Paul Bowles, Professor Emeritus
Fiona MacPhail, Professor Emerita
Karima Fredj, Associate Professor and Chair
Jalil Safaei, Professor
Komla Avoumatsodo, Assistant Professor
Leandro Freylejer, Assistant Professor
Liam Kelly, Assistant Professor
Website: www.unbc.ca/economics
Economics as a discipline is constructed around the need to identify agents in the economy and analyze their interactions. As such it is based upon deriving generalizations by identifying behavioural rules and examining causal relationships between economic variables. The emphasis on examining causal relationships is a distinguishing feature of economics and forms an important part of its claim to be a social science. As well as addressing these central concerns, the Economics Program recognizes the interaction between the economy and other broader social, political, cultural and technological forces. The Program therefore places special emphasis on courses that analyze institutions, facilitate comparative studies, encourage a historical approach, and recognize the pervasiveness of technological change.
Major in Economics (BA)
Joint Major in Economics and Global and International Studies (BA)
Joint Major in Economics and Political Science (BA)
Joint Major in Economics and Mathematics (BSc)
Minor in Economics
Minor in International Development Studies
Major in Economics
Undergraduate students are required to take 15 Economics courses (45 credit hours). Of these, 10 courses (30 credit hours) are at the upper-division level.
The minimum requirement for completion of a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Economics is 120 credit hours.
Program Requirements
Lower-Division Requirement
100 Level
| ECON 100-3 | Microeconomics |
| ECON 101-3 | Macroeconomics |
| MATH 150-3 | Finite Mathematics for Business and Economics |
| or MATH 220-3 | Linear Algebra |
| MATH 100-3 | Calculus I |
| or MATH 152-3 | Calculus for Non-majors |
One of the following:
| COMM 100-3 | Introduction to Canadian Business |
| CPSC 110-3 | Introduction to Computer Systems and Programming |
| ENPL 104-3 | Introduction to Planning |
| FNST 100-3 | The Aboriginal Peoples of Canada |
| INTS 100-3 | Introduction to Global Studies |
| POLS 100-3 | Contemporary Political Issues |
200 Level
| ECON 205-3 | Statistics for Business and the Social Sciences |
Two of the following:
| ECON 204-3 | Contemporary Economic Issues |
| ECON 206-3 | Methods of Economic Evaluation |
| ECON 210-3 | Introduction to Health Economics and Policy |
| ECON 220-3 | Global Economic Shifts |
One of the following:
| COMM 210-3 | Financial Accounting |
| COMM 220-3 | Financial Management I |
| COMM 230-3 | Organizational Behaviour |
| COMM 240-3 | Introduction to Marketing |
| CPSC 250-3 | Applied Business Computing |
| ENPL 206-3 | Planning Analysis and Techniques |
| FNST 249-4 | Land and Indigenous Reconciliation Studio |
| INTS 210-3 | Globalizations |
| INTS 225-3 | Global Environmental Change |
| POLS 200-3 | Canadian Government and Politics |
| POLS 202-3 | Canada in Comparative Perspective |
| POLS 255-3 | Introduction to Law in Canada |
Upper-Division Requirement
300 and 400 Level
| ECON 310-3 | Intermediate Microeconomic Theory |
| ECON 311-3 | Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory |
| ECON 312-3 | Introduction to Econometrics |
| ECON 412-3 | Applying Economics in the Community |
| or ECON 440-3 | Internship |
Eighteen credit hours of upper-division Economics and 6 credit hours of upper-level applied and/or policy-oriented courses from any discipline (including Economics) and approval by the Chair.
*Note: Students wishing to pursue graduate studies in Economics are strongly advised to take ECON 320-3 (Introduction to Mathematical Economics) and ECON 451-3 (Advanced Microeconomic Theory).
Elective and Academic Breadth
Electives at any level in any subject sufficient to ensure completion of a minimum of 120 credit hours, including any additional credits necessary to meet the Academic Breadth requirement of the University (see Academic Regulation on Academic Breadth).
Joint Major in Economics and Global and International Studies (BA)
Joint majors are designed for students interested in a combination of two related fields of study. A Joint Major normally involves a specific set of course requirements selected to provide a solid specialization in each of the two fields. The graduation requirements for a joint major can normally be met in four years of study. The minimum requirement for completion of a Bachelor of Arts with a joint major in Economics and Global and International Studies is 120 credit hours.
