This joint major provides a program of study for students who seek the option of taking a quantitatively oriented job in industry or who intend to enter graduate school in applied mathematics, statistics, economics, business, or a related area such as operations research or management science. The program is advantageous to students who otherwise would take a double major or a single major in mathematics and/or economics. The joint major provides not only a set of requirements but also suggested course sequences of mathematics and economics courses that are compatible with each other and prepare students for various specialties.
There are three areas in economics that are very closely related to mathematics: economic theory, stat-econometrics, and mathematical economics. A mathematics-economics joint major includes courses in each of the three areas. In order to acquire the appropriate mathematical background to take courses in these areas, as well as to develop a good foundation in mathematics relative to the careers mentioned earlier, joint majors take appropriate basic mathematics courses. For students in the joint major, the basic mathematics courses replace the economics "mathematics for economists" prerequisites.
The requirements include 31 credits in mathematics and 27 credits in economics. A related area is not required. A grade of C or better is required in each course that is to count toward the major. No course that counts toward the major can be taken on an S/NC basis. Note that students who declared a math major in the Fall of 2018 or after are required to complete the one credit course, MATH 0500 Professional Development, prior to graduation. There are three sections offered in the spring term. The Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences maintains the Authoritative Statement of Degree Requirements (major sheet).
Departmental Honors in Mathematics-Economics
The departments of mathematics and economics offer a program leading to graduation with departmental honors in the joint major. For a degree with departmental honors, a student must take the required economics courses with the added stipulations that ECON 1180 and a proseminar (ECON 1700-1730) must be taken as the two upper-level field courses. The student must also take the following 27 credits of mathematics courses in place of the mathematics courses previously listed for the joint major in mathematics-economics.
- MATH 0235 (honors), MATH 0240 (honors)
- MATH 0450
- MATH 1185
- MATH 1530
In addition, the student must maintain a QPA of at least 3.0 in mathematics courses taken, a QPA of at least 3.25 in economics courses taken, and an overall QPA of at least 3.25.
- Notes
- 1. Highly qualified students may substitute MATH 0450 (Introduction to Analysis) for MATH 0413 and MATH 0420.
- 2. ECON 0120 may be substituted for 0010 and 0020. Students who elect this option must take an additional field course.