Enrollment
For all enrollment concerns regarding Economics courses, including waitlist issues, taking more than 20.5 units, permission number petition process, and reserved seats, please see "Frequently Asked Enrollment Questions" at Course Enrollment.
New Policy (Effective Summer 2024)
Prerequisite Courses
- Is it possible to take MATH 1A and 16B (or the equivalent) to complete the calculus requirement for the major?
- I completed MATH 10A and 10B. Will these courses fulfill the calculus prerequisite for the major?
- Can the statistics requirement be fulfilled at a community college?
- Can ECON 1 or 2 and calculus be taken elsewhere?
- Will I receive credit for courses taken through UC Extension?
Applying to the Major
- How do I apply for the Economics major?
- What happens if I don't meet the admission requirements for the Economics major?
- Can I apply to the Economics major in Summer?
Completing Major Requirements
- Can I take courses from outside the Economics Department towards my major requirements?
- Can undergraduates take graduate courses?
- Can upper division major courses be taken elsewhere?
- I want to know if I am on track to graduate.How can I check my Economics major requirements?
- My Economics major requirements are incorrect on Academic Progress Report (APR). How can I fix this?
- Which courses are included in my Economics major GPA?
Grading
- What do I do if I want to contest an Economics grade or submit a grade appeal?
Miscellaneous
- I heard that Economics at Berkeley is a STEM major. Is this true?
- I have an internship and want to receive credit. How do I do this through the Economics Department?
Prerequisite Courses
Is it possible to take MATH 1A and 16B (or the equivalent) to complete the calculus requirement for the major?
YES. However, students are encouraged to complete the MATH 1A/1B series for the Economics prerequisite requirements.
I completed MATH 10A and 10B. Will these courses fulfill the calculus prerequisite for the major?
YES. Students should make every effort to complete the MATH 1A/1B series for the Economics prerequisite requirements. However, in the event that MATH 10A and/or 10B are completed, the Economics department will count these courses and grades for the calculus prerequisites. Please consult with an undergraduate Economics advisor for further information.
Can the statistics requirement be fulfilled at a community college?
Typically, no. The statistics course must be calculus-based and community college statistics courses usually are not. Articulation agreements are listed at http://www.assist.org
Can ECON 1 or 2 and/or calculus be taken elsewhere?
YES. Community colleges offer equivalent courses. The equivalent to either ECON 1 or 2 at community colleges is almost always two courses, microeconomics and macroeconomics. One course in math or statistics must be taken at UC Berkeley before applying to the Department. Since a calculus-based statistics course is seldom offered at community colleges, most students take the statistics course at UC Berkeley.
Will I receive credit for courses taken through UC Extension?
YES. Grades for any prerequisite courses taken at UC Extension with the prefix "XB" will both be computed into the overall GPA by UC and used to compute the economics prerequisite GPA. Please note we do not accept the online courses Math X1A and X1B.
Applying to the Major
How do I apply for the Economics major?
ONLINE.The application for admission to the Economics major is a simple form that takes less than two minutes to complete. Please review the admissions information for prospective students to ensure that you have met or will meet the admissions criteria at the time of application.
What happens if I don't meet the admission requirements for the Economics major?
All students must apply for admission, meet the GPA, abide by the deadline, and take the proper courses in order to declare the Economics major. Students who successfully complete the prerequisite requirements are guaranteed admission into the Economics major. Students who do not successfully meet the criteria for admission to the major will be denied. For this reason, we encourage all students pursuing the Economics major to also plan for an alternate major.
Can I apply to the Economics major in Summer?
YES. The Department accepts applications during the first five weeks of fall, spring, and summer terms. The deadlines will be posted on the departmental website, and application forms and instructions can be found at prospective students.
Completing the Major Requirements
Can I take courses from outside the Economics Department towards my major requirements?
YES. We recommend you review the list of approved courses. Additionally, you may take courses abroad or at other four-year institutions after they have been reviewed by the Economics Undergraduate Advisor. You can take no more than two of your eight upper division courses for the major from departments outside the Economics Department at UC Berkeley.See"Taking Courses Outside the Economics Department"for more information,
Can undergraduates take graduate courses?
YES. First you must contact the professor teaching the course to make sure that you have adequate background in the subject material, then receive the professor's approval to enroll. No graduate level seminar course can be used to fulfill an upper division Economics major requirement. In general, graduate core courses (201AB, 202AB, 204, 210A, and 240AB) are restricted only to graduate students. Please contact ugrad@econ.berkeley.edu if you receive permission to enroll in a graduate course.
Can upper division major courses be taken elsewhere?
YES. The Department will accept a maximum of two courses from another four-year school or EAP to fulfill major requirements. Community college courses are not upper division level courses. See "Taking Courses Outside the Economics Department" for more information,
I want to know if I am on track to graduate. How can I check my Economics major requirements?
You can view your progress towards the Economics major requirements by reviewing your Academic Progress Report (APR). We recommend using the Do-It-Yourself Guide to Checking Economics Major Requirements when checking your APR. This is recommended especially for graduating seniors. Remember, you must also check with an (and any other additional college/major/minor advisor) to ensure that you are on track with all your degree requirements.
My Economics major requirements are incorrect on my Academic Progress Report (APR). How can I fix this?
If your Academic Progress Report (APR) is incorrect, please contact us at ugrad@econ.berkeley.edu and we can adjust your APR as appropriate. Please review the list of approved major electives to confirm the courses that are approved to count for the major.
Which courses are included in my Economics major GPA?
The Economics major GPA includes the 3 upper division core courses (ECON 100A/101A, ECON 100B/101, and ECON 140/141) and 5 upper division electives. If ECON H195B is taken, it must count as one of the five electives. If more than 5 upper division electives are completed, the department will automaticallycount the 5 highest letter grades. Your major GPA can be found on your Academic Progress Report (APR) under the section titled "Upper Division in the Major GPA."P grades may not be used to replace letter grades in the GPA. Reference chart below.
| Number of Upper Division Electives | Grading Option | Major GPA calculation |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Letter grade only | All letter grades included. |
| 5 | Mix of P and letter grades | All letter grades included, P grade(s) only count for fulfillment of requirement. |
| >5 | Letter grade only | 5 highest letter grades included. |
| >5 | Mix of P and letter grades | All letter grades included (up to 5 highest letter grades). P grade(s) only count for fulfillment of requirement, if needed to reach 5 total electives. |
Grading
What do I do if I want to contest an Economics grade or Submit a Grade Appeal?
First, check your final exam. It will be available in the departmental office at 530 Evans Hall for one year after the final examination. If you want to contest your grade after looking at your exam, contact your GSI for the class. If the two of you cannot resolve the problem, contact the instructor. If a mistake has been made, the instructor will submit a grade change with the Registrar's Office. Grade changes cannot be made based on reassessment of coursework but only because of a clerical error.
If you want to submit a grade appeal, please email Undergraduate Advising (ugrad@econ.berkeley.edu)for further instructions.
Miscellaneous
I heard that Economics at Berkeley is a STEM major. Is this true?
YES.In June 2019, the Economics undergraduate and graduate degree programs were approved to be classified as a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) related discipline. Please see Economics CIP Code Update and FAQs to learn more.
I have an internship and want to receive credit. How do I do this through the Economics Department?
Declared Economics majors who are pursuing an internshipthat relates to their studies in the Department of Economicsmay earn academic credit. To earn credit, students are required to complete an application for ECON 197. Please visit this page for the application and further details regarding internship credit..
