Bachelor of Science: Economics
VCU
Economics is the science of human choice, the study of how individuals and businesses allocate scarce resources among competing uses. As an economics major, you’ll gain an understanding of markets and incentives, and learn to evaluate current events and assess public policy. From our gateway course to our capstone programs, you’ll develop the analytical and communication skills valued by employers. Our curriculum focuses on applying quantitative and data analysis expertise to address business, public policy, and socioeconomic concerns. We also help you build and refine your communication skills, preparing you to present your work professionally with confidence.
Undergraduate work in economics is excellent preparation for careers in business, government, and teaching, as well as for graduate work in economics and professional schools such as law, public administration, and medicine. Specialization in economics prepares students for careers that emphasize analytical thinking, a broad understanding of the economy and business organizations, and the impact firm/government decisions have upon consumers, firms, and the economy as a whole. Because of their analytical, quantitative and decision-making skills, students who major in economics are sought after for a wide array of positions. In particular, the specific skills economics majors acquire provide employment opportunities in large organizations that forecast business conditions and analyze economic data.
- Budget, Financial, or Public Policy Analyst
- Economist
- Information Scientist
- Journalist
- Loan Officer
- Personal Financial Advisor
- Research Assistant
- Statistician
- Underwriter
- Urban Planner
- College Professor
- Economic Consultant
- Financial Manager
- Policy Advisor
Telephone: (804) 827-1349
Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu
VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist
Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638
Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.
Completion of associate degree
Minimum GPA of 2.5
All courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better
- MATH 200 or SCMA 212 or BUSN 212
- Core only
- No
- Yes
- 2.5+ cumulative GPA to declare major, 2.0+ cumulative GPA to graduate, and 2.0+ major GPA to graduate
Bachelor of Science: Economics
Northern Virginia Community College (Associate of Science: Business Administration)
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING | GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY | DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY | EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS | PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE | ||
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Explore | Year 1 |
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Experience | Year 2 |
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MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Register for SDV 100.
- Understand how you will fund your education by taking advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
- Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
- Meet with your academic advisor or counselor each semester.
- Cultivate relationships with your professors.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Get involved with student clubs and organizations.
- Volunteer for service learning or community service projects.
- Learn about the admissions process by speaking with the VCU Transfer Admissions representative at NOVA.
- Visit the VCU Transfer Admissions webpage.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Attend diversity-focused events on campus.
- Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Browse careers related to Economics through the NOVA career planning system.
- Explore the community college’s iGrad’s Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
- Build a LinkedIn profile.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Take a career assessment through the NOVA career planning system.
- Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
- Familiarize yourself with the Career Services offered at Community College and explore VCU's Career Pathways.
- Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Meet with your academic advisor or counselor.
- Complete requirements for the associate’s degree. Earn at least a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.
- Continue to use tutoring resources to get ahead.
- Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
- Reflect on your academic preparation for VCU by completing the MINDSET Inventory.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
- Research housing for next year.
- Join a professional organization related to economics: American Economic Association, OmicronDeltaEpsilon.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options at VCU.
- Attend diversity-focused events on campus and in your community (i.e. international festival).
- Continue to partner with diversity leader/ facilitator/ mentor to move towards cultural competence.
- Get involved with service-learning opportunities.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Speak with employers that visit campus throughout the year.
- Acquire career related experience (e.g., job, internship, organization involvement).
- Run for leadership in your student organization.
