Economics is about more than money and profits. It is a way of looking at the world through the lens of incentives, choices, and markets to help uncover new solutions to the persistent problems in our society. This economic perspective sheds light on important issues in the areas of production, education, crime, the environment, international trade, immigration, health care, economic growth, poverty, and more. The Bachelor of Arts in Economics is designed for students with a strong interest in the liberal arts. It is appropriate for those who prefer a less quantitative degree program than the Bachelor of Science in Economics and may be especially appropriate for students planning to attend law school or graduate programs in business or public administration. 

Policies

Students pursuing this degree must complete a minimum of 48 credits of required coursework with a minimum GPA of 2.00. Students in the concentration in philosophy, politics, and economics complete a minimum of 70 credits. Students must also complete ECON 103 Contemporary Microeconomic Principles (Mason Core) and ECON 104 Contemporary Macroeconomic Principles (Mason Core) with at least a 2.00 (C) in each.

For policies governing all undergraduate degrees, see AP.5 Undergraduate Policies.

Banner Code: LA-BA-ECON

Degree Requirements

Total credits: minimum 120

Students should be aware of the specific policies associated with this program, located on the Admissions & Policies tab.

Some economics courses may fulfill the Mason Core requirement in global understanding or the college requirement in non-Western culture. Check with the departmental advising office for more information. 

Core Courses without Concentration

Required Courses

ECON 103Contemporary Microeconomic Principles (Mason Core)3
ECON 104Contemporary Macroeconomic Principles (Mason Core)3
ECON 306Intermediate Microeconomics3
ECON 311Intermediate Macroeconomics3
ECON 309Economic Problems and Public Policies3
ECON 345Introduction to Econometrics3
Select one from the following:3
Introductory Calculus with Business Applications (Mason Core)
Applied Calculus
Analytic Geometry and Calculus I (Mason Core)
Total Credits21

Statistics

Select 6 credits from the following:6
Business Analytics I (Mason Core)
and Business Analytics II
Introductory Statistics I (Mason Core)
and Introductory Statistics II
Probability and Statistics for Engineers and Scientists I
and Probability and Statistics for Engineers and Scientists II
Total Credits6

Electives without Concentration

Select 15 credits of electives from courses in economics at the 300 or 400 level 115
Select 6 credits of electives from courses in economics at the 400 level or higher.6
Total Credits21
1

ECON 385 International Economic Policy may not be used to fulfill this requirement.

Core Courses with Concentration in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE)

The 66 credit concentration in philosophy, politics, and economics offers students a program that explores the interdisciplinary connections between philosophy, political science, and economics.

Economics

ECON 103Contemporary Microeconomic Principles (Mason Core)3
ECON 104Contemporary Macroeconomic Principles (Mason Core)3
ECON 306Intermediate Microeconomics3
ECON 311Intermediate Macroeconomics3
ECON 345Introduction to Econometrics3
Select one from the following:3
Introductory Calculus with Business Applications (Mason Core)
Applied Calculus
Analytic Geometry and Calculus I (Mason Core)
Total Credits18

Statistics

Select one from the following:6
Business Analytics I (Mason Core)
and Business Analytics II
Introductory Statistics I (Mason Core)
and Introductory Statistics II
Probability and Statistics for Engineers and Scientists I
and Probability and Statistics for Engineers and Scientists II
Total Credits6

Electives with Concentration

Select 15 credits of electives in economics at the 300 and 400 level or higher. 115
Total Credits15
1

ECON 385 International Economic Policy may not be used to fulfill this requirement.

