Graduate Students click here

Freshman and Sophomores Considering Economics and Cognate Disciplines click here

Economics Majors and Minors click here

Honors Theses click here

Students in other Majors Requiring Economics click here

Stanford Bulletin Information on Economics Courses click here (pdf)

Stanford Economics Association (SEA) click here

Common course management policies in all economics classes governing such matters as late work and missed examinations. Students are responsible for knowing these policies, which may be found here (pdf)

Freshmen and Sophomores

Freshmen and sophomores should be aware that other majors require Economics 50, which requires prerequisites: Math 51 and Econ 1A.

Potential Economics Majors

Potential Economics Majors should be aware that they must take Economics 50 for a grade of B or better in order to declare Economics as their major. The prerequisites for Econ 50 are Math 51 and Econ 1A, both for letter grades. There are seven core courses. Many of the upper division Econ courses require some or all of the core courses. We strongly encourage potential majors to complete the core early in their careers. Students should plan for the practicalities of getting their degree but also for having completed the requirements of declaring the major. See section I.C, Sample Programs, in the Undergraduate Information Book.

Students Considering Majors which Require Economics

A number of different majors require Economics courses as part of students’ training. Of course you should consult with your planned major Department about its specific requirements. There are some broad general guidelines that we want to point out.

Some majors require Economics 1A and some require 1A and 1B. Examples include International Relations and Urban Studies. We note that 1A is a prerequisite for 1B, and that 1A and/or 1B may be prerequisites for economics-oriented upper division courses.

Some majors require Economics 50, or, depending on the particular track a student is on, require 1A and 1B. Examples include Public Policy, Earth Systems, and Management Science and Engineering. We note that Economics 50 has prerequisites of Economics 1A and Mathematics 51 (taken for a letter grade. ) (Students who have taken a course the equivalent of Mathematics 51 should get transfer credit for it. See Section VIII of the undergraduate Information Book for transfer credit information. There are no other paths to fulfill the mathematics prerequisite for Economics 50.)

Prerequisites Planning

Economics is a cumulative and hierarchical body of knowledge. We seek to give more advanced students an intellectual experience which draws on their earlier training. As a result, prerequisites are very rarely waived in Economics courses, and the instructor cannot waive prerequisites. See Section VIII of the undergraduate Information Book for transfer credit for the procedures for requesting a waiver of a prerequisite, which center on documenting the equivalent training you have obtained else where.