This degree program provides students with qualitative and quantitative courses in the fields of microeconomics, macroeconomics, and more.
*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Economists, on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/economists.htm (visited March 24, 2022).
While this answer used to be four years to earn a B.S. Degree in Economics, this was when most students attended their classes on-campus full time. Now, students have some additional choices, including the online option. Depending on how an individual university has this structured, an undergraduate student who takes at least 15 credit hours each semester can earn their degree in close to four years. However, most students decide to take only the minimum 12 credit hours per semester. This makes their program run close to five or even six years. Depending upon how flexible the university is with courses being offered (and how long a term or semester runs), students can anticipate graduating in five years, on average.
Before choosing a major there are some important facts you should know about.
When you know that you want to major in Economics, you should find out if the colleges and universities you’re most interested in carry this major. You should check the academic catalogs of each university to verify which ones do carry an Economics major and verify with your state’s department of education that the colleges you’re considering offer the appropriate Economics education program you need for your field.
If a university you’re considering doesn’t carry an Economics major, then it’s time to cross that school off your list. Keep checking the other schools. For those that do have an Economics major, begin looking over their programs so you get a better idea which university interests you the most.
Courses required to obtain a bachelor's degree in Economics consist of general core courses that Freshman and Sophomores take and Junior and Senior level courses focus more on the major concentration classes. Associate degrees, on the other hand, normally prepare grads for entry-level with the basic skills and expertise required in a field. Affiliate's levels can likewise allow students to finish general education and learning demands with a two-year program, then later transfer right into a four-year program. There are two major titles of bachelor's levels: BA (Bachelor of Arts) and BS (Bachelor of Science). There are bachelor's degree programs in a wide range of majors, consisting of STEM subjects, social sciences, arts, and all kinds of specific subjects. You can find some sample major concentration courses that you may be required to take below:
Only 41% of students actually manage to finish their Economics degree on time. There are a variety of factors that could potentially play a part in unexpectedly extending your college career, such as:
Work. Working over 25 hours per week can get in the way of academics.
Credit Hours. Most colleges will define a full course load as 12 credit hours per semester. If you do the math, you will see that you actually need to take 15 credit hours per semester in order to graduate on time.
Transferring. Many students end up transferring during their college career. Many times, there are hiccups with transferring credits. This can put you behind, or even cause you to end up losing your credits altogether.
Be aware of these common mistakes, so that you don't make them yourself.
Accreditation is a very important facet of your career since, if the college you attend is accredited by a reputable association, the Economics Bachelor’s degree you earn from that college will have more value and some employers include this information when evaluating you for employment.
The reason why accreditation is so important is that, without it, it’s hard to determine what kind of standards the training programs hold and if they are up to date with technology and innovation.
A college gets accredited voluntarily by an association of their choice. The association will interview and inspect the college thoroughly to see if they meet their standards of everything from cleanliness to academics and, if the college passes the inspection, the association puts their stamp on them as an assurance that they meet all their requirements.
Employers today want only the best of the best working for them. Some businesses are even willing to pay for the education of potential candidates. So, when it comes to degrees, most employers look at the accreditor of the school you earned your degree from, since this says a lot about the kind of education you acquired. If an employer is willing to go so far as to pay for a student’s education, imagine what kind of salary they will offer to those holding a degree from a highly reputable association.
Colleges and universities generally charge per credit hour for Economics courses. Multiply the cost by the number of credits you’re taking for your total semester’s financial commitment. Program fees may not be included in the stated tuition rate. If a university charges $331 per credit hour, multiply this by 12 or 15 (the number of credits you’re taking per semester). For 12 credit hours, this is $3,972; for 15 credit hours, it’s $4,965.
The College Board’s Trends in Higher Education Series reported that the average cost of a four-year public Economics Bachelor’s program was $9,970 if taken in-state. It was as much as $35,260 if taken at a private university or college. And be aware that, even if you are comfortable with the per credit hour cost of the program you are looking at, there will be other costs for fees, textbooks, and room and board if you live on campus.
We recommend that students make a specific inquiry about job placement assistance programs at any school they consider for a Economics Bachelor’s degree program. Advanced institutions incorporate career planning into the two or four-year course of study for a bachelor’s or master’s degree in Economics. The school may host job fairs, business community awareness communications, and host interviews for employers from across the region.
The school of Economics, college, or university is a broad community of alumni, business sponsors, and corporate partners. Both new and established schools often have extensive local, regional, and national networks. The overall resources of the Economics school and the larger schools can potentially assist in producing high levels of job opportunities and hires for recent graduates.
Some schools pair students with advisers, career counselors, and job coaches at various stages of their academic careers. Observers can see the results in annual satisfaction surveys, and the numbers of students that get interviews and offers of employment.