Philosophy

Foundational
Choose one from the following:3
Modern Western Political Theory
Contemporary Western Political Theory
Electives
Choose two from the following:6
Philosophy of the Social Sciences
Philosophy of the Natural Sciences
Ethics and Economics
Culminating
PHIL 353Theories of Justice3
Total Credits12

Political Science

Foundational
GOVT 133Introduction to Comparative Politics (Mason Core)3
Electives
Choose two from the following:6
Democratic Theory and Practice (Mason Core)
Public Law and the Judicial Process
Legislative Behavior
The American Presidency
Political Parties and Campaigns
Interest Groups, Lobbying, and the Political Process
Classical Western Political Theory
Politics of Latin America
Politics of the Middle East and North Africa
Politics of East Asia
Politics of Europe
Politics of Eurasia
Islam and Politics
Introduction to Environmental Policy
Public Policy Making
Public Policy Analysis
Money, Markets and Economic Policy (Mason Core)
Constitutional Interpretation
Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Liberties
Law and Ethics of War
Culminating
GOVT 467How Washington Really Works3
Total Credits12

Culminating Course in Economics

ECON 460Senior Seminar in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics3
Total Credits3

Writing-Intensive Requirement

The university requires all students to complete at least one course designated as "writing intensive" in their majors at the 300 level or above. Students majoring in economics fulfill this requirement by successfully completing one of the following courses:

The Political Economy of Nonprofit Institutions (Mason Core)
Topics in Economic History (Mason Core)
Effective Writing in Economics (Mason Core)
Economics of Energy (Mason Core)
Economics of Regulation (Mason Core)
Smithian Political Economy I (Mason Core)

Upper Level Requirements

Students seeking a bachelor’s degree must apply at least 45 credits of upper-level courses (numbered 300 or above) toward graduation requirements.

Additional Electives

Any remaining credits may be completed with elective courses to bring the degree total to 120.

College Level Requirements for the BA Degree

In addition to the Mason Core program, students pursuing a BA degree must complete the coursework below. Except where expressly prohibited, a course used to fulfill a college level requirement may also be used simultaneously to satisfy other requirements (Mason Core requirements or requirements for the major).

Philosophy or Religious Studies
Select 3 credits from the following:3
1

Note that the following courses may not be used to fulfill this requirement:

  • PHIL 323 Classical Western Political Theory 
  • PHIL 324 Modern Western Political Theory 
  • PHIL 327 Contemporary Western Political Theory 
  • PHIL 393 Humanities College to Career 
  • PHIL 460 Senior Seminar in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics


Additionally, PHIL 253RELI 235RELI 333, and RELI 339 cannot be used to fulfill both the philosophy/religious studies requirement and the Mason Core literature requirement.

Social and Behavioral Sciences
Select 3 credits of social and behavioral sciences from the following (additional to the Mason Core social and behavioral sciences requirement) 13
ANTH
CRIM
ECON
GOVT
HIST 2
LING
PSYC
SOCI
Or choose from the following GGS courses:
Major World Regions (Mason Core)
Human Geography (Mason Core)
Introduction to Geoinformation Technologies
Political Geography (Mason Core)
Geography of Resource Conservation (Mason Core)
Population Geography (Mason Core)
Economic Geography
Urban Geography
Geography of the United States
Geography of Latin America
Geography of Europe
Geography of North Africa and the Middle East
Geography of Eastern Europe and Russia
Urban Planning
Geography of Virginia
1

The two courses used to fulfill the combined college and Mason Core requirements must be from different disciplines in the social and behavioral sciences. 

2

HIST 100 and HIST 125 may not be used to fulfill this requirement.

Foreign Language
Intermediate-level proficiency in one foreign language, fulfilled by: 1
Or achieving a satisfactory score on an approved proficiency test
Or completing the following ASL three course sequence:
American Sign Language (ASL) I
American Sign Language (ASL) II
American Sign Language (ASL) III
1

Students who are already proficient in a second language may be eligible for a waiver of this requirement. Additional information on waivers can be found at the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs.