Program Requirements
Lower-Division Requirement
| ECON 100-3 | Microeconomics |
| ECON 101-3 | Macroeconomics |
| ECON 204-3 | Contemporary Economic Issues |
| or ECON 206-3 | Methods of Economic Evaluation |
| or ECON 210-3 | Introduction to Health Economics and Policy |
| ECON 205-3 | Statistics for Business and the Social Sciences |
| ECON 220-3 | Global Economic Shifts |
| INTS 100-3 | Introduction to Global Studies |
| INTS 210-3 | Globalizations |
Upper-Division Requirement*
| ECON 310-3 | Intermediate Microeconomic Theory |
| or ECON 350-3 | Managerial Economics |
| ECON 311-3 | Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory |
| INTS 310-3 | Origins and Evolution of Our Globalizing World |
| INTS 490-3 | Global Capstone |
Two of the following:
| ECON 308-3 | International Economic Relations |
| ECON 321-3 | Economics of Developing Countries |
| ECON 401-3 | Global Economy and Development |
| ECON 404-3 | Poverty, Inequality and Development |
Twelve additional credit hours of 300- or 400-level Global and International Studies courses.
Six additional credit hours of 300- or 400-level Economics courses.
*Students must ensure that all prerequisites are fulfilled prior to registering in any courses. Note that MATH 152-3 is a prerequisite for ECON 310-3.
Language and Regional Studies Requirement
One of the following:
| GEOG 220-3 | World Regions: Latin America and the Caribbean |
| HIST 281-3 | Republican Latin America |
| INTS 240-3 | Contemporary Circumpolar North |
Twelve credit hours of Global and International Studies language courses. At least two courses must be in one language.
Elective and Academic Breadth
Elective credit hours as necessary to ensure completion of a minimum of 120 credit hours, including any additional credits necessary to meet the Academic Breadth requirement of the University (see Academic Regulation on Academic Breadth).
Joint Major in Economics and Political Science (BA)
The minimum requirement for completion of a Bachelor of Arts with a Joint Major in Economics and Political Science is 120 credit hours.
Program Requirements
Lower-Division Requirement
| ECON 100-3 | Microeconomics |
| ECON 101-3 | Macroeconomics |
| ECON 205-3 | Statistics for Business and the Social Sciences |
Two of the following:
| ECON 204-3 | Contemporary Economic Issues |
| ECON 206-3 | Methods of Economic Evaluation |
| ECON 210-3 | Introduction to Health Economics and Policy |
| ECON 220-3 | Global Economic Shifts |
| POLS 100-3 | Contemporary Political Issues |
| POLS 200-3 | Canadian Government and Politics |
| POLS 202-3 | Canada in Comparative Perspective |
| POLS 230-3 | International Relations |
| POLS 270-3 | Political Philosophy: Antiquity to Early Modernity |
Upper-Division Requirement
| ECON 310-3 | Intermediate Microeconomic Theory |
| or ECON 350-3 | Managerial Economics |
| ECON 311-3 | Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory |
| POLS 303-3 | Democracy and Democratization |
| POLS 320-3 | Canadian Politics and Policy |
| POLS 370-3 | Political Philosophy: Early Modernity to Post-Modernity |
Nine credit hours in Political Science at the 400 level.
Eighteen credit hours in Economics at the 300 or 400 level.
Elective and Academic Breadth
Elective credit hours as necessary to ensure completion of a minimum of 120 credit hours, including any additional credits necessary to meet the Academic Breadth requirement of the University (see Academic Regulation on Academic Breadth).
Joint Major in Economics and Mathematics (BSc)
The minimum requirement for completion of a Bachelor of Science with a Joint Major in Economics and Mathematics is 121 credit hours.
MATH 150-3 (Finite Mathematics for Business and Economics) may not be used for credit towards any Mathematics major or joint major.
Note: Students enrolling in any Mathematics courses are required to have completed all prerequisite courses for that course with a C- or better, or have permission to enroll from the Chair of Mathematics.
Program Requirements
Literacy Requirement
One of the following:
| ENGL 170-3 | Writing and Communication Skills |
| ENGL 270-3 | Expository Writing |
Economics Requirements
| ECON 100-3 | Microeconomics |
| ECON 101-3 | Macroeconomics |
Two of the following:
| ECON 204-3 | Contemporary Economic Issues |
| ECON 206-3 | Methods of Economic Evaluation |
| ECON 210-3 | Introduction to Health Economics and Policy |
| ECON 220-3 | Global Economic Shifts |
And:
| ECON 205-3 | Statistics for Business and the Social Sciences |
| ECON 310-3 | Intermediate Microeconomic Theory |
| ECON 311-3 | Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory |
| ECON 312-3 | Introduction to Econometrics |
| ECON 320-3 | Introduction to Mathematical Economics |
| ECON 451-3 | Advanced Microeconomic Theory |
Twelve additional credit hours of 300- or 400-level Economics.
