Economics courses develop the critical and analytical skills essential for understanding economics and institutions, in both their contemporary and historical settings. Although no particular vocational or professional goal is emphasized, these courses provide the academic background necessary for positions in industry or the non-profit sector, for work in many branches of government service, for law school, and for graduate study in business administration, economics, and the social sciences.

Students who contemplate graduate study in economics are urged to develop skills in intermediate calculus (Mathematics 212), linear algebra (Mathematics 221), differential equations (Mathematics 356), and advanced calculus (Mathematics 431).

The undergraduate degree in economics signifies achievement of proficiency in quantitative skills and experience in applying these to economics.

The Department of Economics maintains online resources to guide economics majors and minors at econ.duke.edu/undergraduate.

Departmental Graduation with Distinction

Awarding of Distinction. A student will be awarded distinction upon graduation if they have satisfied all of the following requirements:

A minimum grade point average of 3.3 in the major and 3.3 overall;
Completion of five electives commensurate with an undergraduate AB or BS degree; and
The honors committee determines if the honors thesis qualifies for Graduation with Distinction.

Awarding of High Distinction. A student will be awarded High Distinction upon graduation if they have satisfied all of the requirements for Distinction and their honors thesis is selected by our honors committee from among nominated theses.

Awarding of Research Distinction. In recognition of the strong independent research dimension required of a successful honors thesis, a student will be awarded Research Distinction upon graduation if the honors committee determines their thesis qualifies for Graduation with Distinction regardless of whether or not the student meets the university and departmental GPA standards for Graduation with Distinction. These students will be recognized in the departmental graduation program.

Paths to the Honors Thesis. An honors thesis is a research paper completed during the senior year of the economics major. It represents a degree of research and critical thinking sufficiently complex and sophisticated as to require two to three semesters’ worth of work. The thesis is planned, researched, drafted, and revised over the course of two to three semesters, using research tools and techniques commensurate with an undergraduate BS degree.

To be considered for Graduation with Distinction in economics, students must pursue one of two paths outlined below.

Path 1: Honors Workshop Courses: The best setting in which to foster the research process is a two-semester workshop, resembling graduate workshops. In a workshop setting, students meet with their professor(s) and each other to observe advanced research (professors from outside the university, Duke economics graduate students, and Duke economics professors present their own research to the students), and then, in turn, develop and later present their own research on a regular biweekly basis, continually receiving feedback from their peers and from professors and graduate students.
The department offers a two-semester research workshop sequences for students interested in writing an honors thesis: Economics 495S (Honors Seminar I) and Economics 496S (Honors Seminar II). Students do not necessarily have to qualify for Graduation with Distinction in order to enroll in these research workshop sequences, nor will completion of either sequence guarantee Graduation with Distinction. The honors committee will determine if the honors thesis qualifies for Graduation with Distinction. Note: Should a problem arise that prevents a student from completing this sequence, they can switch to Path 2 described below.
Students who follow Path 1 may begin as early as the spring semester of their junior year. Davies Fellowships are available to sponsor some of these juniors (and their mentors) to enable them to do research full-time under the supervision of their advisor during the summer between their junior and senior years.

Path 2: Independent Study Courses: Students choosing this path enroll in Economics 394 (Research Independent Study) in either the spring of their junior year or the fall of their senior year, under the instruction of the mentoring faculty member. In the following semester (or in a subsequent semester), the student enrolls in an Economics 493 (Honors Research Independent Study) and completes the thesis. For the independent study courses (Economics 394 and Economics 493), students must enlist the approval of a specific faculty member (through submission of an approval form to the director of undergraduate studies) indicating that the faculty member is willing to work with the student for an entire academic year in an independent study format to produce an honors thesis. The honors committee will determine if the honors thesis qualifies for Graduation with Distinction. Students who start on Path 2 may switch to Path 1 by enrolling in Economics 496S (Honors Seminar II) with the signature of their faculty mentor and the approval of the 496S instructor (which is gained by submission of a satisfactory thesis proposal).

Website: econ.duke.edu/undergraduate/bs-economics

U-ECON-BS - Economics (BS)

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