Undergraduate Program

To find out, you should ask yourself: am I interested in such public policy issues as unemployment, inflation, public health, and environmental quality? Do I possess the curiosity to tackle complex problems? Do I communicate my reasoning well?

What degrees does the department offer?
The Department of Economics offers three undergraduate degrees: a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), a Bachelor of Science (B.S.), and a Bachelor of General Studies (B.G.S.).

The degree you choose will depend upon your career plans. For most students, the B.A. degree is best. This degree requires four semesters of a foreign language, in addition to several courses in the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities. The B.A. degree is the choice of students interested in a broad, well-rounded liberal arts education.

If you want more structured and extensive study in economics, you should choose the B.S. degree. This degree requires more economics, mathematics, and quantitative methods courses. This degree prepares you for advanced studies in many fields, including economics, law, and business, especially doctoral programs in economics.

When deciding between the B.A. and B.S., consider whether you want the depth in economics that the B.S. provides or the educational breadth offered by the B.A. degree.

The B.G.S. degree allows students to explore two fields of study without double majoring. This degree does not require four semesters of a foreign language.

Yes, double majoring is a popular option with many B.A and B.S. students. An economics degree complements such majors as English, political science, history, and math.

Your opportunities will be determined by your interests, your imagination, and your willingness to work. An undergraduate degree prepares  you for entry-level jobs in business, government, and research institutes as economists, albeit junior economists.

You will learn to apply rigorous logic in order to analyze complex social problems. These skills will make you a valuable employee, regardless of where you work.

KU graduates find jobs with government agencies, including banks in the Federal Reserve system, large and small companies, and research centers.

The Department of Economics is in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS). First-year CLAS students take English composition, math, and other courses that fulfill general education requirements. The CLAS chapter of the Undergraduate Catalog gives more detailed information.

If you are studying for a B.A. in economics, your first year's schedule may look something like this one:

First Semester Hours	Second Semester Hours
ENGL 101 Composition - 3 MATH 101 Algebra - 3 Laboratory science - 4-5 Foreign language I - 5 TOTAL = 16	ENGL 102 Composition and Literature - 3 MATH 115 Calculus I - 3 ECON 142 Principles of Microeconomics - 3 HSES 108 Basic Skill Instruction in _____ - 1 Foreign language II - 5 TOTAL = 15

The Department offers core economics courses every semester. The Department offers many elective courses every Fall and Spring semesters, while offering some elective courses less frequently. A small number of elective courses are offered in the Summer.

The Department offers introductory economics, microeconomics, and macroeconomics are regularly during the summer session. Due to the small number of students enrolled in summer sessions, staffing usually permits only one other economics course.

Once you are enrolled at KU you can take economics courses. You become a major when you complete a major declaration form, which you can get from the Department's Undergraduate Advisor.

If you plan to take an economics course at another institution, check with the Department's Undergraduate Advisor regarding the transfer of credit hours to the University of Kansas. Do this before enrolling at another university.

The Department issues scholarships to outstanding upper-division students based on academic achievement. See Awards and Scholarships page for more information.

If your interests shift, then you might change your major to mathematics or political science, or finish your undergraduate studies in the School of Business or the School of Engineering.

You have a lot of options because KU has hundreds of programs from which to choose. As a student in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, you will be taking courses in many subjects. They will eventually lead you toward a major and a career that best suits your interests and skills.