Major Requirements
Economics Course Requirements
Twelve credits are necessary to complete the major (eleven ECON courses plus a MATH course).
Courses taken Credit/D/Fail, Residential College Seminars and First Year Seminars (ECON 001/002) may not be counted toward the requirements of the major.
Apart from the math requirement, at most one non-ECON course can count toward the requirements for the economics major, subject to approval of the DUS, and can only serve as an elective. For a course to be approved, it must have sufficient relevance to the economics discipline. You can find more information about related course credit here.
To earn Distinction in the major a student must write a senior thesis earning a grade of A- or better and receive A- or better in 3/4 of the courses that are counted toward the major (not including introductory microeconomics, introductory macroeconomics, the math requirement or courses taken outside of Yale). Economics courses taken beyond the requirements of the major are counted toward the Distinction calculation.
Below is a summary of the major requirements.
Introductory Courses
Math Calculus
Math 110/111*, Math 112, Math 115, Math 116, ENAS 151, or preferably, Math 118 or Math 120.
Math 118 and Math 120 are recommended because they emphasize economics applications.
Any Math course higher than 120 can also be used to fulfill the math requirement (as long as it has any of the courses listed above as a prerequisite).
*Math 110 and Math 111 together count as one course towards the economics major.
Micro
Econ 108 or 110 or 115
Note 1: You can place out of introductory micro based on pre-college testing or other circumstances, but then you have to take an extra elective to fulfill the 12 credits required for the major.
Note 2: You are allowed to skip introductory micro even without pre-college testing, if you feel confident that you have enough background in microeconomics and can go straight to intermediate micro, but we recommend that you shop both courses before you make a decision.
Macro
Econ 111 or 116
Note 1: You can place out of introductory macro based on pre-college testing or other circumstances, but then you have to take an extra elective to fulfill the 12 credits required for the major.
Note 2: You are allowed to skip introductory macro even without pre-college testing, if you feel confident that you have enough background in macroeconomics and can go straight to intermediate macro, but we recommend that you shop both courses before you make a decision.
Core Courses
Micro
Econ 121 or 125
Macro
Econ 122 or 126
Econometrics
Econ 117 or Econ 123 or Econ 136
Note: No other course than the three listed above can fulfill the econometrics requirement, under any circumstances.
Field Courses
Four Electives
Typically you will need four elective courses. Any ECON course numbered 123 or above can count as an elective, if not already applied towards the core requirements.
If you skip or Cr/D/F an introductory course, you have to take an additional elective.
With DUS approval, you can substitute one elective course with a non-ECON course that is related to economics (see section Courses/Related Course Credit for more details).
Senior Requirement
Two Advanced Courses
Two courses from Econ 400-491 must be completed, one of which must be taken in senior year. Please note that Econ 492 (the second term of the senior essay) cannot count toward the senior requirement.
Economics & Mathematics Course Requirements
A total of twelve term courses is required beyond the introductory level in economics and in mathematics: seven ECON courses numbered above 120 and five MATH courses numbered above 200 (except Math 470). See below for the specific courses required.
To earn distinction in the major a student must write a senior thesis earning a grade of A- or better and receive A- or better in 3/4 of major courses. All courses beyond the introductory level in Mathematics and Economics are counted in the computation of grades for Distinction.
Courses taken Credit/D/Fail may not be counted toward the requirements or the prerequisites of the major.
Prerequisites
Multivariate Calculus
MATH 120
With Math DUS permission, an upper level math course in the same area can substitute for MATH 120 (but such course will not count toward the total of 12 courses required for the major).
Micro
Econ 110 or 115
or
A higher level econ course (but such course will not count toward the total of 12 courses required for the major)
Macro
Econ 111 or 116
or
A higher level econ course (but such course will not count toward the total of 12 courses required for the major)
Economics Requirements
Micro
Econ 121
or
Econ 125*
*Econ 125 is recommended.
Macro
Econ 122
or
Econ 126*
*Econ 126 is recommended.
