Economics

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Professors: Appleyard, B. Baker, Hess, Kumar, Martin (Chair), Ross (Dean of Faculty)
Associate Professors: M. Foley, F. Smith
Fellow: Mills

Distribution Requirements

Any course except 195 and 196 counts toward fulfillment of the distribution requirement in social science; however, the department recommends Economics 101.

Major Requirements

Ten economics courses that are distributed as follows:

Economics 101;
Economics 202, 203, 205, and 495 (All four courses must be completed at Davidson College);
a course from the 210 or 310 series;
a course from the 220 or 320 series;
a course from the 230 or 330 series; and
two other courses above Economics 101, with the exceptions of Economics 122, 130, 180-184, 195, 196, 199, and 401, and the exception that, of Economics 211, 212, and 213, only two of them may be counted toward the major.
At least one of the ten courses must be a 300-level course.
At least one of the ten courses must be an “S” course.

Courses taken Pass/Fail at Davidson may not be counted towards the major.

An “S” course contains a significant writing component. At least two of the department’s courses each semester are offered as “S” courses. Economics 402 will satisfy the “S” requirement; with the approval of the department, Economics 295, 296, 395, or 396 may satisfy the “S” requirement.

The department strongly recommends that students fulfill the core requirements of Economics 202, 203, and 205 early in the major. Some economics courses, including Economics 202 and 203, have a calculus prerequisite.

Minor Requirements

Six economics courses that are distributed as follows:
1. Economics 101;
2. Economics 105 or 205;
3. Economics 202 and 203;
4. either Economics 130 or a course from the 230 or 330 series; and
5. one other economics course above Economics 205, except Economics 401.
Requirements (1b), (1c), and at least one of the requirements (1d) or (1e) must be completed at Davidson College.

Courses taken Pass/Fail at Davidson College may not be counted towards the minor.

Honors Requirements

In the process of fulfilling the major requirements stated above, honors candidates must pass Economics 401, earn a grade of A- or better in Economics 402, and maintain a grade point average of 3.5 or higher in the major and 3.2 or higher overall. Prospective honors candidates should apply in writing to the department chair in the spring semester of the junior year. Note that Economics 401 does not count towards the major because it is graded on a Pass/Fail basis; however, Economics 402 may be counted as an elective towards the major as well as counting as the “S” course required for the major.

Economics Courses

Economics courses at the 100 level, with one exception (Economics 130), have no prerequisite economics courses; economics courses at the 200 level, with one exception (Economics 211), have one prerequisite economics course (generally Economics 101); and economics courses at the 300 level have as prerequisites at least one 200-level economics course (generally Economics 202 or Economics 203). The only 400-level courses in economics are honors research courses and Senior Session (the required capstone course for economics majors).