Program Description

Economics is the study of how society allocates scarce resources (land, labor, capital) in an attempt to satisfy unlimited wants. It is broadly divided into two branches: Macroeconomics and Microeconomics. Macroeconomics is concerned with the workings of the economy as a whole. It is the study of broad measures of economic performance: Gross Domestic Product (GDP), unemployment, and inflation. Given these measures, it considers the role of the government in guiding the macroeconomy. Microeconomics focuses on the role of individual decision-makers—consumers and firms—and analyzes the efficiencies and failures of a market system. The potential role of government to wholly or partially correct market failures is then considered. The two branches approach the fundamental questions of resource allocation from opposite sides: one from the perspective of the economy as a whole (macroeconomics) and one from the perspective of the individual agents in the economy (microeconomics).

Learn more about the program on the Economics website.

Associate Degree for Transfer

This program also offers an Associate Degree for Transfer. Learn more and review the degree requirements on the Economics AA-T listing.

Program Learning Outcomes

• Have a working understanding of the role of prices in a market economy, trade, economic growth, competition, market failures, and the economic role of government.
• Employ economic reasoning and logic to explain the world and make better decisions.

Career Opportunities

A major in economics is excellent undergraduate preparation for students who wish to enter the legal profession, politics, government service, or teaching. Graduate degrees are necessary for those who wish to teach at the college or university level. Graduate degrees in economics also afford opportunities for banking careers at the higher management levels and in the fields of securities analysis, finance, and, increasingly, in the fields of international finance and international trade. An economics major is highly recommended for entry into Master of Business Administration programs. Statistics and calculus are strongly encouraged for students intending to pursue a baccalaureate degree in economics.

Award Type(s)

• AA = Associate in Arts Degree

Units Required

• Major: 31

Additional Information

Note: Students having difficulty attaining an associate degree because of timing or availability of classes should consult with a counselor to submit a petition for course substitution.

Associate Degree Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Units
English Proficiency
Select one of the following:
ENGL 1A	COMPOSITION & READING	5
ENGL 1AH	HONORS COMPOSITION & READING	5
ESLL 26	ADVANCED COMPOSITION & READING	5
or equivalent
Ethnic Studies
Any course in the ETHN (Ethnic Studies) subject code, currently approved for Area F of CSU GE and Area 7 of IGETC
Mathematics Proficiency
College-level math course at or above the level of Intermediate Algebra

A minimum of 90 units is required¹ to include:

• Completion of one of the following general education patterns: Foothill General Education, CSU General Education Breadth Requirements or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)
• Core courses (18 units)
• Support courses (13 units)

¹

Additional elective course work may be necessary to meet the 90-unit minimum requirement for the associate degree.

Note: All courses pertaining to the major must be taken for a letter grade. In addition, a grade of "C" or better is required for all core and support courses used for the degree.

Core and Support Courses

Course List

Code	Title	Units
Core Courses
ECON 1A	PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS	5
ECON 1B	PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS	5
ECON 9	INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY	4
or ECON 9H	HONORS INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY
or POLI 9	INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY
or POLI 9H	HONORS INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY
ECON 25	THE GLOBAL ECONOMY	4
Support Courses
Select 13 units from the following:		13
BUSI 45	FUNDAMENTALS OF PERSONAL FINANCE
GEOG 5	INTRODUCTION TO ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY
or GEOG 10	WORLD REGIONAL GEOGRAPHY
MATH 1A	CALCULUS
or MATH 1AH	HONORS CALCULUS I
MATH 10	ELEMENTARY STATISTICS
or PSYC 7	STATISTICS FOR THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
or SOC 7	STATISTICS FOR THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
or MATH 17	INTEGRATED STATISTICS II
PSYC 10	RESEARCH METHODS & DESIGNS
or SOC 10	SOCIAL RESEARCH METHODS & DESIGNS
ECON 54H	HONORS INSTITUTE SEMINAR IN ECONOMICS
ECON 70R	INDEPENDENT STUDY IN ECONOMICS
ECON 71R	INDEPENDENT STUDY IN ECONOMICS
ECON 72R	INDEPENDENT STUDY IN ECONOMICS
ECON 73R	INDEPENDENT STUDY IN ECONOMICS
Total Units		31