Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Economics

Economics places you at the juncture of social science, business and social policy. This fascinating subject helps explain the behavior of individuals, groups and organizations.
As an economics student, you will study how markets work to determine what is produced, how it is produced and how income is distributed. You will explore subjects like the role and impact of international trade, the effect of monopolies on the economy and the problems of unemployment and inflation.
This work will help you develop a strong understanding of businesses, markets and financial organizations. This means that you’ll graduate prepared for careers in the private, public and academic sectors.
Earn either a bachelor of science (B.S.) or a bachelor of arts (B.A.) degree in economics depending on your strengths in mathematics and quantitative skills (B.S.) or foreign language (B.A.).
Watch the video
Program Highlights
Research Opportunities
Economics research opportunities are available during the summer and academic year. Summer research programs are a very good stepping stone to a successful senior thesis or project. More details are available at the Undergraduate Research Program website.
Honors in Economics
The honors program at UD offers a scholarly and enriching community that extends well beyond graduation. You’ll enjoy smaller, more challenging classes and the opportunity to engage in research and assume leadership roles.
The honors degree requires:
- All requirements for the B.A. or B.S. in economics (B.A. in economics education).
- All of the University’s generic requirements for the honors baccalaureate degree.
ECON 301 and ECON 304 must be taken in honors sections. Courses in economics at the 600-level or higher may be considered as Honors courses.
STEM OPT Program
The B.S. in economics degree is a STEM-designated degree program and provides international students 24 months of OPT (Optional Practical Training) in addition to the original 12 months. (The B.A. in economics is not STEM-designated.)
Program Requirements
The B.A. and B.S. degrees in economics differ in the quantitative and language requirements:
Language
- B.A. degree students must earn a passing grade in an intermediate level course (107 or 112) offered by the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures. Students with four or more years of high school work in a single foreign language may attempt to fulfill the requirement in that language by taking an exemption examination.
- B.S. degree students do not have a language requirement.
Quantitative
- B.S. degree students are required to demonstrate proficiency in quantitative methods. This involves successfully completing intermediate-level theory courses with calculus (ECON 301 and ECON 304) and an upper level econometrics course (ECON 422). Note: quantitative skills are an important part of more advanced study in economics, and several 400-level courses in economics require calculus.
- B.A. degree students may take intermediate-level theory courses either with calculus (ECON 301 and ECON 304) or without calculus (ECON 300 and ECON 303). An upper-level econometrics course (ECON 422) is recommended but not required.
B.S. Economics – Suggested Course Sequence
ECON 101 – Microeconomics
MATH 221, 232 or 241
Creative arts & humanities breadth course
Social & behavioral sciences breadth course
BUAD 110 – Basics of Business
Second semester
ENGL 110 – Seminar in Composition
Additional MATH course
ECON 103 – Macroeconomics
History & cultural change breadth course
Free elective
ECON 301 – Quantitative Microeconomic Theory
STAT 200 – Basic Statistical Practice
Related work (ACCT 207 recommended)
Natural sciences & technology breadth course with lab (4 credits)
Creative arts & humanities breadth course
Second semester
ECON 304 – Quantitative Macroeconomic Theory
ECON 306 – Introduction to Econometrics
History & cultural change breadth course
Multicultural requirement
Free elective
ECON 300- or 400-level
ECON 422 – Econometric Methods & Models I
2nd writing requirement
Related work
Free elective
Second semester
ECON 300- or 400-level
ECON 400-level
Free elective
Creative arts & humanities breadth course
Related work
ECON 300- or 400-level
ECON 400-level
Discovery Learning Experience requirement
Free elective
Free elective
Second semester
History & cultural change breadth course
ECON 400-level
Free elective
Free elective
Free elective (2 credits)
B.A. Economics – Suggested Course Sequence
ECON 101 – Microeconomics
MATH 114, 115, 117, 221, 232 or 241
Foreign language course (4 credits)
Social & behavioral sciences breadth course
BUAD 110 – Basics of Business
Second semester
ENGL 110 – Seminar in Composition
ECON 103 – Macroeconomics
Foreign language course (4 credits)
History & cultural change breadth course
Mathematics, natural sciences & technology breadth course
ECON 300 or ECON 301
STAT 200 – Basic Statistical Practice
Foreign language course (4 credits)
Creative arts & humanities breadth course
Mathematics, natural sciences & technology breadth course
Second semester
ECON 303 or ECON 304
ECON 306 – Introduction to Econometrics
History & cultural change breadth course
Multicultural course
Free elective
ECON 300- or 400-level
ECON 300- or 400-level
Free elective
Related work (ACCT 207 recommended)
Creative arts & humanities breath course
Second semester
ECON 300- or 400-level
ECON 400-level
Related work
2nd writing requirement
Free elective
ECON 400-level
Related work
History & cultural change breadth course
Discovery Learning Experience
Free elective
Second semester
ECON 400-level
Creative arts & humanities breadth course
Free elective
Free elective
Career Opportunities
Within 6 months of graduating, for the class of 2021, 96% of Lerner’s BS economics graduates are employed (earning a mean starting salary of $58,997) or pursuing further education and 94% of Lerner’s BA economics graduates are employed (earning a mean starting salary of $46,094) or pursuing further education.
For more information on career resources please visit the Lerner Career Services Center.
Top Employers
Some of the top employers of Lerner’s B.S. economics graduates include:
- JPMorgan Chase
- M&T Bank
- Protiviti
- BlackRock
- Citi
- Deloitte
- S&P Global Market Intelligence
Some of the top employers of Lerner’s B.A. economics graduates include:
- Vanguard
- JPMorgan Chase
- Bank of America
- M&T Bank
- Citi
Top Jobs
Job titles of recent graduates with a B.S. in economics degree include:
- Account Executive
- Financial Analyst
- Client Service Associate
- Credit Analyst
- Forecast Analyst
- Financial Advisor
Job titles of recent graduates with a B.A. in economics degree include:
- Financial Analyst
- Consultant
- Client Associate
- Executive Recruiter
- Financial Control Analyst
- Fraud Analyst
Visit the Career Outcomes of Lerner B.S. economics students and Career Outcomes of Lerner B.A. economics students to see more top employers, job titles, salaries and locations.
News
- What is a STEM Degree - What are the advantages of STEM degrees? What are STEM-designated degrees? And, how can foreign students harness them to optimize their education and professional experiences in the U.S.?
- Lifelong Lerner: Rafi Turitz-Sweifach - Rafi Turitz-Sweifach, a member of UD’s Lerner Class of 2022, shared his favorite UD memories, how he has grown during his time at UD and his plans following graduation.
- Lifelong Lerner: Ted Cebulski - Ted Cebulski, a member of UD’s Lerner Class of 2022, shared his favorite UD memories, how he has grown during his time at UD and his plans following graduation.
- Lifelong Lerner: Gabriel Castro - Gabriel Castro, a member of UD’s Lerner Class of 2022, shared his favorite UD memories, how he has grown during his time at UD and his plans following graduation.
- UDREAM Program Helps Lerner Students Succeed - UDREAM peer mentors help new students pick classes, manage schedules and get involved in extracurricular activities to acclimate them to life at UD.
Learn More
If you have any questions about the major requirements, contact Professor Elizabeth Bayley, Undergraduate Program Advisor.
Browse course descriptions (Select ECON as the subject).
Admissions Information
Learn more about undergraduate admissions requirements, deadlines, tuition and financial aid available to you.