Economics follows human beings as they strive to fulfill their aspirations within different social and physical environments, notably via the production of commodities, their distribution and consumption, and the elaborations of institutions to organize these three processes. The program focuses on issues of economic justice, development, and sustainability.
Major Requirements
ECO Courses That Meet General Education Requirements
Major Advising in Fall/Spring
Major Advising in Summer/Winter
Registration and Major Holds
Sophomores with 45-59 credits may have a hold on their registration. The hold will be removed when they have a major advising appointment with Professor Sara Bernardo, (sbernardo@jjay.cuny.edu). This discussion will encourage wise planning and allow students to ask any questions they may have about the major. How do you know if you have a major hold? Go to CUNYfirst and complete the following steps:
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Check the Holds box of your CUNYfirst Student Center. If "Advisement Required" appears, click on “details.”
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Click on “Advisement Required.”
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See which type of advisement you need. If you must see a major advisor, then make a major advising appointment following the steps preferred by this department.
Avoid Course Planning Mistakes!
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Take your Math course(s) early. MAT 141 or higher is recommended, but MAT 108 will also be sufficient. Depending on your CUNY math placement, you may need to start with MAT 105. Note: Though there is no requirement that you must take MAT 141 (pre-calculus) as a foundation for Economics, we strongly urge you to take MAT 141 instead of MAT 108. If you plan to advance in the field of economics, ultimately you will need calculus, and MAT 141 provides the foundation for that work, whereas MAT 108 does not.
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In the Part Two Electives area of the major, you will sometimes see a course on several of the cluster lists, but a course cannot satisfy more than one cluster. Furthermore, only one of the five courses in the Part Two Electives area can be at the 100 level.
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We recommend that you avoid overloading on Economics courses in any semester. Try to spread them out and take them along with general education requirements.
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Transfer students should meet with an Economics advisor as soon as possible to discuss any Economics transfer credit, confirm what they still need to complete in the major, and develop a plan that makes sense.
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Remember that you will need at least a 2.0 GPA in the major and at least a 2.0 overall GPA to graduate.
Monitor Your Progress in the Major
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DegreeWorks degree audit - Use this online planning tool to track your overall progress toward graduation. You will see which of your general education and major requirements are completed, in progress, or still needed. Refer to the DegreeWorks FAQs to better understand how to use this helpful tool. Note: be sure to confirm the accuracy of your degree audit with a general advisor and major advisor.
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Economics Major Checklist - Fill out this printable worksheet to keep track of which major requirements you have completed and which ones you still need.
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Sample Four Year Plan - See an example of how you could complete all your degree requirements (major, general education, electives) and graduate in four years! Remember that this sample plan shows just one possible way to combine your requirements. Transfer students in particular should work with advisors to determine a plan that works best for them.
Meet with a General Academic Advisor
A General Academic Advisor will confirm what general academic requirements you still need, make suggestions about smart course planning that will help you graduate without delays, discuss your interest in adding a minor or second major, inform you about opportunities such as study abroad, discuss general questions and concerns, and make helpful referrals. Visit the Academic Advisement Center's webpage for more information.
Career Possibilities
A Major that Pays You Back
| Major (BA and BS) | Early Career Pay | Mid Career Pay |
| Actuarial Science | $60,800 | $119,000 |
| Aeronautical Engineering | $63,000 | $113,000 |
| Economics | $53,900 | $100,000 |
| Statistics | $57,400 | $97,500 |
| Finance | $53,300 | $89,600 |
| Accounting | $48, 300 | $77,200 |
| Criminology | $39,500 | $63,600 |
| Psychology | $38,300 | $62,100 |
| Criminal Justice | $37,000 | $59,100 |