Bachelor of Science

Introduction

The Bachelor of Science with a Major in Economics emphasizes the study of mathematics and quantitative techniques along with economic theory, application methods, and social studies. The course of study requires a more intensive background in math and statistics, reflecting the quantitative character of modern economics. This program provides preparation for employment in technical and scientific areas and is appropriate for graduate studies in economics and related fields such as statistics, mathematics and finance.

**Starting Autumn 2020, both the BA and BS in Economics are designated as Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) majors. 

Courses Required for Admission

Courses Required to Apply and Admission Standards for the Bachelor of Science

1. A minimum of 45 college and university credits including:
   • ECON 200 Introduction to Microeconomics;
   • ECON 201 Introduction to Macroeconomics;
   • STAT 311 Elements of Statistical Methods (formerly ECON 311)
     • Acceptable substitutes for STAT 311: Q SCI 381, STAT 340, STAT 341, STAT 390.
     • IND E 315 is acceptable, for students also pursuing College of Engineering disciplines.
     • PSYCH 317 & 318 are acceptable, if both are completed, for students also pursuing Psychology.
     • Not acceptable: BIOST 310, STAT 220, STAT 290, STAT 321, STAT 394, PSYCH 315, Q METH 201.
   • MATH 124, MATH 125, and MATH 126 Calculus with Analytic Geometry (or MATH 134, MATH 135, MATH 136).
   • One English Composition course 
   • Completion of the RTW assessment - Students applying to switch from the BA to the BS in Econ do *not* need to take the RTW.
2. Achieve a minimum GPA of 2.5 for ECON 200, 201, Statistics and MATH 124, with no less than 2.0 in each of the 6 required courses.
3. Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 for all prior college work including transfer credits, and a minimum GPA of 2.5 for coursework taken at UW.
4. A standard/numerical grade must be recorded for all of the courses above prior to admission. Each of these prerequisite courses can only be repeated once. We will consider only the better of the two grades. Academic credits earned from AP, IB, and A-Level exams are acceptable.

For prerequisites see the UW Course Catalog.

Application for Admission to the Bachelor of Science

See the How to Apply page for application instructions and details.

Graduation Requirements: How to Complete the Bachelor of Science

1. Admission to the economics major
2. Completion of these courses:
   • ECON 300 Intermediate Microeconomics and ECON 301 Intermediate Macroeconomics. Grade of 2.0 or higher required. Both of these courses must be completed at UW Seattle.
   • At least 15 credits chosen from the following courses (known as “Theory & Methods” courses): ECON 400, 401, 404, 405, 424, 482, 483, 484, 485, 486, 487, 488.
     Note: 5 credits of the 15 credits must be chosen from ECON 400 or 401.
     Note 2: 5 credits of the 15 credits must be chosen from ECON 424, 482, or 483.
   • 15 additional credits of economics courses at the 400 level (excluding ECON 496, 497, and 499)
3. Completion of at least 50 credits in economics courses (courses with the prefix ECON,) including ECON 200 and 201, and you must have an average of 2.0 or higher in these 50 credits. (In other words, your ECON grade point average, or GPA, must be a 2.0 or higher.)
4. At least 20 credits in economics courses at the 400-level must be taken at the University of Washington, Seattle.
5. You must complete all University and College of Arts and Sciences Graduation Requirements and 180 credits total for the undergraduate degree.
6. For College and University graduation requirements, refer to the website or to the Bachelor’s Degree Planbook from the Undergraduate Advising Center in 171 Mary Gates Hall.
7. Both the General Catalog and the Quarterly Time Schedules are available online in the Student Guide.
8. You must apply to graduate no later than the end of the third week of the quarter in which you wish to graduate. Graduation applications can be done through email; you don't need to schedule an appointment with an advisor. To receive Graduating Senior Priority (GSP) registration, apply 2½ quarters before graduation.

**Additional quantitative work is recommended but not required, for students who intend to pursue graduate programs, including: Math 307 (Intro to Differential Equations) or AMATH 351 (Intro to Differential Equations); Math 308 (Matrix Algebra with Applications); CSE 100 (Fluency in Information Technology); AMATH 301 (Beginning Scientific Computing), and CSE 142 (Computer Programming I -take as a junior)

Extraordinary Circumstances Quarters Note

As UW students have been uniquely impacted by the current global pandemic, certain academic quarters have been deemed “Extraordinary Circumstances Quarters” by the Office of the University Registrar. As a result, students have the option to change their original/numerical grade to the “S/NS Grading Option” for these quarters, and “S” grade designations can be counted toward application and/or degree requirements.

Applicants to the Department of Economics may enter-in “S” as their grade for the “prerequisite” courses, when prompted on the application form.

For current Economics students, “S” grade designations will fulfill specific graduation requirements.

For details on this updated policy, see here.