Mathematics Requirements
| MATH 100-3 | Calculus I |
| MATH 101-3 | Calculus II |
| MATH 202-3 | Multivariable Calculus I |
| MATH 204-3 | Multivariable Calculus II |
| MATH 220-3 | Linear Algebra |
| MATH 224-3 | Foundations of Modern Mathematics |
| MATH 230-3 | Ordinary Differential Equations and Boundary Value Problems |
| MATH 301-3 | Introduction to Complex Analysis |
| MATH 320-3 | Survey of Algebra |
| or MATH 302-3 | Introductory Mathematical Analysis |
| STAT 371-3 | Probability and Statistics for Scientists and Engineers |
Six additional credit hours of 300- or 400- level Mathematics (STAT 372-3 is strongly recommended).
Six additional credit hours of 400-level Mathematics.
Program Requirements
| CPSC 100-4 | Computer Programming I |
Elective and Academic Breadth
Elective credit hours as necessary to ensure completion of a minimum of 121 credit hours, including any additional credits necessary to meet the Academic Breadth requirement of the University (see Academic Regulation on Academic Breadth).
Minor in Economics
The minor in Economics requires the completion of 24 credit hours. Students must complete:
| ECON 100-3 | Microeconomics |
| ECON 101-3 | Macroeconomics |
Two of the following:
| ECON 204-3 | Contemporary Economic Issues |
| ECON 205-3 | Statistics for Business and the Social Sciences |
| ECON 206-3 | Methods of Economic Evaluation |
| ECON 210-3 | Introduction to Health Economics and Policy |
| ECON 220-3 | Global Economic Shifts |
Twelve credit hours of 300- or 400- level Economics courses.
A maximum of 4 courses (12 credit hours) used to fulfill program requirements for a major or another minor may also be used to fulfill requirements for a minor in Economics. Alternative courses may be substituted for the above with written permission of the Chair of Economics and Dean.
Minor in International Development Studies
The International Development Studies minor provides students with the opportunity to learn about the lives of the majority of the world’s population. Students have the opportunity to explore the diversity of cultures, political systems, histories, and economic strategies that shape the contemporary context for development. By combining courses from several subject areas and analyzing development as a concept and as a practice at the local, national and international levels, the program provides students with the knowledge and perspectives needed to gain a better understanding of the world in which we all live.
The Minor requires 27 credit hours. 12 credit hours are required in the lower-division and at least 12 credit hours must be from the upper division. In the upper division, courses must be chosen from at least three subject areas.
Lower-Division Required Courses
| ECON 220-3 | Global Economic Shifts |
| GEOG 101-3 | Planet Earth |
| HIST 191-3 | World History since 1550 |
In addition, students must take 15 credit hours of elective courses from at least three subject areas of which at least 12 credit hours must be from the upper division.
Students must take two or more of the following:
| ECON 321-3 | Economics of Developing Countries |
| ECON 401-3 | Global Economy and Development |
| ECON 404-3 | Poverty, Inequality and Development |
| GEOG 306-3 | Critical Development Geographies |
| INTS 304-3 | International Development |
Other approved courses are:
| ANTH 401-3 | Anthropological Perspectives on Inequality |
| ANTH 404-3 | Comparative Study of Indigenous Peoples of the World |
| ENGL 340-3 | International Literatures in English |
| ENGL 350-3 | Comparative Literary Studies |
| ENGL 440-3 | Special Topics in International Literatures in English |
| ENGL 450-3 | Special Topics in Comparative Literary Studies |
| FNST 416-3 | Indigenous Issues in International Perspective |
| GEOG 305-3 | Political Ecology: Environmental Knowledge and Decision-Making |
| GEOG 308-3 | Health Geography |
| GEOG 401-3 | Tenure, Conflict, and Resource Geography |
| GEOG 426-3 | Geographies of Culture, Rights and Power |
| HIST 240-3 | The Global Age of Expansion |
| HIST 241-3 | The Age of Empire |
| HIST 280-3 | Colonial Latin America |
| HIST 281-3 | Republican Latin America |
| INTS 100-3 | Introduction to Global Studies |
| INTS 306-3 | Human Rights |
| INTS 308-3 | Gender and International Studies |
| INTS 402-3 | Pacific Affairs |
| POLS 303-3 | Democracy and Democratization |
| POLS 309-3 | Chinese Politics and Society |
Students may count up to 12 credit hours in their Major towards their Minor.
Updated: December 5, 2024