Economics Geography • Genera| Information PROGRAM: GENERAL ECONOMICS MAJOR (SOCIAL SCIENCE EMPHASIS) General Requirements: • WSU Core Requirements (see index). • General Education Requirements (see index). • A minor is required for all selecting General Economics except for those with approved programs of study in Quantitative Economics, Economics and Legal Studies, or International Economics. Major Requirements (total credits required determined by program of study): • All students must take the following core set of courses (28 hours): Econ 202 (4), SS203 (4), 301 (4), 302 (4), Quant 240 (4), Quant 260 (4), and Quant 261 (4). Note that Math 107 (with a C- or higher or a CR if taken on a CR/NC basis), or equivalent, is a prerequisite to Econ 202 and Quant courses and is considered to be a separate and specific course requirement in the program. Students may obtain a degree with a General Economics Major by pursuing a program of study approved by the Department Chair. In order to guide the student, four acceptable programs of study are listed below. A. GENERAL ECONOMICS (MINOR REQUIRED): This program is designed for those students desiring a bachelor's degree in the broad area of economics as a social science and requires a minor. The analysis of economic choices provides students with skills and knowledge that is attractive to many different types of employers (e.g., public and private agencies, business firms, and governments (local, county, regional, state, federal). Most graduates in general economics find employment in positions that may or may not directly involve economic analysis but almost always require a rigorous undergraduate training. Often these are entry level positions which may specify several alternative acceptable majors. For the employers of recent graduates, "trainability" is often of overriding importance. Because economics trains you to think critically and display initiative in solving problems the general economics degree is a good indicator of this quality. Either the BA or the BS is suitable for students wanting to pursue a general career path. Former students who have selected this major began their careers at the LDS Church, Thiokol, Utah Power, Salt Lake County, and the U.S. Forest Service. Others have careers in the insurance, real estate, restaurant, and hospitality industries. Students must also fulfill the requirements for a minor in one of the programs offered in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (see list on graduation contract form). In special cases, subject to the prior approval of the department chair, a student may be allowed to design a specialized program to substitute for the minor (e.g., a set of courses that emphasizes interdisciplinary aspects of environmental studies) or to substitute a minor from outside the College of Social and Behavioral sciences. Courses used to fulfill requirements for the minor may not also be applied to the requirements for the Economics major. Required courses (28 hours): see above Elective Courses (minimum of 15 hours): any course offered by the department of economics with an economics designation (i.e., Econ as opposed to Quant; see graduation contract form available in the economics departmental office for a list of currently acceptable courses.) B. QUANTITATIVE ECONOMICS (NO MINOR REQUIRED): The student may want to design a program of study centering on Quantitative Economics. This program of study would be particularly appropriate for those students who plan to continue their education by entering a Masters or Ph.D. program in Economics, Business Administration (MBA), Finance, Operations Research, Statistics, and many other graduate programs that require a strong background in and development of quantitative skills. In most graduate programs in the social and behavioral sciences, a strong quantitative, mathematical, and statistical background is becoming the norm rather than the exception. A graduate degree in economics is often a prerequisite for jobs involving economic analysis. A Masters Degree is often sufficient to obtain employment as an industrial economist (persons who analyze business trends and represent firms before the media and public) or as a government economist (persons working as economists in agencies such as the CIA, the Bureau of Land Management, the State Department, state planning agencies, etc.). These economists often combine consulting and teaching at the junior college level as part of their career. A Ph.D. in economics is necessary to teach at four year colleges and universities. Former Weber State economics graduates have gone on to graduate school at Harvard, Chicago, Stanford, Northwestern, Virginia, Texas A&M, Michigan State, Wyoming, Rice, Washington U. at St. Louis, among others. Required Courses (44-48 hours; no minor is required inasmuch as the equivalent of a minor in mathematics is included in this program of study): In addition to the requirements for all general economics majors (see above), students must also take Accounting 201 (3), Econ 455 (4), Econ 456 (4), the lower division calculus sequence plus six other credit hours offered by the Mathematics Department. Because of the required sequence in calculus, Quant 240 is waived in the general economics requirements. Elective Courses: A minimum of 16 hours of courses approved in advance by the Department Chair taken