Major

Economics Major

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Department/Program
Economics

Total credit requirements for an Economics major: A student who enters Whitman with no prior college-level work in Economics or Mathematics would need to complete Mathematics 124 or 125 (4 credits) and complete at least 35 credits in Economics.

  • Required Courses
    • Economics 100 or 101; and 102
    • Economics 227 (or Mathematics 128 or 247)
    • Economics 307, 308, and 327
      • Mathematics 124 or 125, or the equivalent AP or transfer credits, is a prerequisite for Economics 307 and 308.
      • A minimum grade of C is required in Economics 307 and 308.
  • Additional Courses
    • A minimum of 12 credits must be earned in Economics courses numbered between 310 and 490. Four of these credits must be from Economics 327.
  • Senior Requirements
    • Senior assessment
      • Major Field Test (MFT; offered only in the spring semester)
      • Oral examination
  • Honors
    • Students submit an “Honors in Major Study” application to their department.
    • Students must submit a proposal for their thesis or project within the first six weeks of the two-semester period in which they are eligible.
    • Accumulated at least 87 credits
    • Completed two semesters of residency at Whitman
    • Major GPA of at least 3.500
    • Complete a written thesis or research project prepared exclusively for the satisfaction of this program.
    • Earn a grade of at least A- on the honors thesis or project.
    • Pass the senior assessment with distinction.
    • The department will submit the honors applications to the Registrar’s Office of students pursuing honors by the specified deadline.
    • The department will submit the “Senior Assessment/Major Study Certificate” to the Registrar’s Office no later than Reading Day.
    • An acceptable digital copy of the honors thesis must be submitted to Penrose Library no later than Reading Day.
    • For more details, visit www.whitman.edu/academics/departments-and-programs/economics/economics-major-programs/department-honors.
  • Notes
    • No more than 8 credits earned in domestic or foreign study programs, transfer credits, and/or AP or IB credits may be used to satisfy the course and credit requirements for the major.
    • Students with a score of 5 on the Principles of Microeconomics AP test will receive four credits for Economics 101.
    • Students with a score of 5 on the Principles of Macroeconomics AP test will receive four credits for Economics 102.
    • Students with a score of 6 or higher on the higher level IB Economics test will receive a total of eight credits for Economics 101 and 102.
    • Students contemplating a major or minor in Economics are encouraged to take at least a year of calculus, Economics 227 (or Mathematics 128 or 247), and Economics 307 and 308 prior to their junior year.
    • Students are encouraged to enroll in Mathematics 124 or 125 as soon as possible, as it is a prerequisite for Economics 307 and 308.
    • Economics 307 and 308 are prerequisites for many other courses.
    • Students planning to pursue honors in Economics are strongly encouraged to complete Economics 327 prior to their senior year.
    • Courses taken P-D-F (including Economics 493 and 494) and Economics 498 may not be used to meet the credit requirement.
Total Credits
35