BS in Mathematics and Economics
Admission to the Program
This program is recommended for students interested in social science applications of mathematical concepts and for those interested in preparing for admissions to PhD programs in economics. Formal admission to the major requires a grade point average of 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale) in the Gateway Requirements (listed below) and the approval of the program coordinator. Program faculty counsels all students.
University Requirements
- A total of 120 credit hours
- 6 credit hours of college writing
- 3 credit hours of college mathematics or the equivalent by examination
General Education Requirements
- A total of ten courses, consisting of one foundation course and one second-level course in an approved sequence from each of the five curricular areas
- No more than 6 credit hours may be taken in the same discipline
Major Requirements
- 66 credit hours (including Gateway Courses) with a grade point average of 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale)
Gateway Requirements
- ECON-100 Macroeconomics 4:1 (3)
- ECON-200 Microeconomics 4:2 (3)
- MATH-221 Calculus I (4)
- STAT-202 Basic Statistics (4)
- CSC-280 Introduction to Computer Science (4)
Core Requirements
- ECON-300 Intermediate Microeconomics (3) or ECON-500 Microeconomic Theory (3)
- ECON-301 Intermediate Macroeconomics (3) or ECON-501 Macroeconomic Theory (3)
- ECON-322 Introduction to Econometrics (4)
- ECON-480 Senior Research Seminar (3) or ECON-524 Econometrics II (3)
- ECON-505 Introduction to Mathematical Economics (3)
- MATH-222 Calculus II (4)
- MATH-310 Linear Algebra (3)
- MATH-313 Calculus III (4)
- MATH-501 Probability (3)
- MATH-503 Foundations of Mathematics (3)
- STAT-502 Introduction to Mathematical Statistics (3)
- Two of the following:
- ECON-345/MATH-345 Introduction to Game Theory (3)
- MATH-321 Differential Equations (3)
- MATH-504 Advanced Calculus of Several Variables (3)
- MATH-520 Introduction to Analysis (3)
- STAT-525 Statistical Software (3)
- STAT-584 Introduction to Stochastic Processes (3)
- 6 credit hours of additional Economics courses (ECON-xxx) at the 300 level or above, excluding ECON-370 International Economics.
- No more than 6 of these credit hours may be fulfilled by Washington Economic Policy Semester courses or economics courses from study abroad programs. No more than 3 credit hours of independent reading and study courses, internships, and co-ops may be used to satisfy this requirement.
University Honors Program
To graduate with University Honors, students must be admitted to the University Honors Program, maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50, and receive grades of B or better in all University Honors course work. There are three levels of University Honors course requirements: Level I (100-200-level); Level II (300-level and above); and Level III (Honors Capstone Project). The department Honors coordinator advises students in the University Honors Program regarding requirements for graduating with University Honors in the major. For more information, go to the University Honors Program.
Combined BS in Mathematics and Economics and MA in Economics
American University offers students the opportunity to earn both undergraduate and graduate degrees through its accelerated bachelor's/master's programs. Undergraduate students may complete up to 3 credits for every 9 credits required for the graduate degree that may be applied to the requirements for both degree programs. The department that oversees the graduate program the student enters will determine if the courses the undergraduate student completes will satisfy master's degree requirements. Bachelor's/master's students must complete at least 18 in-residence credit hours at the graduate level after the bachelor's degree is earned and maintain continuous, sequential enrollment in the two programs.
This program enables qualified students to earn, in a continuous plan of study, both the BS in Mathematics and Economics and the MA in Economics.
Requirements
- Interested students should apply to the program in their junior year. Students in this program will not be required to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Students will be admitted formally to MA status only after they have completed all requirements for the BS in Mathematical Economics with a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or higher.
- All requirements for the BA or BS in Economics. Undergraduate students may apply up to 9 credit hours of approved graduate-level course work in economics to satisfy the requirements of both degrees.
- All requirements for the MA in Economics, including a minimum of 18 credit hours completed in residence in graduate status after the undergraduate degree has been awarded. Students must finish the master's degree requirements within three years from the date of first enrollment in the master's program.
