Reed College
Reed College

Economics Department

Requirements

Economics majors must satisfy three sets of require­ments: the general requirements of Reed College, those of the Division of History and Social Sciences, and those of the Department of Economics.  The humanities and group requirements entail 13 Reed units of work, the divisional requirements add another two or four, depending on how the group requirements are met, and the major requirements adds another eight or ten, again depending on which courses have been used towards group requirements.  Since 30 units are required for graduation, this leaves between three and seven “free elective” units that can be used for any courses the student desires.

For information about college and divisional requirements, please refer to the Reed College Catalog.

Requirements for the Economics Major

Total of 10 units of economics coursework, including 2 units of economics thesis (470):

  1. Economics 201.
  2. Economics 311 or 312.
  3. Economics 313.
  4. Economics 304 or 314.
  5. Economics 470.
  6. Four additional units in economics (at least three of which are from Economics 315–469, excluding Economics 402).
  7. Junior qualifying examination. Students should take the junior qualifying examination the semester before starting their thesis, but must have completed or currently be enrolled in Economics 313 and either Economics 304 or 314 before taking the exam.

Although there is no formal mathematics requirement, Mathematics 111 or equivalent background in differential calculus is a prerequisite for Economics 313 and 314. Students intending to do graduate work in economics should take Economics 312 and as much mathematics as possible. Mathematics 111, 112, 141, 201, 202, and 322 are especially useful. Such students may wish to consider the major with concentration in quantitative economics.

Requirements for the Economics Major 
with Concentration in Quantitative Economics

Total of 15 units; 10 units of economics coursework, including 2 units of economics thesis (470), and five units of mathematics coursework:

  1. Economics 201, 312, 313, 314.
  2. Mathematics 111, 112, 141, 201, 202.
  3. Four additional units in economics (at least three of which are from Economics 315–469, excluding Economics 402).
  4. Economics 470.
  5. Junior qualifying examination. Students should take the junior qualifying examination the semester before starting their thesis, but must have completed or currently be enrolled in Economics 313 and either Economics 304 or Economics 314 before taking the exam.

Requirements for the Economics Minor

The goal of the economics minor is to acquaint students with the primary analytical frameworks and methods of the discipline, as well as providing opportunities to explore their applications to topical issues.

All students will complete at least five units of economics courses, which must include:

  1. Economics 201.
  2. Two units, one unit each from two of the following three groups:
    1. Economics 313;
    2. Economics 304 or 314;
    3. Economics 311 or 312.
  3. Two additional units in economics, at least one of which is from Economics 315—469, excluding Economics 402.