Mathematical Economics Major

Graduates with strong analytical skills are highly valued in today’s increasingly data-driven and interconnected business world. The Mathematical Economics major provides a course of study that allows students to not only acquire some of these highly valued analytical skills, but also integrates that knowledge with a deeper understanding of the business world. This combination of mathematics and economics knowledge makes Mathematical Economics graduates both highly competitive on the job market and excellent candidates for graduate school.

The Mathematical Economics major satisfies the requirements for the B.S. degree in the School of Arts & Sciences. It requires students to take 12 core units followed by 4 elective courses. The core courses serve to build a strong basic foundation in both economics and mathematics. The elective courses then allow the student to tailor their major to their post-graduation goals. To provide further breadth to their education Math-Econ majors may also declare additional majors (including in the Business School) as long as these additional majors are not Economics or Mathematics.

Recent Math-Econ graduates have chosen electives sequences towards post-graduation paths that include jobs in finance, economics, actuarial sciences, consulting, and management, and graduate school in economics, statistics, strategy, and business. Advisors and coordinators in the major work closely with students to choose electives consistent with the students’ short and long-term goals. The program coordinators additionally work with other departments to help Math-Econ majors take non-major courses that complement their studies towards post-graduation goals in fields such as finance, consulting, and actuarial sciences.

  • Major

    The Mathematical Economics Major

    Note: A grade point average of C (2.00) is required in the major, with no course grade below a C- (1.70) in courses counting towards the major.

    16 units, including:

    In addition, students must take:

    • Two units of mathematics or data science and statistics electives at the 300 level.

    • Two units of economics electives, at least one of which must be at the 300 level.

    Notes:

    Students are expected to fulfill all prerequisites necessary for courses within the major. Prerequisites do not count toward the major unless otherwise noted.

    ECON 100-level courses, ECON249, ECON368, ECON406, ECON490, ECON491, and any credit received for internships do not count as electives. ECON269 and ECON369 on a case-by-case basis may be approved to count as an elective. Only MATH340 classes taken for 1 unit will count as electives towards the major.

    Mathematical economics majors may not select mathematics or economics as an additional major or minor.

    Starting with the Class of 2028: ECON242 may not be used as an Economics elective.

  • Honors

    Honors Program

    In order to be eligible, students must have met the following qualifications:

    • Completion of at least 18 units of coursework, not including courses in which the student is currently enrolled

    • Overall GPA of 3.3 or higher

    • Completion of at least four units within the major, excluding courses primarily for first-year students (MATH211, MATH212; ECON101, ECON102), with a cumulative GPA in all such courses of at least 3.3

    The student will select a willing faculty member to serve as lead advisor for the project. Together they find a second faculty member to serve as consultant. One faculty member should be from economics and one from mathematics.

    The student and lead advisor will plan the student's honors program. The student and advisor will plan four units of coursework in support of the honors topic. Two of these units will be MATH340 Directed Independent Study or ECON490 -ECON491 Honors Seminar/Research, depending on the department of the lead advisor. These courses are used to prepare the honors thesis. The remaining two units will be selected from the regular curriculum with an additional honors component; one unit will be from upper-level economics and one unit from upper-level mathematics. These courses will be chosen with an eye towards maximizing the student's ability to produce a quality honors thesis.

    A completed honors thesis will be read and approved by a committee of at least three readers, including the lead and consulting advisors, and will be presented to the faculty in both departments.