Economics Major

Major Requirements

The major in economics requires 10 courses, distributed as follows:

1. Core Requirement (4 courses)

2. Electives (6 courses)

Level I Electives (0-2 courses)

Level I electives require only ECON 050 CM as a prerequisite.

Majors may count up to 2 level I electives towards the major.

Level II Electives (4-6 courses)

Level II electives require ECON 101 CM and/or ECON 102 CM as a prerequisite.

Majors must take at least 4 level II electives for the major.

Notes:

ECON 101 CM and ECON 102 CM require completion of basic calculus at the level of MATH030 CM - Calculus I , or higher.
ECON 125 CM requires completion of a college-level statistics course. Students usually take ECON120 CM - Statistics as a prerequisite for ECON 125 CM . Students may count ECON 120 CM as a level I elective course toward the major.
Students must complete ECON 101 CM and/or ECON 102 CM prior to taking level II elective courses in the major.
Economics-Accounting courses (ECON 086 CM and ECON 149 CM through ECON 160 CM ) are level I elective courses for economics majors, with the exception of ECON 151 CM , which is a level II elective.

Senior Thesis in Economics

The senior thesis is a general education requirement and the capstone experience of a student’s undergraduate education. Students must complete a senior thesis in at least one of their majors under supervision of a faculty reader who teaches within that major, unless granted a special exception.

All students majoring in economics are encouraged to take ECON180 CM - Seminar in Research Methods , a one-half (0.5) credit course preparing students for a senior thesis in economics. Students may only take the course in the semester they submit their thesis. Students pursuing honors in economics are required to take ECON 180 CM , but need only register for a 1-semester thesis.

For a 2-semester project, students register for a thesis research course in economics in the 1^st semester and for the senior thesis in the 2^nd semester. The senior thesis and the research course may not be counted as courses in the major.

Special Options for Majors

Dual Major

The dual major in economics requires a minimum of 8 courses. Dual majors in economics may waive 1 Level II elective and 1 Level I elective from the full major.

Students with a dual major including economics are encouraged to write their senior thesis on a topic in economics.

Honors in Economics

Requirements for honors in economics are:

A grade point average of 3.50 or better in the major at the time of graduation,
Completion of ECON180 CM - Seminar in Research Methods , and
Completion of a senior thesis on a subject in economics under the direction of a member of the CMC Robert Day School. The thesis must reflect a superior understanding of economic analysis as determined by the student’s reader and ECON 180 CM instructor.

For further information, contact your economics advisor or the faculty chair.

Study Abroad

All CMC students are encouraged to apply for study abroad during the junior year. Students planning to study economics abroad should consult with the department chair to determine which off-campus courses will be accepted for the major. The department chair will not accept study abroad courses for any of the Core Requirement courses. Study abroad courses normally count as level I elective courses. Majors may typically count up to 2 elective courses for the major.

Omicron Delta Epsilon

CMC has a chapter of Omicron Delta Epsilon, a national honorary society for economics majors. The objectives of Omicron Delta Epsilon are recognition of scholastic attainment and the honoring of outstanding achievements in economics, and the establishment of closer ties between students and faculty in economics within colleges and universities, and among colleges and universities. Economics majors with excellent academic standing are eligible for election. For further information, contact Professor Keil.

General Education Requirements for Social Science Majors

For the general education requirement in the social sciences and the humanities, CMC students majoring in a field in the social sciences must take designated courses in all 4 fields of the social sciences (economics, government, history, and psychology), and in 2 of the 4 fields of the humanities (literature, philosophy, religious studies, and literature in a foreign language). Majors with a dual or double major in the humanities will be required to take courses in 3 of the 4 fields of the humanities.

Learning Goals and Student Learning Outcomes for the Economics and Economics-Accounting Program

Learning Goals

The economics curriculum is designed to serve a variety of educational objectives. The basic goals of the undergraduate economics major, economics-accounting major, and the financial economics sequence are to:

Develop an understanding of economic behavior and economic/financial institutions;
Develop specific analytical, quantitative and research skills; and
Develop effective communication skills.

Student Learning Outcomes

The Robert Day School has established the following learning outcomes for the educational objectives:

Students will demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of economic theory;
Students will demonstrate comprehensive knowledge and understanding of issues related to quantitative analysis;
Students will demonstrate skillful analytical and communication skills.