Effective Summer 2024

The Economics major will no longer be designated as a High Demand (HD) Major. This also means that students will no longer have to go through comprehensive review in order to declare the major. Prerequisite requirements have been updated with the intention to make admission into the major more accessible and the requirements more straightforward.
 

Prerequisite Courses

The Economics major has SIX prerequisites. All six classes (or their equivalent) must be completed prior to acceptance to the major and all must be taken for a letter grade. Students must earn a minimum of a C (2.0) grade in each of the prerequisite courses taken at Berkeley, and an average GPA/grade of 2.0 in any prerequisite courses taken at another institution. Students may apply while in progress of completing any remaining prerequisites.  Admission decisions will not be made until any prerequisite courses in progress are finished and grades are available.

  • ONE course or equivalent required of Introduction to Economics:
    • ECON 1 or 2 (At Berkeley, these courses include both micro and macro economics in one course)​​​​​
  • TWO courses are required of Math/Statistics (A-B series and Stat required):​
    • MATH 1A or 16A (or equivalent)
    • MATH 1B or 16B (or equivalent)

​                  ​At least one math or statistics prerequisite course must be taken at UC Berkeley.

  • ONE course or equivalent required of Introduction to Statistics: 
    • STAT 20, STAT 21, STAT W21, or STAT 88/DATA C88S; or
    • An upper division statistics course (STAT 131A, STAT 135, or STAT/DATA C140) is also acceptable  

​​At least one math or statistics prerequisite course must be taken at UC Berkeley.

  • TWO courses are required of Intermediate Economic Theory to apply to the major (all three are required to graduate): 
    • ECON 100A or 101A
    • ECON 100B or 101B, or UGBA 101B^
    • ECON 140 or 141

UGBA 101A cannot be used as a prerequisite for the Econ major - no exceptions. The prerequisite intermediate theory courses must be taken at UC Berkeley.

^ UGBA 101B is considered outside the department. Economics majors are allowed to complete up to two courses from outside the department to count towards major requirements.

Economics Program Plans

Sample Prerequisite Plan (.pdf): This shows how you can complete all of the above pre-requisite courses (with appropriate course combinations) and apply to the economics major on-time. 

Advanced Placement Examinations (AP Credit)

The following Advanced Placement Examinations are accepted by the Economics Department as fulfilling course credit:

  • Math AB - scores of 3, 4 or 5 are equivalent to Math 16A or Math 1A.
  • Math BC - scores of 3 or 4 are equivalent to Math 16A or Math 1A; a score of 5 is equivalent to Math 1B and fulfills the Economics calculus prerequisite.
  • Economics Micro/Macro - scores of 4 or 5 on both exams are equivalent to Economics 1 or Economics 2.

GCE Advanced Level Examinations A Level Credit)

The following GCE Advanced Level Examinations are accepted by the Economics Department as fulfilling course credit:

  • Mathematics - score of A, B, or C is equivalent to Math 1A and 1B and fulfills the Economics calculus prerequisite.
  • Economics Micro/Macro - score of A, B, or C is equivalent to Econ 1 and fulfills the Introductory Economics prerequisite. Students may enroll in upper division economics coursework beginning in the second semester of their freshman year.

International Baccalaureate Higher Level Examinations (IB CREDIT)

The following International Baccalaureate Higher Level Examinations are accepted by the Economics Department as fulfilling course credit:

  • Mathematics - score of 5, 6, or 7 fulfills the Economics calculus prerequisite.
  • Mathematics: Analysis & Approaches - score of 5, 6, or 7 fulfills MATH 1A or MATH 16A.
  • Mathematics: Anaylsis & Approaches - score of 7 fulfills MATH 1A and MATH 1B.
  • Mathematics: Applications & Interpreation - score of 5, 6, or 7 fulfills MATH 16A.
  • Economics Micro/Macro - score of 5, 6, or 7 is equivalent to Econ 1 and fulfills the Introductory Economics prerequisite.