Economics, B.S.
Economics is the study of how individuals, firms and nations make choices when confronted with limited resources. At Saint Louis University, economics majors learn to apply theory and problem-solving skills while balancing public policy with the choices faced by today’s society.
Through SLU's Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business economics curriculum, students will receive a strong foundational knowledge of economics, taking core classes in macro- and microeconomics, econometrics and business statistics.
Curriculum Overview
The Chaifetz School of Business, through its continuing mission to provide excellence in business education, has developed an economics program that is one of a kind in the region. Helping students develop strong ethical, technical and professional skills, the program provides in-depth knowledge and expertise in both macro- and microeconomics.
Students can explore economics from various perspectives, including money and banking, health economics, sports economics and more.
Internships and Student Organizations
St. Louis’ metropolitan location provides many economics internship opportunities that allow students to gain career-related work experience while applying classroom learning to practice. Most internships are paid, and students may opt to complete one for academic credit. In recent years, economics students have interned with entities such as consulting firms, financial institutions, Fortune 500 companies and governmental agencies.
The department sponsors the Economics Club for students interested in economics. This club provides a link between students and a career in economics, offering students opportunities to establish networking relationships with potential employers.
In addition, the Chaifetz School also hosts a chapter of Omicron Delta Epsilon, the international economics honor society, which recognizes scholastic attainment and outstanding achievements in economics, and establishes closer ties between students and faculty in economics.
Careers
The department has an excellent record of placing graduates in graduate and professional programs, leading to high-profile jobs. In a survey of the Class of 2024's economics graduates, 90% reported they were either employed or attending graduate school within six months of their graduation. These graduates join a global network of nearly 20,000 alumni from the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business. In recent years, SLU economics students have earned internships and employment at prestigious organizations such as Anheuser Busch, Ernst & Young, Kennedy Capital Management, the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, U.S. Bank and VISA.
Possible career paths for graduates with an undergraduate degree in economics from SLU include:
- Actuary
- Applied statistician
- Business reporter
- Data analyst
- Economist
- Financial analyst
- Loan officer
- Portfolio manager
Admission Requirements
Saint Louis University also accepts the Common Application.
Freshman
All applications are thoroughly reviewed with the highest degree of individual care and consideration to all credentials that are submitted. Solid academic performance in college preparatory coursework is a primary criterion in reviewing a freshman applicant’s file.
To be considered for admission to any Saint Louis University undergraduate program, the applicant must be graduating from an accredited high school, have an acceptable HiSET exam score or take the General Education Development (GED) test.
Transfer
Applicants must be graduates of an accredited high school or have an acceptable score on the GED or HiSET.
An official high school transcript and official test scores are required only of those students who have attempted fewer than 24 transferable semester credits (or 30 quarter credits) of college credit. Those having completed 24 credits or more of college credit need only submit a transcript from previously attended college(s).
Transfer students must have a cumulative 2.70 GPA to be admitted to the accounting program and a 2.50 GPA for all other majors. In reviewing a transfer applicant’s file, the Office of Admission holistically examines the student’s academic performance in college-level coursework as an indicator of the student’s ability to meet the academic rigors of Saint Louis University.
International Applicants
All admission policies and requirements for domestic students apply to international students, along with the following:
- You must demonstrate English Language proficiency.
- All academic records must include an English translation. An official course-by-course transcript evaluation may be required and accepted.
Tuition
| Tuition | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate Tuition | $54,760 |
Additional charges may apply. Other resources are listed below:
Information on Tuition and Fees
Scholarships and Financial Aid
There are two principal ways to help finance a Saint Louis University education:
- Scholarships: Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, service, leadership and financial need.
- Financial Aid: Financial aid is provided through grants and loans, some of which require repayment.
Saint Louis University makes every effort to keep our education affordable. In fiscal year 2023, 99% of first-time freshmen and 92% of all students received financial aid and students received more than $459 million in aid University-wide.
For priority consideration for merit-based scholarships, apply for admission by December 1 and complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 1.
For more information on scholarships and financial aid, visit the Office of Student Financial Services.
Accreditation
The Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the world’s largest business education alliance and accrediting body of business schools, ensuring continuous quality improvement in terms of curriculum, instructional resources, student selection, career placement and intellectual contributions and qualifications of the faculty. Approximately 5% of business schools worldwide have achieved AACSB accreditation.
- Graduates will be able to understand essential business concepts and how the various functional areas of business are related.
- Graduates will be able to demonstrate knowledge of ethical concepts and corporate social responsibility and be able to evaluate business problems from multiple ethical perspectives.
- Graduates will be able to identify and structure business problems, to propose actionable solutions to business problems and, when applicable, utilize appropriate technology.
- Graduates will be able to demonstrate effective written communication in the discipline of economics.
- Graduates will be able to understand how cultures, politics, laws, ethics, and economies influence and impact business and use tools and concepts to analyze and formulate an international business strategy.
