General Catalog 2023-24

Application for the Economics major should be submitted to the undergraduate counseling office through the Message Center. To apply, students must have completed at least 72 quarter units (but no more than 135 quarter units), one 12-unit term in residence in regular session at UCLA, and all courses listed under preparation for the major. Grades for preparation for the major courses must be reflected on the Degree Audit Report (DAR) prior to submission.

While students are completing the lower-division preparation for the major courses for the major, they may be classified as Economics pre-majors.

Transfer applicants to the Economics major with 90 or more units must complete the following introductory courses prior to admission to UCLA: one microeconomics course, one macroeconomics course, two calculus courses from the mathematics/physical sciences sequence, and one English critical reading and writing course. Transfer students must successfully complete all remaining pre-major requirements within their first three registered terms at UCLA. 

Transfer credit for any of the above is subject to department approval; consult with an undergraduate counselor before enrolling in any courses for the major. 

Refer to the UCLA transfer admission guide for up-to-date information regarding transfer selection for admission. 

Each course must be taken for a letter grade. A 2.0 (C) grade is required in each pre-major course. To enter the major, students must have a minimum 2.5 grade-point average in the economics and mathematics preparation courses and a GPA of at least 2.0 in any upper-division courses taken for the major before applying. 

For students admitted to UCLA in fall 2023 and later, repetition of more than two pre-major economics courses or of any preparation course more than once, including equivalent courses taken elsewhere, results in automatic denial of admission to the major.

For students admitted to UCLA prior to fall 2023, repetition of more than one preparation course or of any preparation course more than once, including equivalent courses taken elsewhere, results in automatic denial of admission to the major. 

Each course must be taken for a letter grade. Transfer credit is subject to department approval; consult with an undergraduate counselor before enrolling in any courses for the major. Laboratory courses are required for all upper-division economics courses when they are offered and listed as mandatory co-requisite. 

To graduate, students must have at least a 2.0 grade-point average in their upper-division major courses, with grades of C– or better in Economics 101, 102, 103, 103L, 104, and 104L. A minimum grade of D or better is required in the six upper-division elective courses for the major. 

The departmental honors program is open to majors who have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.5 in the major and in all courses taken at UCLA prior to application.

To qualify for departmental honors at graduation, students must (1) select at least seven of the required upper-division economics courses from the approved list designated for departmental honors, (2) complete a two-term senior thesis acceptable to the departmental honors committee in Economics 198A and 198B, and (3) complete the major requirements with at least a 3.5 grade-point average in the economics courses. Highest honors are awarded at the discretion of the departmental honors committee based on grade-point average and quality of the senior thesis.

Economics 198A and 198B, the courses required for thesis preparation, may be counted as upper-division courses toward the field in which the thesis is written (for purposes of satisfying the requirements for the major). More information and application forms are available from an undergraduate counselor in 2263 Bunche Hall.