Economics, B.A.

Admissions

Entrance Requirements

New freshmen who meet University admissions standards are eligible for admission to degree programs offered by the college. A student who wishes to enter the College of Arts and Sciences from another college on the Columbia campus must be in good standing and have a cumulative GPA of 2.50 and completion of MATH 122 or MATH 141 with a C or higher. A student who wishes to enter the College of Arts and Sciences from another UofSC campus must fulfill one of the following requirements:

  1. Be in good standing, meet the admission requirements for a baccalaureate degree on the Columbia campus, and have a cumulative GPA of 2.50 and completion of MATH 122 or MATH 141 with a C or higher.
  2. Be in good standing and have completed 30 semester hours with a GPA of 2.50 and completion of MATH 122 or MATH 141 with a C or higher on a UofSC campus.

Some programs in the College of Arts and Sciences have special admission requirements established by the department or committee that supervises the specific degree program, for example, cardiovascular technology, biological sciences, chemistry, biochemistry and molecular biology, economics, environmental science, the Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, and the Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies. These requirements are listed below in the sections of this bulletin that describe department and special degree programs.

Degree Requirements (120 hours)

Program of Study

Requirements Credit Hours
1. Carolina Core 32-44
2. College Requirements 15-18
3. Program Requirements 31-49
4. Major Requirements 24-27

Founding Documents Requirement

All undergraduate students must take a 3-credit course or its equivalent with a passing grade in the subject areas of History, Political Science, or African American Studies that covers the founding documents including the United State Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation and one or more documents that are foundational to the African American Freedom struggle, and a minimum of five essays from the Federalist papers.  This course may count as a requirement in any part of the program of study including the Carolina Core, the major, minor or cognate, or as a general elective.  Courses that meet this requirement are listed here.

1. Carolina Core Requirements (32-44 hours)

CMW – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Written (6 hours)

must be passed with a grade of C or higher

ARP – Analytical Reasoning and Problem Solving (6-7 hours) 

must be passed with a grade of C or higher

SCI – Scientific Literacy (8 hours)

GFL – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Foreign Language  (0-6 hours)

Demonstration of proficiency in one foreign language equivalent to the minimal passing grade on the exit examination in the 122 course is required. Students can demonstrate this proficiency by successfully completing Phase II of the Proficiency Test or by successfully completing the 122 course, including the exit exam administered as part of that course.

It is strongly recommended that students continuing the study of a foreign language begin college-level study of that language in their first semester and continue in that language until their particular foreign language requirement is completed.

GHS – ​Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Historical Thinking (3 hours) 

GSS – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Social Sciences (3 hours) 

AIU – Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding (3 hours)

CMS – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Spoken Component1 (0-3 hours)

INF – Information Literacy1 (0-3 hours)

VSR – Values, Ethics, and Social Responsibility1 (0-3 hours)

1

Carolina Core Stand Alone or Overlay Eligible Requirements — Overlay-approved courses offer students the option of meeting two Carolina Core components in a single course. A maximum of two overlays is allowed. The total Carolina Core credit hours must add up to a minimum of 31 hours. Some programs may have a higher number of minimum Carolina Core hours due to specified requirements.

2. College Requirements (15-18 hours)

Foreign Language (0-3 hours) 

  • only if needed to meet 122-level proficiency

History (3 hours) 

The College of Arts and Sciences requires one additional GHS course beyond the Carolina Core GHS requirement. 

  • If the Carolina Core GHS requirement is fulfilled by a U.S. history course, the College of Arts and Sciences history requirement must be fulfilled by a non-U.S. history course.
  • If the Carolina Core GHS requirement is fulfilled by a non-U.S. history course, the College of Arts and Sciences history requirement must be fulfilled by a U.S. history course. 

Please select the College of Arts and Sciences history requirement from the approved list of U.S. and non-U.S. history courses.

