Economics B.A.

Required credits within the major: 40-42

Required credits to graduate with this degree: 120

In a world shaped by rapid technological, social, and global economic change, understanding how people, markets, and institutions interact has never been more essential. This General Economics B.A. sub-plan explores how societies allocate resources, make decisions, and build systems that promote well-being. In this versatile degree program, you will learn the foundational principles of economics and how they help explain real-world issues such as environmental challenges, international trade, labor markets, globalization, monetary policy and public policy. You will examine how economic choices influence social structures, political systems, and everyday life, and how thoughtful economic reasoning contributes to sustainable and equitable futures.

This pathway emphasizes applied economic reasoning—examining policies, market behavior, and social outcomes through careful interpretation of evidence, case studies, and economic principles. Students learn to analyze real-world issues using economic logic and policy evaluation rather than intensive mathematical modeling. Students explore microeconomic foundations of how individuals and firms make decisions, alongside the macroeconomic forces that influence growth, unemployment, inflation, and exchange rates. Coursework also highlights the role of government in shaping markets, including issues related to natural resources, labor / leisure choices, human capital development, and energy markets. 

This degree prepares students for a wide range of careers in business, government, nonprofit organizations, policy research, and community development, as well as for graduate study in fields such as public policy, law, and applied social sciences.[

Required credits within the major: 44-46

Required credits to graduate with this degree: 120

In a world increasingly driven by data and evidence-based decision-making, the ability to analyze complex economic behavior with precision has become a powerful and highly marketable skill. The Quantitative Economics B.A. sub-plan is designed for students who want to deepen their analytical toolkit and apply rigorous empirical methods to understand how economies function, how policies affect outcomes, and how organizations make strategic choices.

This subplan integrates structured quantitative training in econometrics, statistics and mathematics with core economics coursework, preparing students to engage directly with real-world data and research. Students learn to model economic relationships, estimate and test hypotheses, interpret statistical patterns, and evaluate the effectiveness of public and private sector decisions. Applied projects, research experiences, and advanced analytical coursework provides students hands-on experience using modern empirical tools and techniques to examine industry, governmental and global economic issues.

This pathway is particularly well suited for students interested in data analysis roles in economics, finance, social sciences, business or government, as well as those interested in pursuing graduate studies in economics, public policy, finance, sustainability and related social sciences. With its strong emphasis on analytical reasoning, empirical problem-solving, and technical proficiency the Quantitative Economics subplan equips graduates with the skills needed for careers that require clear economic insight, critical thinking, quantitative evidence and the ability to extract meaningful insights from data.

Required credits to graduate with this degree: 120

Required credits within the major: 44-49

This Economics sub-plan is designed for students pursuing the 4+1 Integrated B.A.–M.S. pathway with the Applied Economics (APEC) program on the Twin Cities campus. Students complete the Bachelor of Arts in Economics at UMD and then continue directly into the Master of Science in Applied Economics at UMTC. During their final year of the B.A. program, students take 9–16 credits of APEC coursework that count toward both degrees. The structure of this program allows qualified students to complete the M.S. degree within 12 months of finishing their undergraduate coursework.

The sub-plan provides the economic theory and quantitative foundations required for advanced graduate study, with emphasis on core concepts in microeconomics, macroeconomics, statistics, mathematics, and econometrics. Students develop strong analytical and empirical skills, learning to model economic behavior and apply economic reasoning to real-world issues in markets, public policy, and resource allocation.

Coursework is intentionally aligned with the admission expectations and academic demands of the APEC M.S. program, ensuring a smooth transition into graduate-level training and enabling students to complete the master’s degree in one additional year.