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• Who are the current advisors? Whom should I ask for information about the major and minor?
• Is the economics major a STEM-designated major?
• Should I major in economics to prepare for a career in business?
• I took Econ 105. Can I take another introductory economics course elsewhere for credit now?
• What kind of math skills do I need to major in economics?
• Which statistical methods courses should I take?
• I’ve declared an economics major and completed a major work plan. Do I need to see my advisor?
• Can I take classes at Haverford?
• Can I take courses at Swarthmore?
• How can I get a letter of recommendation from an economics faculty member?

Who are the current advisors? Whom should I ask for information about the major and minor?

• Class of 2026:
• Class of 2027:
• Study Abroad and Transfer Credits: Janet Ceglowski

For other pre-major and minor advising, Janet Ceglowski will be happy to see you on a drop-in basis during office hours

Is the economics major a STEM-designated major?

Yes, the economics major at ɫɫ�о��� has been designated a STEM major for majors from the Class of 2022 and later.  International students earning a bachelor's degree in fields recognized by the U.S. government as STEM fields may qualify for the STEM OPT extension; a 24 -month extention of F-1 Optional Practical Training.

Should I major in economics to prepare for a career in business ?

Economics is a social science that studies the allocation of scarce resources as a way to understand many types of human interaction. Training in economics is not the same thing as training in business. Professional training in business involves learning specialized techniques and skills in order to pursue the specific goals of businesses.  Our economics courses do not focus on these specialized business skills and techniques. Students who major in economics because they believe that it is the subject “closest to business” may be unhappy in their economics courses. We advise students to acquire broad exposure to the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences and to major in the subject that most engages them.

I took Econ 105. Can I take another introductory economics course elsewhere for credit now?

No. Once a student has taken Econ 105 the student cannot take another introductory course at another college or university for econ major/minor credit (e.g. Introduction to Microeconomics or Introduction to Macroeconomics).

What kind of math skills do I need to major in economics?

Economics is the most quantitative social science and a solid knowledge of math is essential for understanding economic theory. At least one semester of calculus (Math 101) is a prerequisite for Econ B200, B202, and B304. 

Graduate training in economics requires more mathematical sophistication than undergraduate economics. Students interested in pursuing graduate studies in economics will need to master more advanced mathematics. Math courses that are particularly appropriate for Ph.D. study in economics include Math 101 and 102, Calculus with Analytical Geometry; Math 201, Multivariable Calculus, Math 203, Linear Algebra; Math 205, Theory of Probability and Applications; Math 210, Differential Equations with Applications; and Math 301 and 302, Introduction to Real Analysis. Students interested in graduate studies in economics should plan to complete Econ B304 Econometrics as part of their major or minor.

Which statistical methods courses should I take?

The Economics Department offers a two-course econometrics sequence: Econ B253 (Introduction to Econometrics) and Econ B304 (Econometrics).  All majors and minors are required to complete Econ B253 (Introduction to Econometrics).  Interested students can follow that with Econ B304 (Econometrics) as an elective.

Economists rely on multivariate regression analysis and probability theory as the primary tools for testing hypotheses and evaluating decisions under uncertainty. The Department does not credit toward the major/minor introductory statistics courses from other fields, because economists rely on specialized econometric techniques (such as the regression model) in empirical work.

Most of our 300-level electives assume that you have been exposed to the regression model, which requires that students have completed either Econ B253 or Econ B304 before taking those 300-level economics electives.

Students considering post-graduate employment and/or graduate studies in economics or allied fields including finance, data analytics/science, and public policy are strongly advised to complete Econ B304 Econometrics as part of their major.

I’ve declared an economics major and completed a major work plan. Do I need to see my advisor?

Absolutely! Students are ultimately responsible for meeting the requirements for the major. However all econ majors are expected to confer with their major advisor each semester about their plans for the coming semester and completing the major. Once you’re officially a major, your economics advisor will be determined by class year. Major advisors will advise each class through graduation.

Can I take classes at Haverford?

The core courses of ECON B200, ECON B202, and ECON B253 must be taken at ɫɫ�о���.

Most electives offered by the Haverford economics department may be counted toward the ɫɫ�о��� economics minor and major. 

Not all Haverford 200-level courses are the equivalent of ɫɫ�о���'s 200-level electives. The following Haverford courses do NOT count towards the BMC major or minor, nor do they fulfill the "elective" prerequisite for the three BMC core economics courses: 

    Economics H201 (Analytical Methods in Economics)

    Economics H210 (Linear Opitimization)

   Economics  H243 (Debt, Justice, and Sovereignty)

    Economics H247 (Financial Accounting)

    Economics H277 (Ethical Leadership in Business and the Professions)

Only ONE of the following two Haverford electives can count towards the BMC major of minor (i.e. if you take both, you only get credit towards the BMC major or minor for one of them), and neither fulfill the "elective" prerequisite for the three BMC core economics courses:

    Economics H205 (Corporate Finance)

    Economics H206 (Microfinance)

Writing intensive courses in Economics are only offered at ɫɫ�о���.

The Econ B39x and H396 research seminars are open only to ɫɫ�о��� and Haverford economics majors respectively. The desire to write one’s senior research paper in a specific subfield of economics and to work with a specific faculty advisor is an important consideration in choosing whether to major at ɫɫ�о��� or Haverford.

Can I take courses at Swarthmore?

In most cases, yes. An exception is Swarthmore’s financial accounting course (Econ SW033), which cannot be used to satisfy major or minor requirements at ɫɫ�о���. When in doubt, ask your major advisor.

How can I get a letter of recommendation from an economics faculty member?

If you are a current or former economics student who wants to ask for a letter of recommendation, you should discuss your plans with your faculty recommender. If he/she agrees to write a recommendation letter for you, you should print out and complete this request form [PDF] before submitting it to your recommender. Recommenders should be given a minimum of two weeks advance notice.