The economics major consists of a total of nine full-semester courses in economics, including:
- An Introduction to Economics 111/111E. Students placing out of Economics 111/111E must take one additional economics course to replace it.
- Three core theory courses in Microeconomics (300 or 301), Macroeconomics (330 or 331), and Econometrics (360 or 361).
- At least five other courses in economics, usually three or four electives numbered 200-290 and one or two electives numbered 400-490.
There are also additional major requirements, which include:
- In order to declare the economics major, a student must have earned at least a B in Economics 111/111E or at least a B- in a 200-level economics elective offered at Amherst College.
- At least one of the electives must be an upper-level elective (numbered 400-490). Please note that there is no minimum required number of lower-level electives numbered 200-290. For example, a student can satisfy the elective requirements by taking only upper-level electives.
- Mathematics 111 or equivalent is also required. The advanced core courses (301, 331, 361) require additional math courses.
- Honors students must take a total of ten economics courses. Two of these courses must be upper-level electives, which does not include the thesis seminar in the fall of senior year.
