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Undergraduate Catalog

Economics Major BS

Economics describes and analyzes the organization and operation of an economic system. While much can be learned from the economic systems of other countries, most courses in this program focus on the western market economy. An understanding of economics is essential for all careers in management and to becoming a well-informed citizen and participant in society.

The economics program offers courses which serve all majors in the College of Management and those leading to the two tracks in the economics major. The business economics track prepares students for work in the quantitative areas of business: market research, business forecasting, financial analysis, economic modeling and simulation, operations, and quantitative decision making. The more traditional economics track prepares students for graduate study in economics and professional study in law, public administration, business and public policy.

The economics program area also offers a minor in economics that allows students to go deeper in learning how to apply the basic concepts gained from taking the principles of macroeconomics and microeconomics. The economics minor provides a balance of theory and practice in order to increase students' ability to solve problems in their fields. The economics minor is offered primarily to the following categories of students: students from business and management fields in the College of Management, students from human services and public administration, and students from the liberal arts who desire to increase their knowledge of economics.

All economics courses may be used to fulfill the university's general education/liberal studies requirements.

Requirements

The economics program includes 120 credits (at least 40 upper division) distributed in general education/liberal studies, foundation courses and study in economics or business economics.

  1. General Education and Liberal Studies

    Students in degree programs at Metropolitan State University must complete while at the university, or transfer to the university, a number of courses to meet general education and liberal studies requirements. View General Education and Liberal Studies (GELS) for Metropolitan State University.

  2. Economics Foundation Courses (22 credits)

Economics Track

  1. Required (16 credits)
  2. Electives (16 credits, choose four courses)

Business Economics Track

  1. Required (24 credits)
  2. Economics Electives (12 credits, choose three courses)


Many College of Management courses are sequenced and build on previous learning.  Students must complete course prerequisites before registering for a course which requires prerequisites.  In addition, students must complete 30 credits of coursework, including introductory and intermediate writing before they can register for College of Management upper division courses (those numbered 300 and above).  MGMT 499 Case Studies in Strategic Management is a capstone class which should be taken during the last semester of the student's program.

Transfer of Credit

Transfer course evaluation is made by the faculty in the College of Management consistent with the requirements of MnSCU Policy 3.2 and MnSCU Procedure 3.21.1 (Undergraduate Course Credit Transfer).  COM faculty will accept a course as meeting a COM major or minor requirement if the course content is equivalent to or acceptable in place of a Metropolitan State University course as determined by COM faculty;

  • the course was taught at a similar or higher level as the comparable COM course;
  • the content and level of the course are consistent with state/national-level professional, industry and licensure standards; and
  • the course carries a grade of "C-" or "S" or higher.

Accounting, economics, and management information systems transfer courses must meet "sunset" policy requirements which specify the maximum time between when the course was taken and when the student was admitted to Metropolitan State.  If a course is not accepted because too much time has elapsed since the course was completed, a student may demonstrate competence in some courses via exam.  Formal articulation agreements between Metropolitan State and other institutions identify transfer of courses between those institutions. 

Credit and Residency Requirements

Students in each of the College of Management bachelor of science major programs must complete a minimum of 20 credit hours of their major requirements and/or major electives at Metropolitan State University.  In addition, students must complete at least 30 credits at Metropolitan State University in order to graduate.