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FAQ
Who is my advisor?
For Fall 2024 - Advisors are:
A-D - Mark Siegler - msiegler@csus.edu
E-K - Tim Ford - mailto:tford@csus.edu
L-Q - Kace Chalmers - chalmers@csus.edu
R-Z - Joni Zhou - mailto:zhouy@csus.edu
Advising is by appointment only through this link:Advising Appointment Link
Click on the link to make an appointment. Select Advising in the first drop down menu box and in the second drop down menu box, select Economics Department Advising.
Find the answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding the Economics Major here.
- Why Major In Economics
- What kinds of jobs can I apply for with an Economics Major?
- How do I become an Economics Major?
- How many units do I need to satisfy the requirements for the BA in Economics?
- Which courses qualify for upper division elective credits
- How do I choose upper division elective credits?
- Can I get upper division credit for courses involving work experience?
- Courses that have no pre-requisites
- From what other departments does Economics accept upper division credit?
- What courses are recommended if I want to go to graduate school?
- What courses can I take if I have not declared Economics as my major?
- What Economics courses can I transfer from a community college?
- How do my courses transfer at CSU, Sacramento if taken at an institution that uses the quarter system?
- How many units can I transfer from a junior college?
Why Major in Economics?
Many companies like to hire economics majors because of their broad knowledge about the economy and the world. Economics majors learn about philosophy, history, mathematics, political science, sociology, statistics as well as business. Students should learn to think analytically, rigorously, critically and how to communicate effectively.
What Kinds of Jobs can I apply for with an economics major?
The following is a sample of job titles that could be filed by economics majors (most require additional education, but note that this list is by no means exhaustive):
Actuary * Advertising Executive * Auditor * Bank Officer * Bond Trader * Business Forecaster * Business Manager * College Professor * Cost Analyst * Credit Analyst * Loan Officer * Demographer * Entrepreneur * Estate Planner * Financial Planner/Analyst * Financial Officer * Government Administrator * Healthcare Administrator * Human Resources Administrator * Industry Analyst * Industrial/Insitutional Buyer * Information Scientist * Insurance Sales * International Trade Specialist * Journalist * Labor Relations Specialist * Lawyer * Litigation Analyst * Management Consultant/Analyst * Market Research Analyst * Policy Analyst * Politician * Property Manager * Public Administrator/Manager * Public Utlities Manager * Real Estate Agent/Broker * Sales Manager * Securities Sales/Broker * Securities/Commodities Trader * Statistician * Teacher * Technical Writer * Transportation Specialist * Underwriter * Urban/Regional Planner
How do I become an Econ Major?
You must meet with an Economics Advisor. The faculty in the department take turns advising so you may see more than one advisor during your career here. The Economics Major petition can only be signed if you have completed all the lower division courses with a grade of "C" or better and have a gpa of 2.0 and above. You can be a Pre-Econ Major if you have completed almost all of the lower division courses with a grade of "C" or better AND have a gpa of 2.0 and above. You cannot change your major to Economics if you do not meet the requirements above. Our advisors are available during the semester. There is no advising scheduled during the summer or intersession.
How many units do I need to satisfy the requirements for a B.A. in Economics?
The Economics Major is comprised of 42-45 units. 12 lower division units (Econ 1A, 1B, Math 24*, Stat 1), 15 units of required upper division courses (Econ 100A, 100B, either Econ 101 or Econ 113**, Econ 140 and Econ 145) and 18 upper division elective units (This requirement must be fulfilled with a total of at least 6 courses). *Math 24 is Business Math, however you may take Calculus I or Calculus for Social Sciences instead of Math 24. If you choose to take Calc. I or the Social Sciences calculus (Math 26A here) you can also count this course as 3 units of upper division credit in the major. This is why our major is listed as 42-45 units. If you take a calculus class (it may be a 4 or 5 unit class) but only 3 units will count towards the major. This double counts as statisfying the math requirement and one of the 3 unit upper division elective courses. **Econ 101 OR Econ 113 needs to be taken as a core course. You can choose which you would like to take. However, you can also take both and count one of these courses as one of your upper division electives.
Which courses qualify as upper division elective credit?
Any course that is not listed as a core course can be used as an upper division elective (Both 101 and 113 qualify to be either a core or an elective, but you will have to take both to count one as a core and one as an elective). Only one of the following courses can be used in the Economics Major: 112, 120, 181, 184 or 189. These courses do not have pre-requisites. You can only count one towards your upper division elective. Do not take more than one of these courses as there are no exceptions to this rule. Similarly, no more than three units of Econ 195 or Econ 198 can be counted towards your upper division electives. A lower division calculus course (Math 26A or Math 30) or an upper division Stat Course (one that can be taken for credit towards a math or stat major) can be substituted for one of the upper division economics electives. You will need to discuss this with the Department Chair for approval.
How do I choose my upper division elective courses?
There are two ways to approach choosing your upper division electives. The first approach is to think about an area of economics that you have an interest in (such as Environmental Economics, International Economics, Labor Economics, or Monetary Economics). Pick courses in this area to begin with and then talk with your professors about what other courses may be appropriate in this area. The second approach is to pick a couple of courses in different areas and see which issues interest you the most. This is a good starting point when you have no idea what areas interest you or what courses to pick. As you learn more about the different issues in economics you will be able to better determine which courses to take.
Can I get upper division credit for courses involving work experience?
Yes, you can count up to three units towards your upper division electives if you take Econ 195 or Econ 198. Econ 195 involves your employment that can be deemed Economics related work experience. See the information regarding Internship Information (Econ 195) here. Econ 198 is a course that allows students the opportunity to tutor students enrolled in Econ 1A and 1B courses and receive upper division credit. To be eligible to tutor in Economics, students must receive a minimum of "B" in both Econ 100A and Econ 100B.
Courses that have no pre-requisites:
Upper division courses without pre-requisites are: Econ 112, Econ 120, Econ 181, Econ 184 and Econ 189. Only one of these courses (3 units) can be counted towards the major.