Quantitative Economics-BS
Exploring the Major— Students considering the Quantitative Economics major should begin exploring the discipline through the Department’s introductory courses - ECO 101 and ECO 102. Also, because mathematics is a significant component of the Quantitative Economics major, prospective students are encouraged to progress through the Mathematics sequence, completing or waiving MAT 115, MAT 125 and MAT 135 as early as possible.
Admission to the Major— Completion of ECO 101 and ECO 102 and completion or enrollment in ECO 250 at the time of declaration of the major.
Course Sequencing Considerations (in order to complete degree requirements within eight terms)— Prospective Quantitative Economics majors should: 1) Complete the Developmental Mathematics requirement, if applicable, as soon as possible because this is a prerequisite for both ECO 101 and ECO 102, which are the foundational courses for Economics, and one or both are therefore required for any 300-level ECO course. 2) Continue on with the Mathematics sequence, completing or waiving MAT 115, MAT 125, and MAT 135, the latter of which is a required collateral course. These Mathematics courses serve as prerequisites for core courses required for Quantitative Economics majors. MAT 115 also serves as one of the prerequisites for ECO 250, one of the core courses in the major, which must be taken prior to ECO 350, also a core course. It is very important, if at all possible, for all Quantitative Economics majors to complete ECO 250 by spring of their sophomore year such that they can take ECO 350 by fall of junior year. If this is not possible, students should speak with their economics advisor about their situation.
Students interested in a particular concentration should also take the foundational courses for that concentration as soon as possible so that they have the prerequisite for the required upper-level courses.
- Mathematics Concentration: Complete MAT 135 as soon as possible so that other upper-level math course options can be taken.
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Finance Concentration: Complete BUS 120 and ECO 250 so that the required upper-level finance courses can be taken. To get the most from the Finance concentration, it is best to take BUS 366 before other concentration courses when possible. Seek to complete BUS 366 by the end of the first semester junior year. Lucrative finance internships will be looking to recruit students in the sophomore year, so some finance by then can facilitate that process.
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Data Analysis Concentration: Complete a 100-level CSC course and CSC 226 so that upper-level computer science course options can be taken. Students may enroll in up to two departmental Internship experiences for a maximum of three credits. However, Internships may not be counted toward the major requirements.
Proficiency Requirements for Retention in and Completion of the Major— In addition to completing specified course requirements, each student must satisfy departmental standards for written and oral communication. For more about these standards, please see the Department’s website. Opportunities to do so are provided in a number of courses throughout the curriculum. The Department also requires that a majority of courses taken to satisfy major and minor degree requirements must be taken at Berea College.
Other Considerations and Recommendations— The selection of collateral courses for the Mathematics concentration depends to some extent on the intended graduate-school emphasis. For those students interested in an applied program or a program with a policy emphasis, such as urban studies or public administration, MAT 135 should be supplemented by MAT 225 and MAT 312. For graduate programs that are more theoretical, MAT 135 (or waiver), MAT 214, MAT 225, and MAT 311 are a minimum; and MAT 330, MAT 437, and MAT 438 are strongly recommended. For the Finance concentration, the selection of ECO 4xx or 4xx, may depend on your future career goals. Those interested in Investment Analyst jobs might find Time Series Econometrics more helpful while those interested in Corporate Finance might find Panel Data Methods more useful.