Information for New Majors in Economics

To check that you are making good progress towards your degree in economics, download and fill out a checklist for your major from the department website. The checklist will alert you to any problems that you should bring to our attention. If you have any questions or concerns about your major requirements, then you should consult with econ-advising.

The best resource for getting accurate and timely information about the economics major is the department’s own website at Undergraduate | Columbia | Economics

 

Below is a guide to some of the information available on our website.

Student information

• Advisors: office hours for the Students may also email questions to econ-advising@columbia.edu
• FAQ
• Transfer Credit Information
• Econ Info for Students (WIKI): internal and external announcements regarding talks and lectures, publishing opportunities, research assistant positions, teaching assistant positions, fellowships, internships and employment opportunities, educational opportunities and more. This information is generally NOT sent out on the major listserv. Students are encouraged to check this WIKI periodically for new postings. You will need to log in with their UNI and password.
• Academic Resources Fair: information for new students at Columbia including suggested course plans and placement information.
• Columbia Economics Review: The CER is an undergraduate economics journal supported by the Program for Economics Research.
• Computing and Data Resources: Programming tutorials and links to information for the 2 primary statistical programming languages used in economics courses (STATA and R) can be found on this page.
• Preparing for Graduate School: advice for prospective PhD students in economics

Course Information

• Course Prerequisites: prerequisites for all economics courses. The department strictly enforces all course prerequisites.
  • Prerequisite courses cannot be taken concurrently with or after the course— they must be taken before the course.
  • Students who take a course out of sequence (before or concurrently with its prerequisites) will not be allowed to count those credits towards the completion of their major, and consequently will be required to take an additional course to replace those credits.
  • For placement in the calculus sequence, please consult the Math Department.
• Registration Information: information for courses with restricted registration (e.g. Independent study, research credit, etc.)
• Sample Programs: Economics electives are sorted by academic interest and career goal.
• Senior Seminars (Registration Info and Descriptions): registration information for senior seminars and the topics of the current senior seminar All students should read the Seminar Registration page prior to their final year at Columbia.
• Tutors: a list of graduate student tutors in economics.

Requirements and Forms

• Checklists: checklists to keep track of your progress in your major. Do not rely on friends or classmates for information about major requirements. You should fill one out as soon as possible.
• Transfer credit form

Announcements

• Info for New Majors
• Current Course Offerings: course offerings for the academic year. This page is updated periodically throughout the year as course offerings change.
• Newsletters: Prior to the registration periods in November and April, we send out information regarding major requirements and course offerings. You should read this when you receive it. You can always refer to it later online on this page.
• Summer Mailing: Early in August, we send out information regarding major requirements, application to honors thesis seminar and course offerings. As with the Newsletter, you should read this when you receive it. You can refer to it later on this page.

Opportunities

• Research Opportunities for Current Students: information on Research Credit (GU4995 and 4996) and on finding a position. Students considering graduate work or writing a senior thesis in economics should take one or more RA positions during their time at Columbia.
• Full-Time Research Opportunities for Graduates: links to many organizations (academic, governmental, private sector, ) that hire RAs in economics. Students considering graduate work in economics, should consider taking a pre-doctoral RA position for two years after graduation.
• Career Opportunities: information about careers in economics, as well as, links and tips for career searches.

Honors and Prizes

• Departmental Honors and Senior Honors Thesis: general criteria to receive honors in economics, as well as, tips for writing a thesis, finding a topic and finding an advisor.
• Departmental Honors Recipients: a list of all thesis writers and titles. You will also find several examples of recent senior theses.
• Prizes: eligibility for the awards and how to apply for them. A list of recent prize recipients is also posted.

 

If you have questions about your major requirements, then you should contact  econ-advising@columbia.edu . Some questions may be answered by email. Others will require you to speak with an adviser during econ-advising office hours.

 

 

Econ advising holds weekly office hours during the academic year, and responds to student questions sent to the email address above. Econ advising can discuss major requirements, scheduling and course selection as well as review your checklists and discuss your progress in the major. Outside of questions about transfer credit or study abroad, students should direct all questions and concerns about their major to these advisors. Office hours for these advisors is posted at Advisors | Columbia | Economics at the beginning of the semester.

