BA.ECON - Economics (Major, Minor)

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.

• 35 Credits

• 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.