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Economics BS

College of Business and Management / Economics and Finance
Undergraduate major / Bachelor of Science

About The Program

Economics describes and analyzes the organization and operation of an economic system. While much can be learned from the economic systems of other countries, most courses taught in the Economics BS degree program focus on the western market economy.

An understanding of economics is essential for all careers in management and to becoming a well-informed citizen and participant in society. The Economics BS program offers courses which serve all majors in the College of Management, and those leading to the two tracks in the economics major.

The business economics track prepares students for work in the quantitative areas of business: market research, business forecasting, financial analysis, economic modeling and simulation, operations and quantitative decision making.

The more traditional economics track prepares students for graduate study in economics and professional study in law, public administration, business and public policy. Many economics courses may be used to fulfill the university's general education/liberal studies requirements.

Economics BS degree student outcomes

After completing Economics BS degree coursework, graduates will be able to:

  • Assess economic issues using microeconomic theory
  • Evaluate economic systems and relevant economic policies using macroeconomic theory
  • Assess business managerial issues using microeconomic theory (business track only)
  • Produce economic research independently

Related minors

Prep for a career in business management

Choose from two in-demand tracks to get an Economics BS degree. Courses are taught by award-winning faculty who will help you succeed while a student at Metro State and beyond. The University is committed to academic excellence and community partnerships through curriculum, teaching, services, and scholarship.

Advance Your Education

How to enroll

Current students: Declare this program

Once you’re admitted as an undergraduate student and have met any further admission requirements your chosen program may have, you may declare a major or declare an optional minor.

Future students: Apply now

Apply to Metropolitan State: Start the journey toward your Economics BS now. Learn about the steps to enroll or, if you have questions about what Metropolitan State can offer you, request information, visit campus or chat with an admissions counselor.

Get started on your Economics BS

More ways to earn your degree: Metropolitan State offers the flexibility you need to finish your degree. Through programs at our partner institutions, you can find a path to getting your Economics BS that works best for you.

About your enrollment options

Program eligibility requirements

Students must complete the major program courses with a grade of C- or better. The Economics major program includes the following required courses:

  • ECON 201 Macroeconomics,
  • ECON 202 Microeconomics,
  • any one of the three courses: MATH 210 Calculus I, MATH 208 Applied Calculus or ECON 300 Analytical and Quantitative Methods for Economists,
  • MIS100 Fundamentals of Information Technology in Organizations, and
  • STAT 201 Statistics I

ECON 201, ECON 202, MIS 100 and STAT 201 are Foundation Courses, which are prerequisites for many upper division College of Business and Management courses. Completing these courses early in your program will help you succeed and have the most valuable experience in other College of Business and Management courses.

Courses and Requirements

SKIP TO COURSE REQUIREMENTS

At least 40 upper division distributed in general education/liberal studies, foundation courses and study in economics or business economics.

At least 20 credits from among Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Major Required Courses, Major Elective Courses, and Capstone must be completed at Metro State.

See also the CBM policies page for requirements that are common to all programs.

Requirements (120 credits)

At least 40 upper division distributed in general education/liberal studies, foundation courses and study in economics or business economics are required for both tracks.

+ Required

This course is the first information technology foundation course in the College of Management. It focuses on the technology literacy, managerial and business problem solving dimensions of computer based information systems. It provides students with an introduction to the fundamental terminology of the hardware, software and the people involved with computer based information systems. The course includes hands on computer lab time to introduce students to word processing, database, spread sheet, and Internet microcomputer applications. This course is designed specifically to prepare students for information technology competence as needed in College of Management courses.

Full course description for Fundamentals of Information Technology in Organizations

This course covers the basic principles and methods of statistics. It emphasizes techniques and applications in real-world problem solving and decision making. Topics include frequency distributions, measures of location and variation, probability, sampling, design of experiments, sampling distributions, interval estimation, hypothesis testing, correlation and regression.

Full course description for Statistics I

This course focuses on the economy as a whole and studies how government can affect the economy. After starting with principles of markets, the price system and supply and demand, the course covers national income accounting, business cycles, inflation, unemployment, fiscal policy, monetary policy and the Federal Reserve System, different approaches to economic growth, and the foundations of international trade.

