ECONOMICS
Office:
Craven Hall, Room 6220
Telephone:
(760) 750-8030
Department Chair:
Ranjeeta Ghiara, Ph.D.
Faculty:
Roger A. Arnold, Ph.D.
Robert Brown, Ph.D.
Ranjeeta Ghiara, Ph.D.
Robert Rider, Ph.D.
Programs Offered:
• Bachelor of Arts in
Economics
• Minor in Economics
The student majoring in
economics will acquire a set of analytical tools and a way of thinking that
will help him or her to better understand and predict the behavior of
individuals, groups, and societies. Learning economics does for the
undergraduate student what corrective lenses do for the person with impaired
eyesight: it brings the world into focus. Things that were invisible become
visible, the complex and hard to understand become simple and easily
understood.
Economics is the study of
human behavior as it relates to the condition of scarcity: that is, the
condition where resources are limited in relation to human wants. An important
part of economics is the study of how individuals, groups, and societies deal
with scarcity through markets or exchange-like institutions. Economic theory is
sufficiently powerful to explain many varieties of exchange relationships. This
is evident in the number of fields in which economic analysis is currently
utilized, such as business, history, law, psychology, political science, and
sociology.
Economics has always been a
highly respected field of study, but in the past three decades its reputation
has soared. There are perhaps three major reasons for this change. First, many
people have come to realize that economics plays an important role in their
everyday lives. Recession, inflation, the exchange value of the dollar, the
savings rate, interest rates, taxes, mergers, government expenditures, and
economic growth all matter. These economic factors touch lives; they affect
dreams. Second, economists have developed better tools and more refined methods
of analysis: they have successfully extended their analytical apparatus and the
economic way of thinking beyond the traditional confines of the science. Third,
the one language that is becoming increasingly more universal is the language
of economics. The American business person may not speak Japanese, and the
Japanese business person may not speak English, but both of them know the
language of supply and demand, profits, production, costs, international trade,
and competition. Both of them know the language of economics.
Recommended Course of Study
For those students who are
required to take ECON 201 and 202, it is recommended that ECON 201 be taken
first. Students are also advised to complete their mathematics requirement
(MATH 132) and their statistics requirement (BUS 304) early in their course of
study. Students who expect to apply to do graduate work in economics are
advised to speak to the program director in economics at their earliest
convenience for a suggested course of study.
Educational and Career
Opportunities
The economics major provides
the undergraduate student with a solid academic background for graduate study
in a wide variety of areas. The most relevant areas include economics,
business, and law. Career opportunities include positions in business, banking,
journalism, government, law, and teaching. Economists are well-represented in
occupations in both the private and public sectors. Students interested in
knowing more about educational and career opportunities in economics are
invited to speak with economics faculty members.
Preparation
High school students are
encouraged to take four years of English, three to four years of mathematics,
and an economics course (if available).
Transfer Students
Students may transfer a
maximum of six (6) lower-division semester units in economics and a maximum of
(6) upperdivision semester units in economics, which may be applied toward the
economics major or minor. Three (3) of the six (6) lower-division semester
units must be in a course that clearly fits the course description in this
catalog for ECON 201; three (3) must be in a course that clearly fits the
course description for ECON 202. Upper-division semester units must be in
courses that clearly fit the course description in this catalog for any
upper-division level course and satisfy any conditions or prerequisites.
However, at least three of the four required upper-division theory courses
(ECON 301, 302, 303, and 441) must be completed at CSUSM. All transfer courses
must at least be equal in scope, content, and level to the equivalent CSUSM
course.
Special Requirements for the
Bachelor of Arts and the Minor in Economics
Each course counted towards
the major or the minor must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher. No
more than three (3) units of ECON 497 may be counted toward the major. Only one
of the courses listed, ECON 305 and 306, may be counted toward the major or
minor. Students who have already received credit for ECON 250, may then consult
with the Economics Department Chair to gain permission to count ECON 250 as
replacing either ECON 201 or ECON 202 (but not both courses) for purposes of
satisfying the Preparation for the Major requirements, lower-division Minor
requirements, and certain upper-division economics course prerequisites.
BACHELOR OF ARTS IN ECONOMICS
Units
General Education* 51 units
Preparation for the Major* 13 units
Major Requirements 30 units
General Electives 33 units
Total Required 124 units
Preparation for the Major
Non-Economics Supporting
Courses (7 units)
Units
BUS 304 4
units
MATH 132 3
units
Lower-division (6 units)
units
ECON 201 3
units
ECON 202 3
units
Major Requirements
Upper-division (30 units)
Units
ECON 301 3
units
ECON 302 3
units
ECON 303 3
units
ECON 441 3
units
Upper-division electives in
economics to be selected by students in consultation with their academic
advisor 18 units
MINOR IN ECONOMICS
Lower-division (6 units)
Units
ECON 201 3
units
ECON 202 3
units
Upper-division (15 units)
ECON 301 3
units
ECON 302 3
units
ECON 303 3
units
ECON 441 3
units
Upper-division electives in
economics to be selected by students in consultation with their academic
advisor 3 units
Total Units 21 units