Non-Western Culture

Select 3 credits of an approved course in the study of a non-Western culture (additional to the Mason Core requirement in global understanding)

Select 3 credits (additional to Mason Core Global Understanding requirement) 1
ANTH 114Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (Mason Core)3
ANTH 300Civilizations3
ANTH 302Peoples and Cultures of Latin America (Mason Core)3
ANTH 307Ancient Mesoamerica (Mason Core)3
ANTH 308Peoples and Cultures of the Middle East (Mason Core)3
ANTH 309Peoples and Cultures of India (Mason Core)3
ANTH 313Myth, Magic, and Mind (Mason Core)3
ANTH 314Zombies3
ANTH 317East Asian Cultures3
ANTH 330Peoples and Cultures of Selected Regions: Non-Western3
ANTH 332Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Globalization (Mason Core)3
ANTH 381Medical Anthropology3
ANTH 396Issues in Anthropology: Social Sciences (Mason Core)3
ARAB 360Topics in Arabic Cultural Production3
ARAB 365Black and Minority Cultures in Arabic Literature (Mason Core)3
ARAB 420Survey of Arabic Literature3
ARAB 440Topics in Arabic Religious Thought and Texts (Mason Core)3
ARTH 203Survey of Asian Art (Mason Core)3
ARTH 204Survey of Latin American Art (Mason Core)3
ARTH 206Survey of African Art (Mason Core)3
ARTH 317The Black Pharaohs: Art and Archaeology of Ancient Nubia (Mason Core)3
ARTH 318Art and Archaeology of Ancient Egypt3
ARTH 319Art and Archaeology of the Ancient Near East (Mason Core)3
ARTH 320Art of the Islamic World (Mason Core)3
ARTH 382Arts of India (Mason Core)3
ARTH 383Arts of Southeast Asia (Mason Core)3
ARTH 384Arts of China (Mason Core)3
ARTH 385Arts of Japan (Mason Core)3
ARTH 482RS: Advanced Studies in Asian Art (Mason Core)3
CHIN 318Introduction to Classical Chinese (Mason Core)3
CHIN 320Contemporary Chinese Film3
CHIN 325Major Chinese Writers (Mason Core)3
CHIN 470Special Topics in Chinese Studies3
DANC 118Global Dance Perspectives I (Mason Core)3
ECON 361Economic Development of Latin America (Mason Core)3
ECON 362African Economic Development (Mason Core)3
FREN 454Topics in Caribbean Francophone Literature and Culture3
GGS 101Major World Regions (Mason Core)3
GGS 316Geography of Latin America3
GGS 317Geography of China (Mason Core)3
GGS 325Geography of North Africa and the Middle East3
GGS 399Select Topics in GGS3
GOVT 332Politics of the Middle East and North Africa3
GOVT 333Politics of East Asia3
GOVT 338Politics of Eurasia3
GOVT 340Central Asian Politics3
GOVT 341Chinese Foreign Policy3
GOVT 345Islam and Politics3
GOVT 433Political Economy of East Asia3
HIST 251Survey of East Asian History (Mason Core)3
HIST 252Survey of East Asian History (Mason Core)3
HIST 261Survey of African History (Mason Core)3
HIST 262Survey of African History (Mason Core)3
HIST 271Survey of Latin American History (Mason Core)3
HIST 272Survey of Latin American History (Mason Core)3
HIST 281Survey of Middle Eastern Civilization (Mason Core)3
HIST 282Survey of Middle Eastern Civilization (Mason Core)3
HIST 326Stalinism3
HIST 327The Soviet Union and Russia Since World War II3
HIST 328Rise of Russia (Mason Core)3
HIST 329Modern Russia and the Soviet Union (Mason Core)3
HIST 353History of Traditional China3
HIST 354Modern China (Mason Core)3
HIST 356Modern Japan (Mason Core)3
HIST 357Postwar Japan (Mason Core)3
HIST 358Post-1949 China (Mason Core)3
HIST 360History of South Africa (Mason Core)3
HIST 364Revolution in Latin America (Mason Core)3
HIST 365Conquest and Colonization in Latin America (Mason Core)3
HIST 366Comparative Slavery3
HIST 377The Vietnam War (Mason Core)3
HIST 384Global History of Christianity (Mason Core)3
HIST 387Topics in Global History (Mason Core)3-6
HIST 461Arab-Israeli Conflict3
HIST 462Women in Islamic Society (Mason Core)3
HIST 465The Middle East in the 20th Century3
JAPA 310Japanese Culture in a Global World (Mason Core)3
JAPA 340Topics in Japanese Literature (Mason Core)3
JAPA 380Japan in Motion3
KORE 300Korean Culture and Society3
KORE 320Korean Popular Culture in a Global World3
KORE 385Introduction to Korean Linguistics3
MUSI 103Musics of the World (Mason Core)3
RELI 211Introduction to Religions of the "West" (Mason Core)3
RELI 212Introduction to Religions of Asia (Mason Core)3
RELI 312Islam (Mason Core)3
RELI 313Hinduism (Mason Core)3
RELI 314Chinese Philosophies and Religious Traditions3
RELI 315Buddhism (Mason Core)3
RELI 317Daoism3
RELI 318Korean Philosophy and Religions3
RELI 338Qur'an and Hadith3
RELI 342Comparative Study of Mysticism3
RELI 344Muhammad: Life and Legacy3
RELI 358Islamic Thought (Mason Core)3
RELI 367Islamic Law, Society, and Ethics3
RELI 368Islam, Democracy, and Human Rights (Mason Core)3
RELI 384Global History of Christianity (Mason Core)3
RELI 490Comparative Study of Religions (Mason Core)3
RUSS 353Russian Civilization (Mason Core)3
RUSS 354Contemporary Post-Soviet Life (Mason Core)3
WMST 407Transnational Sexualities3
1

