Minor in Economics
Why study economics as a Minor?
The Minor in Economics meets the needs of students who seek a basic foundation in economic analysis, with formal recognition of this on their transcripts. Economics explores how individuals, corporations and societies manage their scarce resources. The study of Economics emphasizes conceptual and analytical thinking, providing students an excellent way to acquire strong problem-solving skills and a logical, ordered way of dealing with unexpected challenges.
An Economics minor allows students to sample the Economics field while still focusing on their major. It greatly complements the skills developed in almost all business disciplines and allows non-Economics majors to broaden their education at UW Bothell. While Economics may not be your main field of study, an understanding of the basic Economics principles will prove useful in most career paths and it will help you immensely as a person, citizen and professional.
Who can obtain an Economics Minor?
Any UW Bothell student may earn a Minor in Economics. UW Seattle and UW Tacoma students may use cross-campus enrollment to pursue the Economics minor. Interested students should discuss the feasibility of completing this minor with their major program advisor.
Economics faculty
Prerequisites
Before enrolling in the Economics minor, prospective students must achieve a minimum grade of 2.50 in Calculus and Statistics and a GPA of 2.70 across those two courses.
Prospective students must also have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.70.
Program requirements
The Minor in Economics requires the completion of five courses (three core classes plus two electives) for a total of 25 credits. At least three of the five courses must be completed at UW Bothell.
Core classes:
- B BUS 220 - Introduction to Microeconomics (5 credits)
- B BUS 221 - Introduction to Macroeconomics (5 credits)
- B BECN 300 - Quantitative Methods for Economics (5 credits)
Electives (choose two from the following):
- B BECN 302 - Intermediate Microeconomics (5 credits; offered in Winter)
- B BECN 458/B BUS 458 - Risk Modeling (5 credits; offered in Winter; also counts as elective for Finance concentration)
- B BECN 382 - Introduction to Econometrics (5 credits; offered in Spring)
- B BECN 460 - Financial Economics (5 credits; offered in Spring; also counts towards the Actuarial Science Minor)
- B BECN TBD - Introduction to Game Theory (5 credits; offered in Summer)
Students must satisfy the prerequisite(s) before registering for any of the 300/400 level Economics courses.
Applying to the Minor
To apply, complete a "Change of Major or Minor" form with your major program advisor. Your major program advisor will confirm that you meet the prerequisites of the minor, approve the "Change of Major or Minor" form to add the minor to your declared major(s) and minor(s), and send the approved form to the Registrar at your campus with a copy to the School of Business.
Once the approved "Change of Major or Minor" form is processed by the Registrar, a School of Business advisor will send an e-mail confirming your enrollment in the Economics minor and providing additional information regarding the minor.
You can make an appointment with a School of Business advisor to discuss the Minor in Economics. Please consult with your major advisor prior to meeting the advisor from the School of Business.
Registering for classes
Students who have been accepted into the Economics minor will be able to register for Economics courses (B BECN) starting in Registration Period 2. However, students not in the UW Bothell Business program will need the assistance of a School of Business advisor to register for 300/400 Economics courses. Each quarter, prior to the start of Registration Period 2, all students in the Economics minor are sent a link to a form used to request course registration assistance.
Graduating with a Minor
When applying for graduation, the student's major program advisor will list the minor requirements on the graduation application. Upon graduation, the minor will be indicated on the student's transcript, but will not appear on the diploma.
Educational values
What we want to see in our students:
- Analytical rigor
- Critical thinking
- Written and oral communication
- Ethical orientation
- Work ethic
- Engagement with business community
Additional information
For additional questions about the Economics minor, please contact Prof. Camelia Bejan at cameliab@uw.edu.