Mathematical Economics
Econ 350 or 417 or 433
and
Econ 351
Econometrics
Econ 135 and Econ 136*
* Econ 135 can be replaced by S&DS 241 and 242, in which case they count as one economics course and not as mathematics courses. Neither S&DS 241 nor S&DS 242 can be counted toward the major in parallel to Econ 135.
Math Requirements
Linear Algebra
MATH 225 or 226.
Analysis
Math 255 or 256.
Senior Requirement
Students must take MATH 480, MATH 481, or an Economic theory seminar designated with the "YC ECON: Theory Seminar" attribute. A course cannot be used to fulfill the Mathematical Economics requirement and the Senior Requirement at the same time. A senior essay in Economics is optional.
Computer Science & Economics Course Requirements
Computer Science and Economics (CSEC) is an interdepartmental major for students interested in the theoretical and practical connections between computer science and economics. The Bachelor of Science in CSEC provides students with foundational knowledge of economics, computation, and data analysis, as well as hands-on experience with empirical analysis of economic data. It prepares students for professional careers that incorporate aspects of both economics and computer science and for academic careers conducting research in the overlap of the two fields. Topics in the overlap include market design, computational finance, economics of online platforms, machine learning, and social media.
Additional information can be found on the Yale College Programs of Study page.
Prerequisites
Prerequisite to this major is basic understanding of computer programming, discrete math, calculus, and economics. Grades of 4 or 5 on high-school AP computer science, statistics, calculus, microeconomics, and macroeconomics signal adequate preparation for required courses in the CSEC major. For students who have not taken these or equivalent courses in high school, the programming prerequisite may be satisfied with CPSC 100 or CPSC 112; the discrete mathematics prerequisite may be satisfied with CPSC 202 or MATH 244; the calculus prerequisite may be satisfied with MATH 112; the microeconomics prerequisite may be satisfied with ECON 110 or ECON 115; and the macroeconomics prerequisite may be satisfied with ECON 111 or ECON 116. Other courses may suffice, and students should consult the director of undergraduate studies (DUS) Philipp Strack and their academic advisers if they are unsure whether they have the prerequisite knowledge for a particular required course.
Major Requirements
The B.S. degree program requires successful completion of fourteen term courses (not including courses taken to satisfy prerequisites) and the senior project. Nine of the fourteen courses are listed below; the remaining five courses are electives. With permission of the DUS Philipp Strack and the academic adviser, a student may substitute a more advanced course in the same area as a required course. When a substitution is made, the advanced course counts toward the nine required courses and not toward the five electives.
The required courses include CPSC 201; CPSC 223; CPSC 323; CPSC 365 or 366; ECON 121 or 125; two courses in econometrics (ECON 117 and 123 or ECON 135 and 136); ECON 351; one course in the intersection of computer science and economics (e.g., CPSC 455, ECON 417, or ECON 433). With permission of the DUS Philipp Strack, S&DS 241 and S&DS 242 may be taken instead of ECON 135.
Elective courses are essentially those courses that count as electives in the Computer Science major, the Economics major, or both. Exceptions are courses such as CPSC 455, ECON 417, and ECON 433 in the intersection of computer science and economics that count as electives in CPSC or ECON or both. At least one such course is required for CSEC, and students may not count the same course as an elective for CSEC. At least two electives must be taken in the CPSC department, and at least one must be taken in the ECON department. With the permission of the academic adviser, a student may use as the fourth and/or fifth elective one or two courses in related departments that do not usually serve as electives in CPSC or ECON.
Credit/D/Fail Courses taken Credit/D/Fail may not be counted toward the major.
Senior Requirement
In the senior year, each student must complete CSEC 491, a one-term independent-project course that explicitly combines both techniques and subject matter from computer science and economics. A project proposal must be approved by the student’s academic adviser and project adviser, and it must be signed by the DUS by the end of the third week of the term.
Distinction in the Major CSEC majors may earn Distinction in the Major if they receive grades of A or A– in at least three quarters of their courses in the major (not including courses taken to satisfy prerequisites), and their senior-project advisers determine that their senior projects are worthy of distinction.
