic Development), ECN 465 , and ECN 481 . Students preparing a public sector specialty might find ECN 431 of particular interest. Those with a human resources interest should select ECN 451 . Those interested in macroeconomic theory should consider ECN 481 .

The School of Management allows economics majors to take one course per semester in the School of Management. These courses are counted as general electives and not as economics or arts and sciences electives.