Economics (B.A.)
At-a-Glance
Admission to major: No requirements other than good academic standing in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
Minimum hours required for major: 31 hours of course work in economics, 3 hours in statistics, and an additional 8 hours of mathematics, and computer science course IST 203.
Minimum hours required for minor: 16
Advising: Advising is done by faculty members in the Department of Economics. Students who are thinking of majoring in economics should contact the chairperson of the Economics Department's Undergraduate Committee. Phone: (216) 687-4520.
Student organization: Omicron Delta Epsilon
Additional information: The Economics Department offers an honors program to those who have maintained a GPA of 3.3 or better both in overall course work and in major-field requirements. An annual award is made to the year's most outstanding senior economics major. A cash prize has been given to the recipient of this award in recent years. A Business Economics major is available to students in the College of Business Administration. Secondary teacher certification in economics (as a second teaching field) is available to students in the College of Education and Human Services. Non-majors should consult the Economics Department about elective courses to complement their majors.
A knowledge of economics is essential to understand the economic issues confronting individuals, firms, and society. Economics is an appropriate major for those wishing to pursue careers in business, law, journalism, and industrial relations, as well as for those who wish to become professional economists.
An economics major provides an excellent background for graduate study in economics and other related fields. Economists are employed by universities; corporations; government agencies at the federal, state and local levels; labor organizations; trade associations; and professional societies. Economics majors are trained to develop the analytical skills needed to understand economic problems and to arrive at possible solutions.
Major-Field Requirements
Economics majors in a regular B.A. program must complete a total of 31 hours of course work in economics as well as additional hours in statistics, mathematics, and computer science course IST 203.
Core Courses. Core requirements are fulfilled by completing 12 hours from the following courses:
- ECN 201 Principles of Macroeconomics
- ECN 202 Principles of Microeconomics
- ECN 301 Intermediate Macroeconomics
- ECN 302 Intermediate Microeconomics
Economics Electives. In addition to the core courses for the economics major, with the exception of students in the Honors Program, five economics elective courses amounting to at least 19 credit hours must be completed. These elective courses should be chosen in consultation with a department adviser.
Statistics. Introductory course in statistics (MTH 147, OMS 201, PSY 311, SOC 354, or equivalent).
Mathematics. Students must complete MTH 151 through 156 or MTH 181-182. For students planning to pursue graduate studies in economics, additional courses in mathematics are recommended.
Computer Literacy Requirement
- IST 203 Software Tools for Personal Productivity, 3 credit hours
Business Economics Major
The College of Business Administration, in cooperation with the Economics Department, offers a program in business economics which leads to a B.B.A. degree. For further information on the business economics major, see the section describing programs in the College of Business Administration.
Economics Minor
Students working toward undergraduate degrees from other departments and colleges at Cleveland State University are eligible to earn a minor in economics to complement their baccalaureate degrees from other disciplines. A minor in economics consists of 16 hours of three required and two elective courses.
Required Courses: ECN 201, ECN 202, and either ECN 301 or ECN 302.
Elective Courses: Seven hours of 300- to 400-level economics courses.
Honors Program
Students in the Economics Honors Program must complete the core requirements, statistics requirement, MTH 181 and MTH 182, and the computer literacy requirement (IST 203) for economics majors; however, the elective requirement is fulfilled by completing ECN 322, ECN 355, ECN 497 (Honors Essay), IST 203, and two additional economics electives which have as a prerequisite at least one course in principles of economics. For students planning to pursue graduate studies in economics, additional courses in mathematics are recommended.
An honors candidate must have and maintain a 3.3 overall grade-point average and a 3.3 GPA in major-field requirements. Information about the honors program will be provided to all students at the time a major is declared in economics. For further information, contact the Department of Economics.
Applied Economics and Public Policy
The certificate program in Applied Economics and Public Policy is designed for students who are interested in current economic issues and the public policy for dealing with these issues. The program is intended for students with minimal previous preparation in economics. With three exceptions, the courses required for the certificate in economics require no more than a background in principles of economics.
To a limited degree, the program is interdisciplinary. One course out of the four required for the program may be taken in either Sociology or Political Science.
Requirements for Certificate in Applied Economics and Public Policy
The program requires students to complete four courses (a minimum of 15 hours). The courses must be selected from the list below and must include at least three courses in economics.
- ECN 333 Economics of Health Care (4 hours)
- ECN 360 Public Sector Economics (4 hours)
- ECN 450 Economics of Law (4 hours)
- ECN 474 Environmental and Natural Resource Economics (4 hours)
- ECN 475 Labor Economics (4 hours)
- ECN 482 International Economics (4 hours)
- PSC 315 Public Policy and Administration (4 hours)
- SOC 203 Sociology of Poverty (3 hours)
There are two general paths to acquiring the certificate:
For students who have completed ECN 201 and ECN 202, the program can be completed by taking the following three Economics courses and either SOC 203 or PSC 315:
For students who have completed ECN 201, ECN 202 and ECN 302, the certificate can be earned with any four of the following seven options: