Economics Department

Requirements

Economics majors must satisfy three sets of require­ments: the general requirements of Reed College, those of the Division of History and Social Sciences, and those of the Department of Economics.  The humanities and group requirements entail 13 Reed units of work, the divisional requirements add another two or four, depending on how the group requirements are met, and the major requirements adds another eight or ten, again depending on which courses have been used towards group requirements.  Since 30 units are required for graduation, this leaves between three and seven “free elective” units that can be used for any courses the student desires.

For information about college and divisional requirements, please refer to the Reed College Catalog.

Requirements of Economics Department

  1. Economics 201.
  2. Economics 311 or 312.
  3. Economics 313, 304 or 314, and 470.
  4. Four additional units in economics (at least three of which must be upper division) to make a total of 10 units of economics coursework.
  5. Although there is no formal mathematics requirement, Mathematics 111 or equivalent background in differential calculus is a prerequisite for Economics 313, the required course in microeconomic theory. Students intending to do graduate work in economics should take Economics 312, 314, and as much mathematics as possible. Mathematics 111, 112, 141, 211, 212, 322, and 331 are especially useful. Such students may wish to consider the interdisciplinary major in mathematics and economics.