Undergraduate Program

Economics at WashU

The economics department is home to about 145 graduating students per academic year, with about 75% of those graduating with a major in Economics, Economics+Computer Science, or Mathematics+Economics. The remainder choose between two minors: the Minor in General Economics and the Minor in Applied Microeconomics.

Economics students can enroll in an engaging set of electives, ranging from economic history to advanced econometrics. Each semester, majors and minors can choose from electives at the general level - having only the introductory economics classes as prerequisites - to those at the advanced level representing interesting applications of microeconomic and macroeconomic theory. Many of our majors pursue second majors or minors, such as in math, finance, political science and computer science, to name but a few. It is possible to complete an Economics major in conjunction with the pre-medicine curriculum.

Director of Undergraduate Studies: Ana Babus
Academic Coordinator: Dorothy Petersen

Welcome to the Department of Economics!

Degree Programs

Economics Major & Minors

Undergraduates in the Department of Economics can choose to major in economics or choose between two minors: the Minor in General Economics and the Minor in Applied Microeconomics. The Economics major has STEM classification with CIP code 45.0603.

major and minor requirements

Major in Economics & Computer Science

The College of Arts & Sciences and McKelvey School of Engineering offer a major that allows students interested in both economics and computer science to combine these two complementary disciplines efficiently, without having to pursue them as two separate majors. This major has STEM classification with CIP code 45.0603.

details and major requirements

Major in Mathematics & Economics

The dual major in Mathematics & Economics allows students interested in both disciplines to efficiently combine them without pursuing them as two separate majors. This major has STEM classification with CIP code 45.0603.

Details and major requirements

Financial Economics Specialization

In this program of study, students complete a specialized set of electives in the area of Financial Economics, where the department has considerable course breadth and faculty expertise.

Requirements

5-year Accelerated MA

Washington University allows qualified undergraduates to complete a Master of Arts (MA) degree in a one-year accelerated program after completing the BA degree.

accelerated MA details and requirements

Clubs & Opportunities

Undergraduate Economics Association

The Washington University Undergraduate Economics Association aims to serve as an academic and social forum for students interested in the field of Economics, as well as a liaison between the economics department and the undergraduate student body.

Undergraduate Economics Association

Find a Tutor

If you are looking for a tutor, follow the link below.

find a tutor

Internships and Post-Grad

A summer internship can be a good addition to your resume and a chance to see whether you might like working in a certain field. Learn about internships and post-graduate opportunities via the link below.

Internships and Post-Graduate Opportunities

Study Abroad

The Department of Economics views study abroad as highly desirable and strongly encourages economics majors (and minors) to consider it.

Study Abroad Requirements

Honors and Prizes

The department recognizes undergraduate excellence with multiple awards and prizes. Learn what it takes to earn a prize or graduate with honors. These distinctions are linked below.

honors and prizes

Undergraduate Research

There are a number of ways in which undergraduates can engage in research. Especially well-prepared undergraduates can directly assist faculty or graduate students with their research. There are off-campus summer opportunities, as well as on-campus opportunities in other WashU departments. Students can also craft their own independent research project, including writing a senior thesis.

Learn More About Undergraduate Research

Why study economics?

Many, if not most, of the nation's and the world's most significant social problems have an economic dimension. Microeconomics provides the tools to analyze the trade-offs that individuals, firms, and governments confront because of limited resources. It considers the choices that are made, the social context in which they take place, and the implications for human welfare. Economists apply these tools to study a wide range of controversial public policy questions, including environmental regulation, government restrictions on domestic and international markets, the structure of the legal system, and the design of tax policy. Macroeconomics explores the sources of economic growth and the causes of recessions and inflation. Macroeconomic analysis assesses monetary policy, explains the performance of financial markets, and considers international trade and financial links.

The study of economics is an excellent way to acquire problem-solving skills and develop a logical, ordered way of looking at problems. It leads naturally to careers in business, law, and in economics research and consulting.

Economics is a standard pre-business major because it provides insight into the operation of individual markets for goods and services, financial markets, and the global economic system, and because it provides the quantitative and analytical skills that enable students to succeed in a wide variety of business activities. Many law schools view economics as one of the best undergraduate majors because of its disciplined approach to the analysis of social issues. Some of our economics courses also relate specifically to legal issues. Careers in economics research or consulting require graduate work leading to either an MA or (more usually) a Ph.D.

The American Economic Association (AEA) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, scholarly association with more than 17,000 members from academia, government, and business who are committed to the advancement of economics and its enduring contributions to society. Refer to the AEA website for the following video and a wealth of other student resources.