School of Economics (BA and BSc Programs)

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 249-3 Aboriginal Resource Planning
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 Postcolonial Literature
ENGL 350-3 Comparative Literature
ENGL 440-(3-6) Special Topics in Postcolonial Literature
ENGL 450-(3-6) Special Topics in Comparative Literature
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: July 24, 2024