FAQs

"Does this count?”

Are AP credits accepted for the economics and international economics majors?

Incoming students in the economics and international economics majors with AP AB/BC Calc, AP Microeconomics, and/or AP Macroeconomics credit may use those credits to waive the calculus, Principles of Microeconomics, and Principles of Macroeconomics major requirements.

Incoming students in the economics and international economics majors with AP Statistics credit must take the one-credit Introduction to Linear Regression course (ECON 30335). Together, AP Statistics and Introduction to Linear Regression count for the Economic Statistics requirement.

Are AP credits accepted for the business and economics minor?

Incoming students in the business economics minor with AP Statistics, AP Microeconomics, and/or AP Macroeconomics credit should not retake these courses. Instead, they can take any 30000-level economics elective in place of the course for which they have AP credit. Students must still take five courses for the minor, and these courses cannot cross count with another major or minor.

Can other statistics courses count for Economic Statistics?

Many of our students have double majors that also require a statistics course. Statistics courses from other departments can be used to fulfill the Economic Statistics requirement for their economics or international economics major. In this case, students would need to take an additional economics elective to reach the major credit requirement. For details, please contact an advisor.

Study Abroad

Can economics and international economics majors study abroad?

Yes! About 70% of Notre Dame undergraduates study abroad. Most economics and international economics majors do so in their junior year. We recommend that students finish the six core major courses before studying abroad. For details about current opportunities, please visit the ND Study Abroad website.

Does the economics department accept study abroad credits?

Economics and international economics majors may count one economics elective taken abroad towards their major elective requirements. The six major core courses for both majors may not be taken abroad. Students in concentrations should contact an advisor to determine if an elective taken abroad can satisfy their concentration’s elective requirement.

Does the economics department have funds for study abroad?

The economics department, with the generous support of the BonAnno family, offers scholarships to economics and international economics majors enrolled in an economics course offered through ND Summer, Study Abroad. Funding is limited and not guaranteed. For further details, please contact Jody Machiela.

Elective Requirements for Economics Majors

What are the elective requirements for economics majors?

Economics majors must take four electives. Two electives must be at the 40000 level, and one must be writing intensive (ECWI attribute).

What are the elective requirements for economics majors who write a senior thesis (non-honors)?

Economics majors who write a non-honors senior thesis must take three electives plus two semesters of the three-credit Senior Thesis course (ECON 47970, taken during the fall and spring of senior year). Of those three electives, at least one must be at the 40000 level.

Throughout the Senior Thesis course (ECON 47970), students meet one-on-one with a faculty advisor to develop their research. While the Senior Thesis course spans a full year, it fulfills one elective requirement in total. The second semester counts as a 40000-level ECWI course, whereas the first semester will count as a general, university elective (non major / minor credit).

 The second semester of the non-honors Senior Thesis course can be used as a substitute for a 40000-level, writing-intensive CFEE or EBPAC elective for students in concentrations if their thesis is related to the concentration's focus area.

What are the elective requirements for economics majors on the honors track?

To earn departmental honors, economics students must take five total electives, as compared to four for the regular major. Two electives are up to the students’ choosing (30000 or 40000 level, ECWI or non-ECWI). One must be at the 43000 level (i.e. a writing-intensive, 40000-level course). The remaining two are the Senior Honors Workshop (ECON 43962, fall senior year) and the Senior Honors Thesis (ECON 48600, spring senior year). Students are expected to meet one-on-one with their honors thesis advisor during the fall of their senior year in addition to taking the Senior Honors Workshop.

What are the elective requirements for economics majors in the CFEE?

Economics CFEE students must take the three required CFEE courses, three semesters of the one-credit CFEE Enriching Experience, two electives related to finance (CFEL attribute), and one writing-intensive course (ECWI attribute). One writing-intensive CFEL course may be used to satisfy both the CFEL and ECWI requirements.

What are the elective requirements for economics majors in the CFEE who are on the honors track?

Economics CFEE students on the honors track must take the three required CFEE courses, three semesters of the one-credit CFEE Enriching Experience, the Senior Honors Workshop (ECON 43962, senior year fall), and the Senior Honors Thesis (ECON 48600, senior year spring). Students are expected to meet with their faculty thesis advisor in the fall of their senior year in addition to taking the Senior Honors Workshop.

What are the elective requirements for economics majors in the EBPAC?

Economics majors in the Evidence-Based Poverty Alleviation Concentration (EBPAC) must take the two required EBPAC courses and three approved electives (EBPA attribute) that are related to the concentration’s focus. One elective must be a 40000-level course, and one must be writing intensive (ECWI attribute). Additionally, they must satisfy the EBPAC experiential learning requirement by either taking the EBPAC Enriching Experience in three of the four semesters of their junior and senior year or by taking the Enriching Experience twice and participating in one EBPAC Immersive Learning Experience.

What are the requirements for economics majors in the EPBAC who are on the honors track?

