BALAS in Economics

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The Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences (BALAS) in Economics combines a strong foundation in economics, statistics, and calculus with the flexibility to customize your academic experience. Students complement their major with supporting coursework aligned with their interests, career aspirations, and academic goals.

Explore a wide range of economics topics or develop expertise in areas such as behavioral economics, finance, public policy, political economy, international economics, and more, creating a path that reflects your unique interests and ambitions.

Learning Outcomes

Analytical & Problem-Solving Skills

Economics students will effectively visualize, conceptualize, articulate, and solve complex problems or address problems that do not have a clear answer, with available information, through experimentation and observation, using microeconomic and macroeconomic theory, as well as calculus and statistical tools.

Critical Thinking

Economics students will apply economic analysis to everyday problems helping them to understand events, evaluate specific policy proposals, compare arguments with different conclusions to a specific issue or problem, and assess the role played by assumptions in arguments that reach different conclusions to a specific economic or policy problem.

Quantitative Reasoning

Economics students will understand how to apply empirical evidence to economic arguments. Specifically, they may obtain and/or collect relevant data, develop empirical evidence using appropriate statistical techniques, and interpret the results of such analyses.

Specialized Knowledge & Practical Application

Economics students will develop deeper analytical, critical, and quantitative skills in specialized areas by applying economic concepts to real world situations.

Interdisciplinary Knowledge, Diverse Issues, & Global Awareness

Economics students will broaden their global and disciplinary knowledge, enhancing their understanding of the world around them both within economics and beyond.
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Wondering what coursework looks like over four years?

Explore a sample academic plan for the BALAS in Economics.

BALAS in Economics Requirements

To obtain a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences (BALAS) degree in economics, students must complete 55-56 hours of required major and supporting coursework and the campus General Education Requirements.

Economics Core (30 hours)

  • ECON 102: Microeconomic Principles (3 hours)
  • ECON 103: Macroeconomic Principles (3 hours)
  • ECON 198: Economics at Illinois (1 hour)
  • ECON 202: Economic Statistics I (3 hours)
  • ECON 203: Economic Statistics II (3 hours)
  • ECON 302: Inter Microeconomic Theory (3 hours)
  • ECON 303: Inter Macroeconomic Theory (3 hours)
  • Four advanced ECON 300- or 400- level courses (12 hours)

Mathematics Core (7-8 hours)

  • MATH 220: Calculus or MATH 221: Calculus I (4-5 hours)
  • MATH 231: Calculus II (3 hours)

*Students must complete 18 hours of supporting coursework outside economics but related to the student's major interest in economics. Courses must be approved by an economics academic advisor during an advising appointment. Note: ECON 398: Senior Research and ECON 399:  Advanced Undergraduate Open Seminar do not count towards advanced economics coursework.
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Supporting Coursework

Make your degree your own. Supporting coursework allows you to explore a complementary field, develop specialized expertise, and tailor your economics degree to your future goals.

18 hours of courses outside economics but related to the student’s major interest in economics. These courses must be approved by an economics academic advisor during an advising appointment.

Many students fulfill this requirement through a minor, double major, or dual degree. However, some programs may not satisfy all supporting coursework requirements because of overlap with economics degree requirements. If you are pursuing a minor in areas such as actuarial science & risk management (ASRM), informatics (INFO), or Statistics (STAT), consult with an advisor to confirm that your coursework meets all requirements.

Supporting Coursework Requirements

Requirements

Your supporting coursework must:

  • Include at least 18 credit hours
  • Include at least 12 credit hours at the 200-level or above
  • Be completed for a letter grade
  • Form a coherent area of study that aligns with your academic and professional interests

Transfer Credit

Transfer courses may be used toward the requirement, including courses that appear as CR or TR on your transcript, provided they are articulated at the 100-, 200-, 300-, or 400-level.

Courses That Do Not Count

The following may not be used toward supporting coursework:

  • Required ECON courses, including cross-listed ECON courses
  • Courses used to satisfy economics major requirements, such as: MATH 220, MATH 221, MATH 231
  • Required STAT courses
  • Composition I
  • Seminars
  • Independent study courses

Language Courses

Language courses may be applied only at the fifth level or above.

Advanced hours

The College of LAS requires students to complete at least 21 hours at the 300/400-level on this campus. For economics majors, 12 of those hours must be economics courses. Please note, ECON 199, ECON 398, and ECON 399 do not count towards advanced economics hours.

Declaring/Transferring

The requirements below must be completed and correctly reflected in your Degree Audit before you can transfer into the BALAS Economics major.

Please note, these requirements apply only to current U of I students seeking to declare the BALAS Economics major. If you have questions about degree requirements, we encourage you to meet with an economics advisor.

Make an Advising Appointment

Economics Major Declaration Requirements

 

CourseRequirement

ECON 102: Microeconomic Principles

ECON 103: Macroeconomic Principles

ECON 202: Economic Statistics I

  • Grade of C or better in each course
  • At least one ECON course must be taken at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
    • If not one of these, take one economics course at U of I beyond this sequence
  • AP/IB/Proficiency Credit accepted
  • Approved substitutions may be used for Econ 202
  • Transfer courses may be used

MATH 220: Calculus I

MATH 221: Calculus II

  • Grade of C or better
  • AP/IB/Proficiency Credit accepted**
  • Transfer courses may be used

 

**No other substitutions accepted; C Grade Required

Students must meet the above requirements in order to declare the major. No exceptions or additional substitutions will be made, and there is no petition if below the requirements.

Intercollegiate Transfer (ICT)

For information about changing your major or completing an Intercollegiate Transfer (ICT) into the College of LAS as an economics student, visit the LAS Declaring website.
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Departmental Distinction

Students who meet certain requirements may graduate with Department of Economics Distinction. Every semester we have a small number of students who graduate with this honor, and these students are noted in our May ceremony program and invited to our undergraduate awards and recognition banquet in the spring.

Learn more about the Economics Honors Program

Helpful Links
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Advising
Meet with an academic advisor to learn more about the major and complete a requirement worksheet
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Degree Audit
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Course Catalogue
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