- If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
- Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
- Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
- Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
- Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
Bachelor of Science: Economics
Northern Virginia Community College (Associate of Science: Business Administration)
Course | Title | Equivalent course | Credits | Requirements |
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SDV 100 | College Success Skills | UNIV 101 | 1 | Elective |
ENG 111 | College Composition I | UNIV 111-112 | 3 | General education |
MTH 161 | Precalculus I | MATH 141 | 3 | General education |
BUS 100 | Introduction to Business | BUSN 201 | 3 | Major (Business Foundation) |
ITE 115 | Introduction to Computer Applications and Concepts | INFO 160, 161, 162 | 3 | Major (Business Foundation) |
HIS Elective | (Select 1): HIS 101, 102, 111, 112, 121, 122 | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education |
ENG 112 | College Composition II | UNIV 200 | 3 | General education |
MTH 261 | Applied Calculus | BUSN 212 | 3 | Major (Business Foundation) |
Physical or Life Science w/ Lab | (Select 1): BIO 101, 102, CHM 101, 102, GOL 105, 106, PHY 101, 102, 150 | VCU equivalent | 4 | General education |
CST Elective | (Select 1): CST 100, 110, 126 | BUSN 225 | 3 | Major (Business Foundation) |
ITE 140 (sub. for BUS 280) | ITE 140 Spreadsheet Software | INFO 165 | 3 | Major (Business Foundation) |
ACC 211 | Principles of Accounting I | ACCT 203 | 3 | Major (Business Foundation) |
ECO 201 | Principles of Economics: Macroeconomics | ECON 211 | 3 | Major (Business Foundation) |
Humanities/Fine Arts Elective | (Select 1): ART 101, ART 102, MUS 121, PHI 101, REL 231 | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education |
Humanities/Fine Arts Elective | (Select 1): CST 151, ENG 241, 242, 243, 244, 251, 252 | VCU equivalent | 3 | Elective (Humanities) |
Physical or Life Science w/ Lab | (Select 1): BIO 101, 102, CHM 101, 102, GOL 105, 106, PHY 101, 102, 150 | VCU equivalent | 4 | General education |
ACC 212 | Principles of Accounting II | ACCT 204 | 3 | Major (Business Foundation) |
ECO 202 | Principles of Economics: Microeconomics | ECON 210 | 3 | Major (Business Founation) |
BUS 224 | Statistical Analysis for Business | SCMA 301 | 4 | Major (Advanced Business Core) |
BUS 270 | Interpersonal Dynamics in the Business Organization | BUSN 2XX | 3 | Elective |
Northern Virginia Credits Transferred to VCU | 61 |
Course | Title | Credits | Requirements |
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Bachelor of Science: Economics (School of Business) | |||
BUSN 325 | Organizational Communication | 3 | Major (Advanced Business Core) |
BUSN 499 | Business Knowledge Exam | 0 | Major (Advanced Business Core) |
FIRE 311 | Financial Management | 3 | Major (Advanced Business Core) |
MGMT 303 | Creativity and Ideation | 3 | Major (Advanced Business Core) |
MGMT 310 | Managing People in Organizations | 3 | Major (Advanced Business Core) |
MGMT 434 | Strategic Management (capstone) | 3 | Major (Advanced Business Core) |
MKTG 301 | Marketing Principles | 3 | Major (Advanced Business Core) |
BUSN 323 | Legal Environment of Business | 3 | Major |
ECON 300 | Contemporary Economics Issues | 3 | Major |
ECON 403 or SCMA 302 | Introduction to Mathematical Economics or Production/Operations Management | 3 | Major |
ECON 501 or SCMA 302 | Introduction to Econometrics or Business Statistics II | 3 | Major |
INFO 360 | Business Information Systems | 3 | Major |
ECON 301 | Microeconomic Theory | 3 | Major |
ECON 302 | Macroeconomic Theory | 3 | Major |
Select one: ECON 431, ECON 441, ECON 461, or ECON 489 | 3 | Major | |
ECON electives (select five 300- or 400-level ECON courses). NOTE: ECON 501 may be used as an elective if SCMA 302 is taken as a required course. ECON 403 may be used as an elective if SCMA 320 is taken as a required course. BUSN 400+401 may be used as electives for students enrolled in the International Consulting Program. | 15 | Major | |
Open elective | 3 | Elective | |
Credits Completed at VCU | 60 | ||
Bachelor's degree total | 121 | ||
Bachelor of Science: Economics (College of Humanities and Sciences) | |||
Foreign language through the 102 level (by course or placement). (This requirement can be fulfilled by means of completion of the 102-level of a language or waived if the student completed up through the third level of a foreign language in high school. Additionally, language waiver and placement testing options are available for native or heritage speakers of a non-english language.) | 0 to 8 | General education | |
ECON 300 | Contemporary Economics Issues | 3 | Major |
ECON 301 | Microeconomic Theory | 3 | Major |
ECON 302 | Macroeconomic Theory | 3 | Major |
Select one: ECON 431, ECON 441, ECON 461 or ECON 489 | 3 | Major | |
ECON electives (select five 300- or 400-level ECON courses). | 15 | Major | |
Upper-level electives (300- or 400-level courses): consider a minor in General Business or a second major Note: Students must complete a minimum of 45 upper-level credits to graduate from VCU. | 18 | Elective | |
Open electives | 15 | Elective | |
Credits Completed at VCU | 60 | ||
Bachelor's degree total | 121 |