Economics majors in the Evidence-Based Poverty Alleviation Concentration (EBPAC) who are on the honors track must take the two required EBPAC courses, one 43000-level elective (i.e. a writing-intensive, 40000-level elective), the Senior Honors Workshop (ECON 43962, senior year fall), and the Senior Honors Thesis (ECON 48600, senior year spring). Students are expected to meet with their faculty thesis advisor in the fall of their senior year in addition to taking the Senior Honors Workshop. Students must also satisfy the EBPAC experiential learning requirement by either taking the EBPAC Enriching Experience in three of the four semesters of their junior and senior year or by taking the Enriching Experience twice and participating in one EBPAC Immersive Learning Experience.

Elective Requirements for International Economics Majors

What are the elective requirements for international economics majors?

In addition to the six core economics courses and the required language courses, international economics majors must take a one-credit Exploring International Economics course in the spring of their sophomore year, take two electives on international economics topics (IEEL attribute), and complete the Senior Research Project (ECON 48100) course in the fall of their senior year. In this course, students work on an independent economics research project that is related to their area of linguistic expertise. Starting with the Class of 2028, international economics majors must complete at least one of their two required IEEL electives at the 4000 level.

What are the elective requirements for international economics majors who write a senior thesis (non-honors)?

International economics students can write a senior thesis. Students must take a one-credit Exploring International Economics course in the spring of their sophomore year, two electives on international economics topics (IEEL attribute), and two semesters of the Senior Thesis course (ECON 47970) in the fall and spring semester of their senior year. Throughout the Senior Thesis course (ECON 47970), students meet one-on-one with a faculty advisor to develop their research. The second semester of the thesis course counts as a replacement for the Senior Research Project course (ECON 48100), so long as the student’s senior thesis is on an international economics topic related to their linguistic and cultural focus area. The first semester of the thesis course will count as a general, university elective (non major / minor credit).

What are the elective requirements for international economics majors who are on the honors track?

International economics students who meet the GPA requirements can also join the honors track. In this case, students must take a one-credit Exploring International Economics course in the spring of their sophomore year, two electives on international economics topics (IEEL attribute), the three-credit Senior Honors Thesis workshop (ECON 43962) in the fall of their senior year, and the three-credit Senior Honors Thesis course (ECON 48600) in the spring of their senior year. The Senior Honors Thesis workshop is a course in which a faculty member guides students through the research process. Honors students are expected to meet one-on-one with their faculty advisor in the fall of their senior year in addition to taking the workshop.

What are the elective requirements for international economics majors in the CFEE?

International economics students in the Concentration in Finance and Financial Econometrics (CFEE) must take the three required CFEE courses, three semesters of the one-credit CFEE Enriching Experience, and a one-credit Exploring International Economics seminar in the spring of their sophomore year. If the student writes a senior research project on a finance-related topic, the student will take one CFEL elective and the Senior Research Project course (ECON 48100, fall senior year). If the student writes a senior research project that is not finance-related, the student must take the Senior Research Project course to satisfy the international economics major requirements, and they must take additional courses to satisfy the CFEE elective requirements. They may do this by taking two CFEL electives with one being writing-intensive (ECWI) or by taking three electives, two being CFEL and one being ECWI.

What are the elective requirements for international economics majors in the CFEE who are on the honors track?

International economics majors in the Concentration in Finance and Financial Econometrics (CFEE) who are on the honors track must take a one-credit Exploring International Economics course (sophomore year spring), the three required CFEE courses, three semesters of the one-credit CFEE Enriching Experience, the Senior Honors Workshop (senior year fall), and the Senior Honors Thesis (senior year spring). Honors students are also expected to meet one-on-one with their faculty advisor during the fall of their senior year in addition to taking the Senior Honors Workshop.

What are the elective requirements for international economics majors in the EBPAC?

International economics majors in the Evidence-Based Poverty Alleviation Concentration (EBPAC) must take a one-credit Exploring International Economics seminar (spring sophomore year) and the two required EBPAC courses. They must also satisfy the EBPAC experiential learning requirements by either taking the one-credit EPBAC Enriching Experience three times in their junior and senior year or by taking the Enriching Experience twice and participating in one Immersive Learning Experience. Students who write a poverty-related senior research project will take two EBPA electives and the Senior Research Project course (ECON 48100). Students whose senior research project is not poverty-related must take the Senior Research Project course and three EBPA electives, one of which must be at the 40000 level and one of which must be writing intensive (ECWI attribute).

What are the elective requirements for international economics majors in the EBPAC who are on the honors track?

International economics majors in the Evidence-Based Poverty Alleviation Concentration (EBPAC) who are on the honors track must take a one-credit Exploring International Economics seminar (spring sophomore year), the two required EBPAC courses, one 43000-level elective with the EBPA attribute, the Senior Honors Workshop (ECON 43962, senior year fall), and the Senior Honors Thesis (ECON 48600, senior year spring). Honors students are expected to meet one-on-one with their faculty advisor during the fall of their senior year in addition to taking the senior honors workshop. Finally, they must satisfy the EBPAC experiential learning requirement by either taking the EBPAC Enriching Experience in three semesters in their junior and senior year or by taking the Enriching Experience twice and participating in one Immersive Learning Experience.