A course used to fulfill the Mason Core global understanding requirement may not be simultaneously used to satisfy this college-level requirement. A course used to fulfill this requirement may be used simultaneously to fulfill any other requirements (Mason Core requirements, college-level requirements, or requirements for the major). Additional information on waivers can be found at the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs.

Mason Core

Some Mason Core requirements may already be fulfilled by the major requirements listed above. Students are strongly encouraged to consult their advisors to ensure they fulfill all remaining Mason Core requirements.

Students who have completed the following credentials are eligible for a waiver of the Foundation and Exploration (lower level) requirement categories. The Integration category (upper level) is not waived under this policy. See Admissions for more information. 

  • VCCS Uniform Certificate of General Studies
  • VCCS or Richard Bland Associate of Science (A.S.), Associate of Arts (A.A.), Associate of Arts and Sciences (A.A.&S.), or Associate of Fine Arts (A.F.A.)
Foundation Requirements
Written Communication (lower-level)3
Oral Communication3
Quantitative Reasoning3
Information Technology and Computing3
Exploration Requirements
Arts3
Global Contexts3
Global History3
Literature3
Natural Science7
Social and Behavioral Sciences3
Just Societies (optional) 1
Integration Requirements
Written Communication (upper-level)3
Writing Intensive 23
Mason Apex 33
Total Credits40
1

In addition to covering content related to the designated category, Exploration level courses marked with a Just Societies "flag" are specifically designed to help students learn how to interact effectively with others from all walks of life, including those with backgrounds and beliefs that differ from their own. Courses marked with the Just Societies flag are available for students starting in Fall 2024. Students admitted prior to the Fall of 2025 are not required to take courses with a Just Societies flag but may wish to do so to increase their knowledge and skills in this important area. Students interested in this approach to completing their Mason Core Exploration Requirements should work closely wiht their advisor to identify the appropriate Just Societies-flagged courses.

2

Most programs include the writing-intensive course designated for the major as part of the major requirements; this course is therefore not counted towards the total required for Mason Core.

3

Minimum 3 credits required.

Bachelor of Arts in Economics Sample Plan of Study 

A sample four year graduation plan and degree planning worksheet can be found at https://academicaffairs.chss.gmu.edu/undergraduate-students/advising/advising-sheets. The plan is a recommended sequencing of courses based on prerequisites and scheduling. This may not fit every student's needs and is a guideline, not a requirement. Students should confirm major requirements with their academic advisor each semester and with their PatriotWeb Degree Evaluation to ensure they enroll in the proper courses and are on track to graduate.

Honors in the Major

Students pursuing departmental honors must complete 6 hours of ECON 495 RS: Honors Thesis in Economics (Mason Core) culminating with an original work of research and an oral presentation. Requirements for departmental honors are in addition to the coursework required for the major. Students must complete ECON 495 RS: Honors Thesis in Economics (Mason Core) with a grade of B or higher to receive departmental honors.

