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Economics

College of Arts & Sciences

Economics studies the institutions and arrangements that are used to create, protect and allocate scarce resources, and advances our understanding of the behavior of individuals, firms, governments and other organizations. The BA is for students who are intrigued by economic problems and are attracted to an analytical approach to explaining social phenomena. The BA provides an excellent preparation for employment in the private and public sectors and for graduate study in a variety of fields, such as public policy, law and business. The BS requires a more intensive background in math and statistics, reflecting the quantitative character of modern economics. It is especially suitable for students interested in graduate study in economics and in such fields as computational finance and data science.

Major category: Capacity-constrained

Curricular options: B.A., B.S.

Topic(s): Business, Social sciences

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Degree requirements

Applicant type

Applicant type

Freshmen can apply to the UW to begin autumn quarter or winter quarter (U.S. applicants only)

Read more about applying to the UW as a freshman, including details for programs that provide high school students with college credit (like Running Start).

Economics is a capacity-constrained major. An additional application is required after you enroll at the UW, and admission may be competitive. Visit the department website for more information.

Quarters of general admission to UW: autumn / winter (U.S. applicants only) / spring / summer

Preparation for the major is a factor in transfer admission.

  • Use the information below to help you prepare for this degree
  • Visit MyPlan to run a degree audit.
  • Use the UW Equivalency Guide to find out how courses taken at a Washington state community or technical college will transfer to the UW.
  • UW college and school graduation requirements

Department admission information

Departmental application deadline: Second Friday of Spring Quarter for Autumn, Second Friday of Autumn Quarter for Winter
Please contact the department for details about the application process.

This major is capacity-constrained. Completion of prerequisites does not guarantee admission.
  • Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 required for college course work.
  • Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 required for prerequisites with minimum of 2.0 in each course.
  • Grades earned in each Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science prerequisite course
  • The Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking & Writing (RTW) Exam
  • Personal Statement
  • Department of Economics Application
  • Transfer students can be considered through direct-to-major admissions pathway starting autumn 2024. For more information about admissions criteria, visit the department’s website.

Read more about applying to the UW as a transfer student.

Courses required for the major:

Bachelor of Science

  • ECON 200 SSc RSN – Introduction to Microeconomics
  • ECON 201 SSc RSN – Introduction to Macroeconomics
  • One of the following STAT courses: STAT 311 NSc RSN – Elements of Statistical Methods OR Q SCI 381 NSc RSN – Introduction to Probability & Statistics OR STAT 340 RSN – Introduction to Probability & Mathematical Statistics I OR STAT 341 RSN – Introduction to Probability & Mathematical Statistics II OR STAT 390 NSc – Statistical Methods in Engineering & Science
  • One of the following MATH courses: MATH 124 NSc RSN – Calculus Analytic Geometry I OR MATH 134 NSc RSN – Accelerated [Honors] Calculus OR MATH 145 NSc RSN – Calculus for Life Sciences
  • English Composition

Bachelor of Arts

  • ECON 200 SSc RSN – Introduction to Microeconomics
  • ECON 201 SSc RSN – Introduction to Macroeconomics
  • One of the following STAT courses: STAT 311 NSc RSN – Elements of Statistical Methods OR Q SCI 381 NSc RSN – Introduction to Probability & Statistics OR STAT 340 RSN – Introduction to Probability & Mathematical Statistics I OR STAT 341 RSN – Introduction to Probability & Mathematical Statistics II OR STAT 390 NSc – Statistical Methods in Engineering & Science
  • One of the following MATH courses: MATH 124 NSc RSN – Calculus Analytic Geometry I OR MATH 134 NSc RSN – Accelerated [Honors] Calculus OR MATH 145 NSc RSN – Calculus for Life Sciences
  • English Composition

Entering transfer information:

Total undergraduates: 370
Total from Washington community colleges: 18

Entering transfer GPA (from WA community colleges):

3.75 – 4.00: 8
3.50 – 3.74: 8
3.25 – 3.49: <5
3.00 – 3.24: <5
2.75 – 2.99: <5
2.50 – 2.74: <5
2.49 and below: <5

Career outcomes

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