Full course description for Macroeconomics

This course focuses on the interactions between the consumer and the producer. It begins with the theory of markets, supply and demand, and the price system. Then it covers demand elasticity, the costs of production including the various factor inputs, the four major market structures (pure competition, monopolistic competition, oligopoly and monopoly), and ways to increase the competition in markets.

Full course description for Microeconomics

Applied Math

Choose one of the three courses below

This course is intended to advance the analytical and quantitative skills of students who have completed introductory level micro- and macroeconomics. Topics include: economic methodology, economic optimization, static and dynamic modeling, game theory and its application, basic econometrics, and economic data. Successful completion of this course will help students to continue their study in upper-division economics courses.

Full course description for Analytical and Quantitative Methods for Economists

Since its beginnings, calculus has demonstrated itself to be one of humankind's greatest intellectual achievements. This versatile subject has proven useful in solving problems ranging from physics and astronomy to biology and social science. Through a conceptual and theoretical framework this course covers topics in differential calculus including limits, derivatives, derivatives of transcendental functions, applications of differentiation, L'Hopital's rule, implicit differentiation, and related rates.

Full course description for Calculus I

This course provides an overview of the differential calculus for single and multivariable functions and an introduction to the integral calculus and differential equations, with an emphasis on applications to the natural and physical sciences. Particular topics covered in the course include limits, ordinary and partial derivatives, applications of derivatives, definite integrals, fundamental theorem of calculus, applications of definite integrals, models involving differential equations, Eulers method, equilibrium solutions.

Full course description for Applied Calculus

+ Economics track

ECON 497 is a capstone class which should be taken near the end of the student's program.

Required (16 credits)

Topics covered in this course include: measuring economic performance; the determination of income and expenditures; the role of government in influencing general equilibrium and economic fluctuations; the development of stabilization policies; and the operations of financial markets. The analytical approaches are more advanced than those in ECON 201 Macroeconomics.

Full course description for Intermediate Macroeconomics

This course covers the analysis of consumption behavior and demand using the theory of utility and indifference, the theory of production and costs, and analysis of the firm and industries under the four market structures. Factor pricing and general equilibrium using comparative static analysis techniques are also covered. Selected topics include: market failure, price ceilings and floors under different market structures, subsidies, regulations, price discrimination, and consumer and producer surplus.

Full course description for Intermediate Microeconomics

This course is designed for business and economics students interested in acquiring a broader view of the financial system and its markets. The material is divided into three sections: historical, theoretical and institutional. The historical section covers the evolution of money, money creation, inflation, the economy, and the development of banking. The theoretical part covers methods to trace the impact of money on the economy including classical, Keynesian, monetarist and rational expectation approaches. The institutional portion deals with financial intermediaries and financial instruments.

Full course description for Money, Banking and Financial Institutions

This course prepares students for the task of analyzing primary and secondary economic data in order to assist decision makers in profit, nonprofit and public organizations. It also provides an introduction to econometrics: regression models, serial correlation, forecasting, simultaneous equation estimation, model building, time series and simulations. Students work on a major project during the course.

Full course description for Economic Research and Forecasting

Electives (16 credits)

Choose for a total of 16 credits. More than one ECON 490 may be accepted; please consult the chairperson of the Department of Economics and Finance.

This course assesses the role of labor as a production factor in the economy, as well as the factors affecting the supply of, and demand for, labor. Topics include: determinants of labor supply and demand; analysis of labor markets; theories of wages and employment; income and wage inequality among occupations, industries and regions; the role of labor unions and collective bargaining as they affect supply and demand conditions; and the relationships among wages, inflation, unemployment and government policies.

Full course description for Labor Economics

This course analyzes selected issues and problems in international trade and also studies how various countries approach basic economic policy questions. Topics include: the theory of comparative advantage, barriers to trade such as tariffs and quotas, exchange rates, balance of payments, organizations such as the International Monetary Fund and World Trade Organization, and an analysis of current issues in American trade policy. The course concludes with an analysis of the economic policies of major trading partners: Japan, China and the European Union with some attention to other capitalist and non-capitalist economies.

