Economics (BS)

Economics is the study of how people and societies make choices to accomplish individual and social purposes. In this major, students learn about individual, national and global economic behavior, and then apply various theoretical insights and methods of analysis to the contemporary challenges involving social and economic justice, discrimination, immigration, markets, and crime, among other topics.

Learning outcomes.  Students will:

  • Apply multiple approaches to economic analysis using critical thinking to produce arguments concerning economic issues on a variety of issues.
  • Produce arguments using quantitative reasoning ranging from critical evaluation of existing statistics to generating original statistical information.
  • Create persuasive oral and written communications of economic arguments.
  • Evaluate justice advocacy issues of social justice, racism, and environmental sustainability through the lens of economic inequality.
  • Experience multiple perspectives of complex social challenges to become informed, open-minded, and active global citizens. 
Credits Required
Economics Major (or more depending on math placement) 39-42
General Education 42
Electives 36-39
Total Credits Required for B.A. Degree 120

Note: Students considering graduate programs in economics should consider additional mathematics and statistics courses as free electives. Students are strongly advised to discuss graduate school options early in their progression through the major.

Economics Major CUNY Gateway Courses. ECO 120 Introduction to Macroeconomics, ECO 125 Introduction to Microeconomics, ECO 255 Statistics for Economists.

Major/Minor Advisor.  Professor Jay Hamilton (jhamilton@jjay.cuny.edu), Department of Economics.

Advisor. Rita Taveras (rtaveras@jjay.cuny.edu), Department of Economics.

Advising information. Economics Major Advising Resources including a Sample Four-year Advising Plan. Major Checklist. 

Honors Option. Honors in the BS in Economics is bestowed upon students who graduate with an overall GPA of 3.2 or higher, a GPA of 3.5 or higher for courses taken in fulfillment of the major, complete at least one additional Economics elective course at the 300-level, and complete a written capstone project in ECO 405 Seminar in Economics.  

Dual Admission / Accelerated Program Leading to the MA in Economics. This program allows student an accelerated approach to earning their BS and MA in Economics at John Jay.  Students complete 134 credits to earn both degrees. Contact the department for more details about the requirements and application process.

Additional information. Students who enrolled for the first time at the College or changed to this major in September 2020 or thereafter must complete the major in the form presented here. Students who enrolled prior to that date may choose the form shown here or the earlier version of the major. A copy of the earlier version may be obtained in the 2019-2020 Undergraduate Bulletin.

Foundational Courses
Choose one
ECO 101 Introduction to Economics and Global Capitalism 3
ECO 120 Introduction to Macroeconomics 3
ECO 125 Introduction to Microeconomics 3

Students who enter John Jay College as freshman will take ECO 101.  Transfer students may bring in ECO 120 or ECO 125.

One course may be required depending on math placement

MAT 108 Social Science Math 3
MAT 141 Pre-Calculus 3
Students can satisfy this requirement with a higher level math course such as MAT 241, MAT 242, STA 250
Subtotal: 3-6

Advisor recommendation: ECO 101 fulfills the Flexible Core: Individual & Society area and MAT 108 or MAT 141 fulfill the Required Core: Math & Quantitative Reasoning area of the College's Gen Ed Program. 

Part One. Core Courses
Required
ECO 105 Understanding U.S. Economic Data 3
ECO 213 Political Economy 3
ECO 220 Intermediate Macroeconomics 3
ECO 225 Intermediate Microeconomics 3
ECO 255 Statistics for Economists 3
ECO 310 Economics in Historical Perspectives 3
ECO 405 Seminar in Economics 3
Subtotal: 21

Part Two. Electives

Select five courses, three of the courses must be at the 300-level or above. 

AFR 250 Political Economy of Racism 3
AFR 322 Inequality and Wealth 3
ECO 207 Movements for Economic Justice 3
ECO 215 Economics of Regulation and the Law
ECO 231 Global Economic Development and Crime 3
ECO 235 Finance for Forensic Economics
ECO 245 International Economics 3
ECO 260 Environmental Economics, Regulation and Policy 3
ECO 265 Introduction to Public Sector Economics 3
ECO 270 Urban Economics
ECO 280 Economics of Labor
ECO 283 Selected Topics in Economics 3
ECO 289 Independent Study 200-level 3
ECO 315 /PSC 315 An Economic Analysis of Crime 3
ECO 324 Money and Banking 3
ECO 325 Economics and the Law 3
ECO 327 The Political Economy of Gender 3
ECO 330 Econometrics 3
ECO 333 Sustainability: Preserving the Earth as Human Habitat 3
ECO 335 Finance for Forensic Economics 3
ECO 360 /SOC 360 Corporate and White-Collar Crime 3
ECO 370 Urban Economics 3
ECO 385 Faculty Mentored Research Experience in Economics 3
ECO 380 Economics of Labor 3
ECO 389 Independent Study 300-level 3
ECO 489 Independent Study 400-level 3
Subtotal: 15

Notes: ECO 325 Economics and the Law formerly ECO 215 Economics of Regulation and Law
ECO 335 Finance for Forensic Economics formerly ECO 235 Finance for Forensic Economics
ECO 370 Urban Economics formerly ECO 270 Urban Economics
ECO 380 Economics of Labor formerly ECO 280 Economics of Labor

TOTAL CREDIT HOURS: 39-42