Economics Major Requirements
(Also see Requirements for a Bachelor's Degree.)
The introductory courses AS.180.101 Elements of Macroeconomics and AS.180.102 Elements of Microeconomics are open to all students. Each 200-level course has at least one of AS.180.101 and AS.180.102) as a prerequisite. Some have both.
AS.180.301 Microeconomic Theory and AS.180.302 Macroeconomic Theory courses have AS.180.101 Elements of Macroeconomics and AS.180.102 Elements of Microeconomics as well as Calculus I (AS.110.106 or equivalent) as prerequisites. (AS.180.301 Microeconomic Theory can be taken concurrently with AS.180.101 Elements of Macroeconomics but only if the student has completed AS.180.102 Elements of Microeconomics. AS.180.302 Macroeconomic Theory can be taken concurrently with AS.180.102 Elements of Microeconomics but only if the student has completed AS.180.101 Elements of Macroeconomics). All 300-level courses above 301 and 302 have Microeconomic and/or Macroeconomic Theory (AS.180.301, AS.180.302) as prerequisites (or, with permission of the instructor, corequisites), as well as Elements of Economics and Calculus. Some 300-level courses have additional prerequisites; see individual course listings. Independent study is available, subject to the consent of the department and of the faculty member with whom the student wants to work.
Subject to the consent of the instructor and the DUS, graduate courses at the 600-level are open to qualified undergraduates in the spring of their junior year or later.
Effective for students entering JHU in Fall 2023 and beyond, students must earn a grade of C or better in both AS.180.101 Elements of Macroeconomics and AS.180.102 Elements of Microeconomics to be an economics major. For all other courses in the economics major, a minimum grade of C- or better is required and courses may not be taken satisfactory/unsatisfactory. Courses directly equivalent to JHU courses from study abroad or taken at other universities may count towards requirements; however non-direct equivalent courses must be approved by the department’s director of undergraduate studies. In all cases, at least 5 of the 10 required economics courses of the major must be taken at JHU. Internships, independent studies, and intersession courses do not apply towards major requirements.
Writing and Communication in the Major
Students must complete at least 6 credits of Writing and Communication foundational ability coursework in one major. For this major, students would be able to fulfill this requirement by selecting 6 credits of elective courses in the major that are designated as Writing and Communications courses.
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Economics Core | ||
| AS.180.101 | Elements of Macroeconomics 1 | 3 |
| AS.180.102 | Elements of Microeconomics 1 | 3 |
| AS.180.301 | Microeconomic Theory | 4 |
| AS.180.302 | Macroeconomic Theory | 4 |
| AS.180.334 | Econometrics | 3 |
| Economics Electives (AS.180.2xx-3xx) | ||
| Three 200- or 300-level economics courses 2 | 9 | |
| Two 300-level economics courses | 6 | |
| Mathematics | ||
| AS.110.106 | Calculus I (Biology and Social Sciences) 3 | 4 |
| or AS.110.108 | Calculus I (Physical Sciences & Engineering) | |
| Statistics | ||
| EN.553.111 | Statistical Analysis I | 4 |
| or EN.553.112 | Statistical Analysis II | |
| or EN.553.211 | Probability and Statistics for the Life Sciences | |
| or EN.553.310 | Probability & Statistics for the Physical Sciences & Engineering | |
| or EN.553.311 | Intermediate Probability and Statistics | |
| or EN.553.420 | Probability | |
| or EN.553.421 | Honors Probability | |
| or EN.553.430 | Mathematical Statistics | |
| or AS.280.345 | Public Health Biostatistics | |
| Total Credits | 40 | |
- 1
Students who use exam credits to satisfy the AS.180.101 Elements of Macroeconomics and/or AS.180.102 Elements of Microeconomics requirements must take additional courses in the department (AS.180.2xx-3xx) to reach a total of 10 courses in the department.
- 2
Please note: Effective Fall 2024, the three courses, AS.197.327 People, Power, and Pay: The Economics of the Workplace, AS.192.225 Economic Growth and Development in East Asia, and AS.192.404 Autocracy, Democracy and Development: Korea, Indonesia and Myanmar will apply here for students who complete the courses in the Fall 2024 or later semester. These courses will count as 200-level electives for the Economics major or Economics minor. AS.180.203 Faculty Research in Economics, a S/U one-credit course, does not count as one of these three 200-level electives.
- 3
Or other equivalent courses approved by the DUS.
Additional Notes for Students
- EN.553.111 Statistical Analysis I or equivalent (any of the Statistics courses listed above) is a prerequisite for Econometrics.
- Except for AS.180.301 Microeconomic Theory, AS.180.302 Macroeconomic Theory, AS.180.334 Econometrics, AS.180.521 Research in Economics: Honors Thesis, and AS.180.522 Senior Honors Thesis the department does not necessarily offer all 200- to 500-level courses every year. Students should plan their programs accordingly, in consultation with faculty.
- The Senior Honors Thesis sequence (AS.180.521 Research in Economics: Honors Thesis and AS.180.522 Senior Honors Thesis) cannot be used to satisfy any of the requirements for the major. Students interested in pursuing the senior honors thesis should discuss this with their academic advisor no later than the end of spring semester junior year.
Sample Program of Study
A typical program might include the following sequence of courses:
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Credits | Second Semester | Credits |
| AS.180.101 | 3 | AS.180.102 | 3 |
| AS.110.106 | 4 | EN.553.111 | 4 |
| 7 | 7 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| First Semester | Credits | Second Semester | Credits |
| AS.180.301 | 4 | AS.180.302 | 4 |
| 200 level elective | 3 | 200 or 300 level elective | 3 |
| 7 | 7 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| First Semester | Credits | Second Semester | Credits |
| AS.180.334 | 3 | 300 level elective | 3 |
| 200 or 300 level elective | 3 | ||
| 6 | 3 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| First Semester | Credits | Second Semester | Credits |
| 300 level elective | 3 | 200 or 300 level elective (optional) | |
| 3 | 0 | ||
| Total Credits 40 | |||
- The total credit count for the major includes AS.110.106 Calculus I (Biology and Social Sciences) and EN.553.111 Statistical Analysis I. Students trying to take these courses after freshman or sophomore year are likely to run into serious schedule conflicts in the junior and senior years because of the need to fulfill the prerequisites for advanced courses. Consult with faculty at an early stage.
Honors in Economics
Departmental honors are awarded to those students who satisfy the following requirements:
- All economics courses applied to the major have been taken in the department.
- AS.180.521 Research in Economics: Honors Thesis and AS.180.522 Senior Honors Thesis. The thesis may not be counted as one of the five economics electives.
- A grade point average of at least 3.5 for all economics courses.
- A grade point average of at least 3.5 for AS.180.301 Microeconomic Theory, AS.180.302 Macroeconomic Theory, AS.180.521 Research in Economics: Honors Thesis and AS.180.522 Senior Honors Thesis.