Full course description for International and Comparative Economics

This course uses various techniques to examine issues and problems relevant to the themes of race, ethnicity, gender, preference and class. Topics include: how race, ethnicity and gender arise in economics and how they relate to the labor market; the impact of national economic policies on diverse groups; the economics of discrimination; and questions related to domestic partner issues.

Full course description for Economics of Diversity

This course applies microeconomics principles to the health care services field. The role of consumer choice and firm behavior are examined in the markets for health insurance and health care. An understanding of the role of public and private financing and delivery systems is developed. The tools and techniques of economics are employed to facilitate policy, analytic and management decisions in the health care field.

Full course description for Health Economics

Financial crises, either that we are currently in one or about to be in one or some other country is in one, are all the rage in popular media today. More often than not financial crises are the result of bubbles in certain assets classes or can be linked to a specific form of financial innovation. This course will explore theoretical and policy perspective of modern global financial crises in the world. We will review the conflicting evidence about the extent of the harm caused by financial collapses. This course will also provide the students with a good economic and behavioral understanding on the effects of financial crises on the US and global economy. The primary goal of this class is to educate the students to understand the causes of past crises in an economic point of view and to develop a conceptual and policy framework in minimizing the risks of future crises and helping students make informed decisions.

Full course description for Global Economic and Financial Crises: Theory and Policy

This course focuses on the application of economic analysis to enterprise decision making. The basic topics include analyses of demand, costs, capitalization and strategy. The purpose is to apply economics to achieve long-run profit maximization. Students apply principles of modern strategy to real case studies.

Full course description for Managerial Economics

+ Business Economics track
Required (24 credits)

ECON 497 is a capstone course which should be taken near the end of a student's program

This course in financial accounting acquaints students with the "language of business" and the concepts and practices of accounting in order to understand, interpret, and analyze the financial accounting reports of economic entities. Topics include: economic context of accounting; introduction to basic financial statements with emphasis on the statement of cash flows; measurement fundamentals; analysis of financial statements; cash; receivables; inventories; investments in equity and debt securities including Consolidations; long-lived assets; current and long-term liabilities; stockholders' equity; and time value of money concepts and computations for decision making: international accounting practices are incorporated into every topic. This is not a bookkeeping course.

Full course description for Financial Accounting

This course analyzes selected issues and problems in international trade and also studies how various countries approach basic economic policy questions. Topics include: the theory of comparative advantage, barriers to trade such as tariffs and quotas, exchange rates, balance of payments, organizations such as the International Monetary Fund and World Trade Organization, and an analysis of current issues in American trade policy. The course concludes with an analysis of the economic policies of major trading partners: Japan, China and the European Union with some attention to other capitalist and non-capitalist economies.

Full course description for International and Comparative Economics

This course is designed for business and economics students interested in acquiring a broader view of the financial system and its markets. The material is divided into three sections: historical, theoretical and institutional. The historical section covers the evolution of money, money creation, inflation, the economy, and the development of banking. The theoretical part covers methods to trace the impact of money on the economy including classical, Keynesian, monetarist and rational expectation approaches. The institutional portion deals with financial intermediaries and financial instruments.

Full course description for Money, Banking and Financial Institutions

This course focuses on the application of economic analysis to enterprise decision making. The basic topics include analyses of demand, costs, capitalization and strategy. The purpose is to apply economics to achieve long-run profit maximization. Students apply principles of modern strategy to real case studies.

Full course description for Managerial Economics

This course prepares students for the task of analyzing primary and secondary economic data in order to assist decision makers in profit, nonprofit and public organizations. It also provides an introduction to econometrics: regression models, serial correlation, forecasting, simultaneous equation estimation, model building, time series and simulations. Students work on a major project during the course.

Full course description for Economic Research and Forecasting

This course introduces the application to financial decision-making of mathematics, statistics, economic theory, and accounting procedures. The two central ideas are time value of money and the relationship between expected return and risk, and how these ideas are used to value bonds, stocks, and other financial securities, and to make capital investment decisions.

Full course description for Principles of Finance

Electives

Choose for a total of 12 credits. More than one ECON 490 may be accepted; please consult the chairperson of the Department of Economics and Finance. Only one DSCI course may be applied toward the Business Economics track; either DSCI 431 or DSCI 434 but not BOTH DSCI 431 and DSCI 434.

