Economics BS

Students must complete all of the following courses:

1. Econ 1 (5 units). This is the only Econ core course that may be double-counted. 
2. Econ 50 OR 50Q (5 units): basic price theory. Prerequisite: Econ 1 and Math 20 (or equivalent).
3. Econ 51 (5 units): intermediate micro. Prerequisites: Econ 50. 
4. Econ 52 (5 units): intermediate macro. Prerequisites: Econ 50. 
5. STATS 117 (3 units): Theory of Probability I
6. Econ 102B (5 units): econometrics. Prerequisites: Economics 102A or STATS 117.
7. ECON 102C (5 units): Advanced Topics in Econometrics. Prerequisite: ECON 102B
8. ECON 160 (5 units): Game Theory and Economic Applications
9. CS 106B (5 units): Programming Abstractions*
10. MATH 115 (4 units): Functions of a Real Variable. Prerequisite: MATH51 or equivalent.

*CS 106B MUST be taken for 5 units to be counted towards the ECON BS.

A full list of field courses for the ECON BA, BS, and Minor Programs can be found here. 

In addition to the Economics Field Courses, students must complete at least 8 units from the following course list:

• MATH113 - Linear Algebra and Matrix Theory
• MATH118 - Mathematics of Computation
• MATH136 - Stochastic Processes
• MATH151 - Introduction to Probability Theory
• MATH171 - Fundamental Concepts of Analysis
• MATH172 - Lebesgue Integration and Fourier Analysis
• STATS200 - Introduction to Statistical Inference
• STATS202 - Data Mining and Analysis
• STATS206 - Applied Multivariate Analysis
• STATS207 - Introduction to Time Series Analysis
• STATS208 - Bootstrap, Cross-Validation, and Sample Re-use
• STATS209 - Introduction to Causal Inference
• STATS214 - Machine Learning Theory
• STATS216 - Introduction to Statistical Learning (Inactive)
• STATS217 - Introduction to Stochastic Processes I
• STATS218 - Introduction to Stochastic Processes II
• STATS219 - Stochastic Processes
• STATS229 - Machine Learning
• STATS250 - Mathematical Finance
• STATS270 - Bayesian Statistics
• CS129 - Applied Machine Learning
• CS161 - Design and Analysis of Algorithms
• CS221 - Artificial Intelligence: Principles and Techniques
• CS228 - Probabilistic Graphical Models: Principles and Techniques
• CS229 - Machine Learning
• CS233 - Geometric and Topological Data Analysis
• CS246 - Mining Massive Data Sets
• MS&E111 - Introduction to Optimization
• MS&E112 - Graph and Combinatorial Optimization
• MS&E121 - Introduction to Stochastic Modeling
• MS&E135 - Networks

For a full list of approved non-economics electives, click here. 

Beginning with the graduating class of 2025, all Stanford Students will be required to complete a Capstone Project as part of their major. The Economics Capstone is made up of two requirements: (1) An ePortfolio completed with the student's advisor during their junior year and (2) completion of either the (A) ECON 101 course or (B) an Economics Honors Thesis during their senior year. Both components are intended to provide students with the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills they have gained in their course of study and to strengthen the relationships between students and mentors. 

Successful completion of either ECON 101 or the Economics Honors Program will also count for the Economics Writing in the Major requirement. 

More details about each component can be found on the Economics Capstone page. 

• At least 75 of the 85 units required for the major must be taken at Stanford in California. 
• No courses receiving Department of Economics credit under the preceding requirements may be taken CR/NC.
• Math 51 (or equivalent) is a prerequisite for an Economics BS degree. It must be taken for a letter grade to satisfy the MATH115 prerequisite.
• Students scoring a 5 on both the advanced placement (AP) microeconomics and macroeconomics tests or a score of 7 on International Baccalaureate (IB) higher level economics test may petition the Director of Undergraduate Studies to have the ECON 1 course requirement waived.  Students do not receive units credit for placing out of ECON 1. 
• A grade point average (GPA) of C= (2.0) or better must be received for all units applied toward the Major. 
• To use transfer credit in partial satisfaction of the requirements, the student must obtain written consent from the department's Director of Undergraduate Study, who will establish the amount of credit to be granted toward the department requirements. 
• The maximum time limit for satisfactory completion of a course is one year from the date a grade of incomplete ("I") is given. Instructors may require that a course is completed anytime up to the one-year time limit. Students are responsible for seeing that all grades of incomplete are cleared within the time limit. The university's rule is that a grade of incomplete that is not cleared within the time limit becomes a grade of NP. 
• Students must complete their declaration of the major no later than the last day of the quarter, one quarter before anticipated degree conferral.