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BS in Economics

The Bachelor of Science (BS) program follows a more technical and mathematical path and emphasizes the quantitative side of economics and helps the students to develop their analytical skills by providing a more intensive background in math and statistics. The BS degree is appropriate for students who are planning to attend a graduate program in economics and related fields such as mathematics and finance, and, together with competitive GPA, it may increase the likelihood of being admitted by these programs. The BS program has been designed with preparation for graduate studies in economics in mind and hence, may benefit the students throughout their graduate education.


Are you a good candidate for BS in Economics?

The answer is “Yes” if:

  1. You enjoyed and succeeded (with a grade B or higher) in the quantitative side of economics and mathematically oriented classes such as Calculus.
  2. You are ready to take more stimulating and rigorous courses. In order to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics at FIU, you must take more mathematically oriented courses and quantitative classes, ECO 4401-Math for Economists and ECO 4465-Quantitative Economics to be specific.


Is it possible to switch from the BA to the BS in Econ or the BS to the BA?

Yes if it does not delay the student’s graduation. In order to switch degrees, the student must meet with the academic advisor, discuss their plans, and fill out a form. In fact, we encourage students to start with the BA degree and to complete Calculus and Intermediate Theory classes successfully before they decide to switch to the BS program. If the student is on track in the major and has completed these classes on time and preferably with a grade B or higher, and is planning to switch to the BS degree, we highly recommend the student to meet with the academic advisor as soon as possible before getting close towards their degree.

If you have further questions on choosing your degree, our undergraduate advisors and faculty mentors are ready to help you.

Requirements for the B.S. in Economics

1. Lower Division Preparation (12 credit hours)

To qualify for admission to the B.S. program, FIU undergraduates must have met all the lower division requirements, completed 60 semester hours and have at least a 2.0 GPA.

You must take the following four courses as part of your lower division preparation:

  • ECO 2013 Principles of Macroeconomics
  • ECO 2023 Principles of Microeconomics
  • MAC 2311 Calculus I or MAC 2233 Calculus for Business
  • STA 2122 Introduction to Statistics I or STA 2023 Statistics for Business and Economics

2. Upper Division Program (48 credit hours)

The upper division program requirements consist of a minimum of 48 credit hours, of which 24 hours are required economics courses, 9 credit hours are elective economics courses, and 15 hours are electives that may be taken in economics or other fields of study.

A. Required Courses for the Major (24 credit hours)

  • ECO 3101 Intermediate Microeconomics
  • ECO 3203 Intermediate Macroeconomics
  • ECO 3410 Measurement and Analysis of Econ Activity
  • ECO 4401 Math for Economists
  • ECO 4421 Introduction to Econometrics
  • ECO 4465 Quantitative Economics
  • ECO 4932 or ECO 4933 Topics in Theory
  • ECO 4903 Undergraduate Seminar

Notes:

  1. ECO 3410 and ECO 4421 each satisfy the FIU requirement in Computer Competency.
  2. ECO 4903 satisfies the requirement in Oral Competency. Enrollment in the undergraduate seminar is usually restricted to students expected to graduate at the end of the semester. Consequently approval of the undergraduate adviser is required to enroll in this course.

B. Elective Courses for the Major (9 credit hours)

You must take a minimum of three additional economics courses (courses with codes beginning ECO, ECP or ECS)

Notes:

  1. The following courses cannot be used as Elective Courses for the Major: ECO 2013, ECO 2023, ECO 3041, ECO 3202, ECO 3949, ECO 4906, ECO 4949.
  2. The university catalog lists many courses that could be used as electives. However, the catalog is not a particularly dynamic document, and many of the courses listed have not been offered in a long time. To get a more up to date picture of electives that might be offered in the near future, click here to see what electives have been offered in recent years.

The track sheet for Bachelor of Arts in Economics can be found here.