This course assesses the role of labor as a production factor in the economy, as well as the factors affecting the supply of, and demand for, labor. Topics include: determinants of labor supply and demand; analysis of labor markets; theories of wages and employment; income and wage inequality among occupations, industries and regions; the role of labor unions and collective bargaining as they affect supply and demand conditions; and the relationships among wages, inflation, unemployment and government policies.

Full course description for Labor Economics

This course uses various techniques to examine issues and problems relevant to the themes of race, ethnicity, gender, preference and class. Topics include: how race, ethnicity and gender arise in economics and how they relate to the labor market; the impact of national economic policies on diverse groups; the economics of discrimination; and questions related to domestic partner issues.

Full course description for Economics of Diversity

This course applies microeconomics principles to the health care services field. The role of consumer choice and firm behavior are examined in the markets for health insurance and health care. An understanding of the role of public and private financing and delivery systems is developed. The tools and techniques of economics are employed to facilitate policy, analytic and management decisions in the health care field.

Full course description for Health Economics

Financial crises, either that we are currently in one or about to be in one or some other country is in one, are all the rage in popular media today. More often than not financial crises are the result of bubbles in certain assets classes or can be linked to a specific form of financial innovation. This course will explore theoretical and policy perspective of modern global financial crises in the world. We will review the conflicting evidence about the extent of the harm caused by financial collapses. This course will also provide the students with a good economic and behavioral understanding on the effects of financial crises on the US and global economy. The primary goal of this class is to educate the students to understand the causes of past crises in an economic point of view and to develop a conceptual and policy framework in minimizing the risks of future crises and helping students make informed decisions.

Full course description for Global Economic and Financial Crises: Theory and Policy

Topics covered in this course include: measuring economic performance; the determination of income and expenditures; the role of government in influencing general equilibrium and economic fluctuations; the development of stabilization policies; and the operations of financial markets. The analytical approaches are more advanced than those in ECON 201 Macroeconomics.

Full course description for Intermediate Macroeconomics

This course covers the analysis of consumption behavior and demand using the theory of utility and indifference, the theory of production and costs, and analysis of the firm and industries under the four market structures. Factor pricing and general equilibrium using comparative static analysis techniques are also covered. Selected topics include: market failure, price ceilings and floors under different market structures, subsidies, regulations, price discrimination, and consumer and producer surplus.

Full course description for Intermediate Microeconomics

This course is an introduction to the international dimensions of corporate financing, investment, and risk management decisions. Topics include foreign exchange markets, international financial systems, foreign exchange rate determination, currency risk, spot and forward rates, hedging, international monetary and trade flows, multinational capital budgeting, and cost of capital in emerging economies. Overlap: IBUS 550 International Financial Management.

Full course description for International Finance

This course examines the processes and techniques used in gathering, analyzing and reporting information that forms the basis for managerial and marketing decision making. The course content includes the study of both secondary research methods and primary research methods, with the emphasis on survey methods. There is a strong statistical analysis component, and students learn to use SPSS, statistical software used extensively in organizations that perform quantitative research. Students design and implement a marketing research study.

Full course description for Marketing Research

This course introduces a variety of systematic behavioral and analytical approaches to problem formulation, problem solving, decision making and implementation issues. The primary focus is on conceptual and practical frameworks of successful managerial problem solving and decision making. Individual and team problem solving and decision making issues will also be addressed. Special emphasis will be placed on real-life applications of problem-solving and decision-making methods using appropriate software programs.

Full course description for Managerial Problem-solving and Decision-making Methods

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the fundamental concepts and techniques of production and operations management for both service and manufacturing organizations. It will address the role of operations in relation to other functions and the methods to increase organizational effectiveness and efficiency. Topics covered include: product and service design, capacity planning, design of work systems, location planning and analysis, material requirements planning, supply-chain management, enterprise resource planning, inventory management, total quality management, Six Sigma, lean enterprise and kaizen approaches, aggregate planning, just-in-time systems, scheduling, and project planning. Also included are tools and processes used in operations decisions such as forecasting, breakeven analysis, and critical path method using available software.

Full course description for Introduction to Operations Management