from either the Economics or the Mathematics Department (see list of currently approved classes on the graduation contract form available in the economics department office). C. ECONOMICS WITH LEGAL STUDIES MINOR: Many students plan to enter a graduate program in Law. Economics is by no means the only major appropriate for preparing to enter a law program. Nevertheless, some prestigious law schools express a preference for economics majors. Furthermore, many former economics students report that the particular emphasis placed on the development of analytical skills and knowledge of business law and legal institutions in the context of the U.S. and global economy proved to be a definite advantage, both during law school and in subsequent practice. By combining a general economics major with the existing legal studies minor, students will be well prepared for further study. Requirements: In addition to the 28 required and 15 elective courses applicable to all general economics majors (see above), students in this program of study are required to take the Legal Studies Minor (see graduation contract form available in the economics department office for the current program of study). D. INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS (NO MINOR REQUIRED): Many students want a broad background in the emerging global economy while others who intend to pursue further studies in international business or to work for government agencies or private firms focused on issues and problems of the global economy. A program of study in International Economics linked with a broad program in interdisciplinary international studies is required. Students are encouraged to take a foreign language and seek the BA rather than the BS degree. Students pursuing this direction may also seek employment in agencies of the U.S. government that are involved with international relations, economic development, foreign aid, and global issues such as resource conservation, forestry, and environmental protection. Required Courses (40 hours): In addition to the required courses for all general economics majors (see above), students in this program of study will be required to take Econ 311 (4), 312 (4), 417 (4) as 12 of the 15 elective credit hours in economics. In addition, students must take, subject to approval by the department chairperson, the equivalent to a minor (minimum of 20 credit hours) from a broad range of courses emphasizing international aspects of the world from historical, political, geographical, and other relevant perspectives. See the list of approved electives on the current graduation contract sheet available in the economics department office. Because of the broad international flavor of the electives required, no separate minor will be required. PROGRAM: ECONOMICS HONORS OPTION General Requirements: • Enroll in General Honors Program and complete at least 10 hours of general honors courses (see the Interdisciplinary Programs section of the catalog). Maintain an overall GPA of 3.3 Fulfill requirements for Economics Department major, given above for General Economics and, for Business Economics, in the Business and Economics section of the catalog. Specific Requirements: In fulfilling requirements for an economics honors major, students must take at least 14 hours of economics courses on an honors basis, 2 hours of which must be completed as a senior project (Honors 499). Either Economics 301 or 302 must be taken on an honors basis. The student may receive economics honors credit in any upper-division or graduate-level economics course. Permission from the department chair must be obtained before registering in a course for honors credit. A written agreement must also be reached with the appropriate professor regarding the work expected for honors credit. PROGRAM: ECONOMICS MINOR FOR A/OA/- BUSINESS MAJORS General Requirements: A grade of 2.0 or better in minor courses. Specific Requirements (minimum of 20 credit hours): • Required courses (8 credit hours): Econ 202 (4), SS203 (4). Note: Math 107 with a grade of C- or higher (or CR if taken on a CR/NC basis) is a prerequisite for Econ 202. • Elective courses (12 credit hours): Select from any course offered by the department of economics with an economics designation (i.e., Econ as opposed to Quant; see graduation contract form available in the economics departmental office for a list of currently acceptable courses). ECONOMICS COURSES - ECON and QUANT See the College of Business and Economics section of the Catalog for a complete listing and description of the courses offered by the Economics Department. GEOGRAPHY Coordinator: Harold M. Elliott Location: Science Lab, Room 202M Telephone Contact: Karen Dalebout, 626-6207 Professors: Harold M. Elliott, Deon C. Greer, Don R. Murphy, Wayne L. Wahlquist; Instructor: Julie Rich Description Geography is a study of the spatial organization, arrangement, function, movement, and interrelationships of phenomena at the surface of the earth. It is a science concerned with both physical and cultural phenomena and interfaces with other disciplines in the natural sciences, social & behavioral sciences, business, and economics. Student Services Interdisc. Programs Applied Science & Technology Arts& Humanities Business & Economics Education Health Professions Science Social & Behavioral Sciences 258 259 Continuing Education