Frequently Asked Questions

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.

Prerequisite Courses

Applying to the Major

Completing Major Requirements

Grading

Miscellaneous

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.

I took ECON 100A and ECON 100B as prerequisites. Can I choose which one I want to count in the GPA for admission?

NO. While only one upper division intermediate theory or econometrics course is required for admission, the department will include grades from all upper division core courses in-progress and/or completed at the time of application, in the GPA for admission. The upper division core courses are: ECON 100A/101A, ECON 100B/101B, and ECON 140/141. For more details, please review the Economics Undergraduate Admissions Policies.

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

What are the Fall 2019 changes to the Statistics prerequisite?

Effective Fall 2019, STAT 135 and STAT 140 may be used to fulfill the statistics prerequisite for the Economics major. Starting Spring 2020, STAT/COMPSCI/INFO C8, STAT 134, and IEOR 172 ma no longer be used to meet the statistics prerequisite for the Economics major. Find more details below:

  • Grades earned in STAT/COMPSCI/INFO C8, STAT 134, or IEOR 172 in Fall 2019 and prior will be included in the GPA calculation for admission into the major.
  • Grades earned in STAT/COMPSCI/INFO C8, STAT 134, or IEOR 172 in Spring 2020 and later will NOT be included in the GPA calculation to determine admission into the major. 
  • Changes approved May 1, 2019.

The current approved Statistics prerequisites are as follows:

  • STAT 20, STAT 21, STAT W21, STAT 88 (must complete STAT/COMPSCI/INFO C8 connector course to count STAT 88), or an approved upper division Statistics course with a calculus prerequisite (STAT 131A, STAT 135, or STAT 140)

Please review Economics Major Admissions: Statistics Prerequisite FAQ for more information.

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 L&S Advisor (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 automatically count 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 internship that relates to their studies in the Department of Economics may 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..