- Graduates will be able to engage in quantitative reasoning, specifically:
- Analyze and interpret empirical evidence to evaluate economic arguments
- Analyze and evaluate policies based on economic principles
Eighteen credits in addition to ECON 1900 Principles of Economics (3 cr), ECON 3120 Intermediate Macroeconomics (3 cr), and ECON 3140 Intermediate Microeconomics (3 cr), which are taken as part of the business common body of knowledge requirements.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATE CORE | 32-35 | |
| BUSINESS MAJOR REQUIREMENTS | ||
| Program Requirements | 15 | |
| Business Common Body of Knowledge (CBK) | 48 | |
| Major-Specific Economics Requirements * | ||
| ECON 3010 | Introduction to Econometrics | 3 |
| Major-Specific Economics Electives | 15 | |
Select five of the following: | ||
| Economies of Latin America | ||
| Industrial Organization and Public Policy | ||
| Law and Economics | ||
| History of Economic Analysis | ||
| Money and Banking | ||
| International Trade | ||
| Exchange Rates and Global Economics | ||
| Labor Economics | ||
| Economics of Int'l Migration | ||
| Sports Economics | ||
| Economic Development | ||
| Public Finance | ||
| Public Choice and Political Economy | ||
| Health Economics | ||
| Advanced Econometrics | ||
| GENERAL ELECTIVES ‡ | 18-21 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
- *
In addition to completing lower and upper-division coursework in all areas of business, each student typically selects a business major before or during the first semester of the junior year. 18 major-specific credit hours are required as determined by the appropriate department. To broaden their expertise, students may complete more than one major in business, or a major and a minor in business. Outside of the Business Common Body of Knowledge (CBK), however, a maximum of one business course (3 credit hours) may be used to fulfill requirements in two business majors/minors.
- ‡
General electives may be selected from any area of study within the University, giving the student the opportunity to diversify their experiences. Students should consider University Undergraduate CORE attribute requirements when selecting electives.
Continuation Standards
Economics students must maintain a minimum 2.00 grade point average (GPA) in all economics courses used to fulfill major-specific course requirements.
Students will be on program probation if their GPA in major-specific courses used to fulfill major requirements falls below a 2.00. Students will have one semester to increase their major-specific cumulative GPA to a 2.00; if not, students will not be allowed to register for 3000- or 4000-level major-specific courses.
Students will be automatically placed on University probation if any of the following occur:
- Their Saint Louis University cumulative grade point average falls below 2.00
- Their Saint Louis University semester grade point average is below a 1.00
- More than two "incomplete" or two "in-progress" grades on their academic transcript
During the probationary period, advisors help students achieve academic success by closely monitoring their academic performance.
In order to improve scholastically and demonstrate their ability to make progress toward a degree, students on probation may not register for more than 12 credits in the fall and spring semesters, three credits in the winter term, and no more than one course/four credits in any single summer session term.
The conditions under which a student is dismissed from the school include:
- Inability to eliminate probationary status within the two semesters subsequent to the assignment of probation or
- A grade point average deficit of more than 15 points.
For more information, see University Academic Policies and Procedures.
Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.
Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.
This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester. Requirements, course availability and sequencing are subject to change.
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| CORE 1000 | Ignite First Year Seminar 1 | 2 |
| BIZ 1000 | Business Foundations 1 | 1 |
| CMM 1200 or CMM 1250 |
Public Speaking 2 or Communicating in Groups and Teams |
3 |
| CORE 1900 | Eloquentia Perfecta 1: Written and Visual Communication 1 | 3 |
| CORE 3800 | Ways of Thinking: Natural and Applied Sciences | 3 |
| Elective in Business or Other Areas (MATH 1200, if appropriate) | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| MATH 1320 or MATH 1510 |
Survey of Calculus 2, 3 or Calculus I |
3 |
| PSY 1010 | General Psychology | 3 |
| CORE 1600 | Ultimate Questions: Theology | 3 |
| BIZ 1100/1002 | Business in Action | 1 |
| ECON 1900 | Principles of Economics | 3 |
| OPM 2070 | Introduction to Business Statistics | 3 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| CORE 2500 | Cura Personalis 2: Self in Contemplation | 0 |
| CORE 1700 | Ultimate Questions: Philosophy | 3 |
| ACCT 2200 | Financial Accounting | 3 |
| BTM 2000 | Introduction to Business Technology Management | 3 |
| ECON 3120 or ECON 3140 |
Intermediate Macroeconomics or Intermediate Microeconomics |
3 |
| MKT 3000 | Introduction to Marketing Management | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| CORE 3400 | Ways of Thinking: Aesthetics, History, and Culture | 3 |
| ACCT 2220 | Accounting for Decision Making | 3 |
| BIZ 3000 | Career Foundations 4 | 1 |
| BTM 2500 | Data Modeling, Analysis and Visualization | 3 |
| ECON 3120 or ECON 3140 |
Intermediate Macroeconomics or Intermediate Microeconomics |
3 |
| IB 2000 | Introduction to International Business | 3 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| CORE 2800 | Eloquentia Perfecta 3: Creative Expression | 3 |
| PHIL 2050 | Ethics (meets University Core Attribute: Dignity, Ethics & a Just Society) | 3 |
| ECON 3010 | Introduction to Econometrics | 3 |
| FIN 3010 | Principles of Finance | 3 |
| MGT 3000 | Management Theory and Practice | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Elective that Satisfies University Core Attribute: Identities in Context | 3 | |
| Major: Economics Elective | 3 | |
| Major: Economics Elective | 3 | |
| MGT 2000 | Legal Environment of Business I | 3 |
| OPM 3050 | Introduction to Management Science and Operations Management | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| CORE 4000 | Collaborative Inquiry | 3 |
| CORE 4500 | Reflection-in-Action | 0 |
| ENGL 4000 | Professional Writing | 3 |
| Major: Economics Elective | 3 | |
| Major: Economics Elective | 3 | |
| Elective in Business or Other Areas | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Major: Economics Elective | 3 | |
| MGT 4000 | Strategic Management and Policy 6 | 3 |
| Electives in Business or Other Areas | 7 | |
| Credits | 13 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
- 1
Must complete in first 36 credit hours at SLU.
- 2
Must complete in first 60 credit hours at SLU.
- 3
MATH 1510 Calculus I highly recommended.
- 4
Must take second semester sophomore year unless studying abroad.
- 6
Must have completed all other Business Common Body of Knowledge courses.