Majors & Minors

“The Department of Economics at the University of Minnesota holds a special place in the economics world, of which our undergraduate majors play an important role. A unifying theme throughout the department is that careful theoretical and empirical reasoning underlies all research and teaching. Or put more simply: any economic question worth examining is worth examining well.”
—Professor Christopher Phelan

There are four major pathways and two minors in the Department of Economics:

  1. BA in economics

  2. BA in economics, business economics emphasis

  3. BA in economics, quantitative emphasis

  4. BS in economics

  5. Minor in Economics

  6. Minor in Econometrics

What is the Economics Major?

The Economics major(s) expose students to economics principles and theories, and to economics fields and practices at the cutting edge of research. It is a quantitative social science major that models economics phenomena carefully and rigorously by relying heavily on quantitative tools. Students learn to analyze data to understand economic issues, communicate economic concepts and ideas, and think critically to solve economic problems. The department is composed of enthusiastic and motivated students, faculty, and staff from all over the world, united by our fascination with economics. 

The primary difference between the four major pathways is the amount of Math and Statistics courses and the types of electives students are required to complete. Students are encouraged to discuss the options with Economics Advising and consider academic strengths and professional interests in choosing a major pathway. 

The Department also offers two minors; the Economics minor and the Econometrics minor. The Economics minor is geared towards students with general interest in Economics theory. The Econometrics minor is geared towards students with a quantitative and research focus.

Declaring an Economics Major or Minor

Students can declare at any point, however, we recommend declaring early in order to access departmental resources such as scholarships, networking and research opportunities, and academic support. 

There are three foundational courses required in order to progress into upper-level Economics requirements.

Foundational Courses

  • MATH 1142 - Short Calculus or MATH 1271 - Calculus I
  • ECON 1101 - Principles of Microeconomics
  • ECON 1102 - Principles of Macroeconomics

**BA-Q, BS, or Econometrics minor students: need to take MATH 1271. Short Calculus will not count towards these majors or minor.

The declaration process is all done online through Canvas. Click on the major or minor plan below and it will direct you to the Canvas module. If you have any questions in the meantime, email [email protected].

Coming soon: you will be able to click on the major or minor plan below and it will direct you to the Canvas module. If you have any questions in the meantime, email [email protected].

Once you are in the module, read through the pages, complete the quizzes, and fill out the declaration form at the end. Economics Advising will then submit the major or minor to be added to your APAS report.