Economics majors who have completed 90 credits with an overall GPA of 3.50 and a GPA of 3.50 within the major are eligible to apply. Not all applicants who meet the minimum requirements are guaranteed acceptance.

Applications will be available starting May 1st of each year. Applications are due by August 1st.

To be accepted into the program and enroll in ECON 495 RS: Honors Thesis in Economics (Mason Core) students must submit a research proposal. Research proposals can be developed independently or by completing ECON 494 Introduction to Independent Research in Economics with a grade of B or higher. Completion of ECON 494 Introduction to Independent Research in Economics is not required for departmental honors.

Program Outcomes

  1. Understand the key concepts and theoretical models of microeconomics.
  2. Understand the key concepts and the different schools of thought in macroeconomics.
  3. Apply insights from field-specific knowledge in economics to analyze economic problems
  4. Interpret bivariate relationships as presented in empirical research.
  5. Demonstrate effective writing in the discipline.

Many accelerated master's programs are available for any bachelor's degree at Mason, including this one. See the full list of degrees with accelerated programs at George Mason.

Bachelor's Degree (any)/Economics, Accelerated MA

Overview

Highly qualified undergraduates may be admitted to the bachelor's/accelerated master's program and obtain a BA/BS in a chosen major and an MA in Economics in an accelerated time-frame after satisfactory completion of a minimum of 138 credits.

See AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree for policies related to this program.

Students in an accelerated degree program must fulfill all university requirements for the master's degree. For policies governing all graduate degrees, see AP.6 Graduate Policies.

 BAM Pathway Admission Requirements

Applicants to all graduate programs at George Mason University must meet the admission standards and application requirements for graduate study as specified in Graduate Admissions Policies and Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree policies. For information specific to this accelerated program, see Application Requirements and Deadlines on the departmental website.

Students will be considered for admission into the BAM Pathway after completion of a minimum of 60 credits with a minimum overall GPA of 3.25, and a grade of B or better in coursework applied to the major.

The following courses are recommended as preparation for the graduate-level courses students will be able to take for advanced standing:

  • ECON 306 Intermediate Microeconomics
  • ECON 311 Intermediate Macroeconomics
  • At least one semester of calculus with analytic geometry
  • Two-semester sequence of statistics
  • ECON 345 Introduction to Econometrics

Students who are accepted in the BAM Pathway will be allowed to register for graduate level courses after successful completion of a minimum of 75 undergraduate credits.

Accelerated Master's Admission Requirements

Students already admitted in the BAM Pathway will be admitted to the MA in economics program if they have met the following criteria, as verified on the Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Transition form:

  • Minimum overall GPA of 3.25
  • 3.25 GPA in all economics courses
  • Successfully meeting Mason's requirements for undergraduate degree conferral (graduation) and completing the application for graduation.

Accelerated Pathway Requirements

To maintain the integrity and quality of both the undergraduate and graduate degree programs, undergraduate students interested in taking graduate courses must choose from the following:

Advanced Standing courses (up to 12 credits)

ECON 535 Survey of Applied Econometrics (3 credits)
ECON 611 Microeconomic Theory (3 credits)
ECON 612 Microeconomic Theory II (3 credits)
ECON 615 Macroeconomic Theory (3 credits)
ECON 630 Mathematical Economics I (3 credits)

Reserve Graduate Credit courses (up to 6 credits) taken while an undergraduate and will only count for the graduate degree program

ECON 535 Survey of Applied Econometrics (3 credits)
ECON 611 Microeconomic Theory (3 credits)
ECON 612 Microeconomic Theory II (3 credits)
ECON 615 Macroeconomic Theory (3 credits)
ECON 623 American Economic History (3 credits)
ECON 630 Mathematical Economics I (3 credits)
ECON 676 Comparative Economic Systems (3 credits)
ECON 695 Special Topics in Economics (3 credits)
 

For more detailed information on coursework and timeline requirements see AP.6.7 Bachelor's Accelerated Master's Degree policies.