Social Science and Fine Arts or Humanities (12 hours)

  • Social Science (3 hours)
    • ECON 221 or ECON 222 must be passed with a C or higher
      • Note: ECON 224 may fulfill this requirement for students who completed it prior to majoring in Economics.  If a grade of A was earned, then ECON 221 and ECON 222 are not required.  If a grade of less than an A was earned, then the student must complete either ECON 221 or ECON 222 for the Supporting Course.
  • Fine Arts/Humanities (9 Hours)

3. Program Requirements (31-49 hours)

Supporting Courses (0-3 hours)

must be passed with a grade of C or higher

Course Title Credits
ECON 221Principles of Microeconomics3
or ECON 222 Principles of Macroeconomics
Total Credit Hours3

Note: Students must complete bothECON 221 and ECON 222.  Whichever was not taken to fulfill the College of Arts and Sciences Social Science requirement will fulfill this Supporting Course.  Students who took ECON 224 (earning less than an A) must also take either ECON 221 or ECON 222 as the Supporting Course. Students who earned an A in ECON 224 are exempted from taking either ECON 221 or ECON 222 as a Supporting Course.

Cognate or Minor (12-18 hours)

Students must complete a cognate (12 hours) or a minor as part of this program.  In lieu of a cognate or minor, an additional major may be added to a student’s program of study. Additional majors must include all major courses as well as any prescribed courses noted (*) in the bulletin.  Prescribed courses noted in the bulletin may be shared with Carolina Core, College requirements, and Program requirements in the primary program. 

Cognate (12 hours)

The cognate must consist of twelve (12) hours of courses at the advanced level, outside of but related to the major. The cognate may be taken in one or more departments or programs.

Courses offered by departments and programs that are acceptable for cognate credit are outlined in the section titled Courses Acceptable for Cognate Credit in Degree Programs in the College of Arts and Sciences. Some major programs have specific cognate requirements. It should be emphasized that the cognate is not a second set of elective courses to be chosen at random by the student. Students are urged to consult their major advisors for specific requirements in their major.

For Bachelor of Arts degrees, all cognate courses must be passed with a grade of C or higher.

Minor (18 hours)

In place of the cognate a student in the College of Arts and Sciences may choose a minor consisting of at least 18 credit hours of prescribed courses.

The minor is intended to develop a coherent basic preparation in a second area of study. It differs from the cognate inasmuch as the courses must follow a structured sequence.

Courses applied toward general education requirements cannot be counted toward the minor. No course may satisfy both major and minor requirements. All minor courses must be passed with a grade of C or higher. At least half of the courses in the minor must be completed in residence at the University.

A list of minor programs of study can be found at Programs A-Z.

Electives (13-34 hours)

120 (or 128) degree applicable credits are required to complete any degree at UofSC. After the cognate, minor or second major is complete, any additional credits needed to reach 120 (or 128) total credits can be fulfilled by electives. No courses of a remedial, developmental, skill-acquiring, or vocational nature may apply as credit toward degrees in the College of Arts and Sciences. The College of Arts and Sciences allows the use of the Pass-Fail option on elective courses. Further clarification on inapplicable courses can be obtained from the College of Arts and Sciences.

4. Major Requirements (24-27 hours)

Must be passed with a grade of C or higher.

Economics majors may enroll in ECON 221, ECON 222, ECON 321, ECON 322 and ECON 436 a maximum of twice to earn the required grade of C or higher. For the purposes of this standard progression, withdrawal with a W does not constitute enrollment. Students who plan to major in economics are advised to consult the director of undergraduate studies in economics during the freshman year.

Major Courses (9 hours)

Course Title Credits
ECON 321Intermediate Microeconomic Theory3
ECON 322Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory3
ECON 436Introductory Econometrics3
Total Credit Hours9

Major Electives (15-18 hours)

Note: If a student earned an A in ECON 224 and is exempted from taking ECON 221 and ECON 222, one additional ECON elective must be taken. 

Major Map

A major map is a layout of required courses in a given program of study, including critical courses and suggested course sequences to ensure a clear path to graduation.

Major maps are only a suggested or recommended sequence of courses required in a program of study. Please contact your academic advisor for assistance in the application of specific coursework to a program of study and course selection and planning for upcoming semesters.

Economics, B.A.