Majors may request a personal faculty advisor to discuss academic or career goals. Faculty advisors will not discuss major requirements. Questions about requirements must be directed to Econ advising. Faculty advisors will discuss course selection to meet intellectual goals and interests as well as career or research options. If you plan on attending a PhD program in economics or pursuing economics research after graduation, then it is recommended that you request a faculty advisor. To request a faculty advisor, you must complete the online form on the Advisors page. Faculty advisors are assigned at the beginning of each semester.

If you receive information from sources outside of the department including on your Degree Audit Report that appears to contradict the information that you read on our website or in the Bulletin, then you should not rely on that advice. In this case you should contact Econ advising for clarification of the rules.

There is a limit to the types and number of courses that students may take for major credit outside of the Columbia Economics Department.

 

• We require that all majors and joint majors must take a minimum of 5 lecture courses in the Columbia Department of Economics.
  • The remaining credits for economics lecture courses may come from advanced placement credits (AP, IB, GCE), Barnard elective courses (2000 or 3000 level), summer courses taken at other institutions and transfer credits (either taken before registering at Columbia or taken elsewhere while at Columbia). No Barnard core econ, math or statistics courses (BC1003, BC1007, BC2411, BC3018, BC3033, and BC3035) may be taken to complete any of the major requirements.
• No more than one 3000 level intermediate core (UN3211, UN3213, and UN3412) course may be taken outside of the Columbia Department.
• No more than one of the core finance courses (UN3025 and GU4280) for the financial economics major may be taken outside of Columbia University.
• Students must take their senior seminar in the Columbia Department of Economics.
• AP / IB / GCE Credits – must be posted on students’ SSOL transcript for CC students, and noted in student files for GS students, otherwise the department cannot credit students with satisfying the corresponding core courses, e.g. Calculus I, II (UN1101, UN1102), Principles of economics (UN1105). Note that AP Statistics does not exempt students from STAT UN 1201. Students must contact their school advisor if said credits are not posted on their SSOL transcript or noted in their student file.

High School Math Courses and IB Math Standard Level exam: Students who have received written approval from the Math Department exempting them from MATH UN1101 Calculus-I based on their grades in a high school math course, and students who are exempted from Calculus-I from having taken the IB Standard Level exam in math must replace the missing 3 college credits by taking an additional course. The one additional course may be selected from the following list:

• Economics electives at the 2000 level or higher,
• Math courses (except MATH UN 1201)
• Statistics courses at the 2000 level or higher
• Computer Science courses at any level

Note that in the case of joint majors, courses taken to fulfill the requirements of the affiliated department are subject to the rules of that department. For example, a joint major with political science must check with the Political Science Department on whether or not a particular course taken outside of Columbia is acceptable to fulfill the political science requirements of the joint major.

Any courses taken outside of the Economics Departments at Columbia or Barnard that you would like to apply towards the completion of your economics degree must be approved by the Department of Economics in addition to approval by your school.

 

• All economics courses taken elsewhere must be reviewed by the Economics Department.
• Transfer credits for Calculus-I and Stat 1201 must also be approved by the Economics Department.
• Transfer credit for math or statistics courses other than Calculus-I and Stat 1201 must be reviewed by the Math or Statistics Departments. Note that GS Dual Degree Students may have either the economics or math department review calculus III transfer credits. Students who have received transfer credit approval from either math or statistics must forward the approval(s) to econ-ug@columbia.edu .

See Transfer Credit Information | Columbia | Economics for details on which courses may be eligible for transfer credit, as well as, information on how to apply for transfer credit.

• Study Abroad or Summer courses outside of Columbia: speak with Sunil Gulati before taking any courses at another institution that you wish to use for major credit.
• Courses taken before matriculating at Columbia: there is a link on the Transfer Credit Information page for you to submit your courses for review. Please read the information on the Transfer Credit Information page carefully before submitting your materials for review.

The department employs a number of undergraduates as Teaching Assistants to work alongside our graduate TAs. TAs generally hold a recitation section and an office hour each week, and participate in the grading of homework assignments. The department posts the available TA positions on the WIKI page 2 – 4 weeks prior to the start of the semester.

 

Available RA positions are posted on the WIKI page. Interested students should read the information about RA positions posted on the Opportunities page.

Susan Elmes

Director of Undergraduate Studies