Major Requirements

The Economics major is a limited access program. Admission to the major requires completion of at least 52 credit hours of college courses with a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or better, including ECO 2013, Principles of Macroeconomics, with a grade of C or better (C- is not acceptable) and ECO 2023, Principles of Microeconomics, with a grade of C or better (C- is not acceptable). The major in Economics requires 39 hours of course work, including 6 hours of supporting coursework in other departments, plus completion of a minor in a field related to economics or a second major.

Principles of Macroeconomics ECO2013 and Principles of Microeconomics ECO2023 must be completed with a “C” grade or better. Students earning less than the necessary grade in any of these courses will be required to retake those courses until the standard is met. Note: retaking a course may delay graduation and incur increased fee liability (i.e., repeat course surcharge and excess credit surcharge).

A student who has been admitted to the economics major at FSU and received more than two (2)  unsatisfactory grades (U, F, D minus, D, or D+) in 3000-level or 4000-level ECO, ECP, or ECS courses will not be permitted to graduate with a degree in that major.

Students must earn a C- or better in all economics courses and supporting courses used to satisfy major requirements (C or better in ECO 2013 and ECO 2023) and maintain an overall GPA of 2.00 in economics and supporting courses.

The Economics major requires completion of the following courses:

Principles

To be completed before declaring major. A total of 6 credit hours.

• ECO 2013 Principles of Macroeconomics (Grade of C or better)
• ECO 2023 Principles of Microeconomics (Grade of C or better)

Core Courses

For a total of 12 credit hours, at least one (1) per term until all are completed.

• ECO 3101 Intermediate Microeconomic Theory
• ECO 3203 Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory
• ECO 3431 Analysis of Economic Data
• ECO 4421 Introduction to Econometrics [Statistics and ECO3431 are prerequisites]

Prior to Fall 2014, ECO 3101, ECO 3203, and ECO 3431 were numbered ECO 4101, ECO 4203, and ECO 4431, respectively.

Supporting Courses

For a total of 6 credit hours.

• One of the following mathematics courses:
  • MAC 2233 Calculus for Business, or
  • MAC 2311 Calculus with Analytic Geometry I
• Any one of the following statistics courses:
  • STA 2122 Introduction to Applied Statistics (recommended), or
  • STA 4321 Introduction to Mathematical Statistics (recommended), or
  • STA 2023 Fundamental Business Statistics.

A calculus course (either MAC 2233 or 2311) is a required for students entering the economics major as of Fall 2023. Students who entered the major prior to Fall 2023 can choose among several math courses (MAC 1105, MAC 1140, MAC 1147, MAC 2233, or MAC 2311).

Economics Elective Courses

Completion of an additional 15 hours of upper division economics elective courses with prefixes ECO, ECP, or ECS.

The Department of Economics has grouped electives into subject areas to help students organize their studies. These subject areas are only suggestions; students may combine electives in any manner. These subject areas are:

Students may substitute a completed specialized studies program in Applied Economics or Advanced Economic Analysis in place of the 15 hours of Economics electives.

Minor or Second Major

Students majoring in Economics must also complete a minor. Minors typically require 12-18 hours of credit. The requirements for a minor are determined by the department in which the minor is taken. Requirements for all minors available at FSU are posted to the Academic Program Guide.

Computer Competency

Students majoring in Economics must satisfy the University’s computer competency requirement by completing ECO 4421 with a grade of C- or better. To earn a grade of C- or better in the course, students must earn a C- or better on the required computer competency component regardless of their grades on other components of the course.

Pre-Fall 2014 Requirements

Currently active students (enrolled at FSU in the Spring 2014 or Summer 2014 semesters) in catalog years prior to Fall 2014 may continue to follow the major requirements listed in their edition of the Undergraduate Bulletin. Students should consult a department advisor with questions about catalog years or prior requirements. If more than six years has elapsed between the last active term of enrollment at FSU and the term of readmission, students readmitted in Fall 2014 or later will be subject to the economics major requirements in effect at the time of readmission.