Economics degrees prepare students for various careers and require courses in micro and macroeconomics, statistics, and research. Prerequisites vary by degree level and may include a high school diploma, specific math courses, and aptitude exams. Programs also include general education courses and advanced topics in economics. Final requirements may include internships, projects, theses, or exams.
An economics degree prepares students for a wide variety of careers in government, non-profit organizations and businesses around the world, and focuses on how supply and demand affect people, businesses and countries. Economics degree requirements vary by degree level, but generally always require the student to complete courses in microeconomics, macroeconomics, statistical analysis, and economic research. Final program requirements may include an internship, project, thesis or exam, as well as a grade point average (GPA) requirement. A prerequisite degree or diploma is also a common requirement.
Students usually need to meet some economics degree prerequisite requirements before starting courses. Although some schools may make exceptions if someone is able to pass certain entrance exams, undergraduate and bachelor’s programs generally require a high school diploma or equivalent. Programs may require the student to have completed specific high school math courses and maintained an appropriate GPA. Master’s programs often require a bachelor’s degree that may or may not be in economics, and doctoral programs often require a master’s degree. Aptitude exams are also common requirements for many schools offering associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in economics.
Economics degree requirements at all levels of study often include courses in business and economics. Associate and bachelor’s programs additionally require general education courses in liberal arts and sciences, business, technology, and other subjects studied as electives. Specific subject areas of economics include macroeconomics, microeconomics, statistics, operations research, linear programming, and intermediate and advanced economic theory. Master’s and Ph.D. programs often focus on advanced economics topics and may require the student to have taken introductory economics courses prior to admission. Graduate programs often include courses dedicated to preparing the thesis or dissertation required to graduate.
To fulfill economics degree requirements for most programs, a student will complete a foundation course, comprehensive exam, thesis, dissertation, or internship. While associate degree programs don’t include any of these, bachelor’s degree programs in economics usually require a foundation course that focuses on a project or an internship at a local company. Masters in economics focus primarily on a comprehensive thesis that the student prepares for throughout the program, but some programs also require a comprehensive exam. A doctorate can require comprehensive exams, intense research, and an extensive dissertation that must be approved by the student dissertation committee. After successfully completing all courses with an appropriate GPA and completing all final program requirements, the student will earn their economics degree.
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