Advising
Approval of course schedules Students considering the major but not yet declared should arrange to meet with the DUS during the first week of the term to ensure that their proposed course schedules are appropriate. Similarly, declared majors should meet with their academic advisers during the first week of the term to ensure that they are on track to satisfy all of the requirements of the major. Course schedules must be signed by the DUS Philipp Strack each term, and they must be approved by an academic adviser before the DUS signs them.
Transfer credit Students who take a term abroad or take summer courses outside of Yale may petition the DUS to count at most two courses from outside Yale toward the requirements of the major. Students who take a year abroad may petition to count at most three courses. Many courses taken outside Yale do not meet the standards of the CSEC major; therefore, students should consult with their academic advisers and the DUS Philipp Strack before taking such courses. Courses taken outside Yale may not be counted toward the major requirements in intermediate microeconomics, econometrics, or the intersection of computer science and economics.
Ethics, Politics and Economics Course Requirements
The Program on Ethics, Politics and Economics sponsors interdisciplinary teaching and research in the Social Sciences and Humanities at Yale. It is designed to foster informed debate about public policy in the light of disciplined reflection on the fundamentals of human association. The Program was created in the belief that, for all the value of specialized fields and subdisciplines, these should not displace attempts to integrate empirical, analytical and normative concerns that range over different disciplines in the modern university. The complex social realities of our time demand a wide-ranging understanding of the human sciences on the part of citizens and leaders alike; EP&E seeks to provide it.
Additional information can be found on the Yale College Programs of Study page.
Introductory Courses
The introductory courses include one course from each of the following:
- Introduction to Ethics*: PHIL 175 or Directed Studies
- Political Philosophy*: PHIL 178; PLSC 108, 114, 118, 119 or Directed Studies
- Introduction to Political Science: PLSC 111, 113, 116
- Other Perspectives*: This course should be from history, sociology, anthropology, ER&M, WGSS or other disciplines, decided in consultation with the EPE DUS, or Directed Studies.
- Introductory Micro-Economics: ECON 108, 110, 115
- Introductory Macro-Economics: ECON 111, 116
- Econometrics: ECON 117, 123, 135; GLBL 121 or S&DS 230, S&DS 238
- Game Theory: EP&E 220, 231, 295, 297 or ECON 159
Designing your Concentration
Each student is expected to define a particular area of concentration in consultation with the Director of Undergraduate Studies. Initial discussions with the DUS about the concentration should occur in the spring of the junior year, and final confirmation of the courses included in the concentration will be required in the spring of the senior year.
The concentration is intended to enable students to frame an important problem and shape a systematic course of inquiry, employing analytical methods and substantive theories drawn from the three fields of inquiry. Students should not only recognize the accomplishments of varied interdisciplinary efforts, but also attempt to represent and in some cases further develop those accomplishments in their own work. For most students, the concentration will treat a contemporary problem with a substantial policy dimension (domestic or international), but some students may wish to emphasize philosophical and methodological issues.
Core Courses
The major requires that students take three core courses, Classics of EP&E - EP&E 213, 214, 215, 216, or 217, plus two additional core courses, one each in two of the remaining three fields. One of those two must be an advanced seminar that explores a combination of at least two of the three areas of ethics, politics, and economics (a list of eligible 2023-2024 courses can be found here; a list of eligible fall 2024 courses can be found here). The DUS can also offer guidance regarding appropriate courses to fulfill this requirement.
The Ethics core draws from courses on normative thinking from philosophy and political science (theory only), or from EP&E courses with Philosophy or Political Science listed as secondary departments.
The Politics core includes courses offered by Political Science as the primary department, or EP&E courses with Political Science listed as the secondary department.
The Economics core comprises courses offered by Economics as the primary department, or Political Science courses cross-listed with Economics.
Directed Reading and Research
At any point in the major, students may develop a course of directed reading and research with a faculty advisor, in which case they should enroll in EP&E 471 and complete a Directed Reading and Research form along with their course schedule. Proposals for directed readings must include a course description, a reading list, a schedule of meetings with the advisor and a description of the written work to be completed. More information can be found here.
If applicable, a Directed Reading and Research may count towards one of the three required courses in the concentration.