The Major and Minor
The Major
The economics major consists of 10 semester courses in economics and one semester of college-level calculus.
Starting with the class of 2012, the required courses for the economics major are:
- Introduction to Economics (Econ 105)
- Intermediate Microeconomics (Econ 200 or Econ H300)
- Intermediate Macroeconomics (Econ 202 or Econ H302)
- Statistical Methods for Economists (Econ 203 or 204)
- A research seminar in economics (Econ 390-399) that fulfills the thesis requirement. Each seminar focuses on a specific field in economics and requires that a student has completed prior coursework in that field. See the course catalog for a list of research seminars and their prerequisites.
- At least two additional 300-level electives for which Econ 200 or 202 is a prerequisite
- A minimum of one semester of college-level calculus (or its equivalent)
Majors are advised to complete the econ statistics and intermediate theory requirements (Econ 200, 202, and 203) during sophomore year. They must be completed by the end of junior year or before any study away. These three courses should be taken at Bryn Mawr or Haverford. The department does not grant major or minor credit for Swarthmore’s intermediate microeconomics course, Econ SW011, because it is not calculus-based.
Majors in the Classes of 2010 and 2011 may complete the economics major with a minimum of one 300-level elective course (in addition to a research seminar).
The Minor
Starting with the class of 2011, the economics minor consists of Econ 105 and 203; either Econ 200 or 202; and three electives one of which must have Econ 200 or 202 as a prerequisite.
Students in the class of 2010 may meet the minor requirements by taking six semester courses in economics that consist of Econ 105, Econ 203, and a coherent selection of four or more courses approved by the department chair.
A minor plan must be approved before the start of the senior year.
More Important Information for Majors and Minors
- Students who earn a grade below 2.7 in Econ 105, H101, or H102 are advised not to major in economics.
- If a student has taken Econ 105, she cannot take another introductory course at Haverford or elsewhere for credit (e.g., Econ H100, H101, H102). If a student starts the two-semester introductory sequence at Haverford (Econ H100, H101, or H102), she must complete the sequence in order to meet the introductory requirement at Bryn Mawr; she cannot take Econ 105 after completing Econ H100, H101, or H102 or similar courses at other institutions.
- No more than two of the following courses can be counted toward an economics major or minor at Bryn Mawr: Econ 105, H100, H101, H102, B136, B140, H205, H224, H247 and any other course that does not have Econ 105 (or H101 or H102) as a prerequisite.
- Completing Econ 203 at Bryn Mawr or Haverford or Econ 204 at Haverford will fulfill the statistical methods requirement for Bryn Mawr economics majors and minors. Only one of these courses can be included in the list of courses defining an economics major or minor. More advice is available here: StatisticsGuide
- At least one semester of calculus (Math 101 or equivalent) is a prerequisite for Econ 200, 202, and 304 at Bryn Mawr. Two semesters of calculus are a prerequisite for Econ 300 and 302 at Haverford.
Honors
An economics major with a GPA in economics, including courses taken in the second semester of the senior year, of 3.7 or higher will graduate with Honors in Economics.
Business Courses
Economics at Bryn Mawr is a liberal arts major at a liberal arts college. The Registrar will not grant credit toward the 32 courses required for graduation for business and other non-liberal arts courses taken at the University of Pennsylvania or other universities unless those courses fulfill a major requirement here. The Department will grant major credit (at the 100 level) only for one business course that is the equivalent of Econ H247 (Financial Accounting) at Haverford.