B.S. in Business Economics
The new B.S. in Business Economics Major launched in Fall 2021. This major is a collaborative, interdisciplinary degree program between the Rady School and the Department of Economics. This major will teach students how to operate within firms and how firms operate within markets.
Declaring the Major
The B.S. in Business Economics Major is open to registered UC San Diego students pursuing a bachelor's degree. Students can view two- and four-year academic plans on the Department of Economics website.
Students may declare the major through the Major/Minor Tool on Tritonlink. Please contact the Economics Department if you are experiencing any difficulties with the Major declaration form.
Students majoring in Business Economics may not complete the Rady School of Management minor in business. Business Economics majors may declare the Rady minor in entrepreneurship and innovation, accounting and supply chain.
Major Requirements
Through this program, students will obtain training in core economics disciplines (microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics) which will teach students how firms interact with markets, how economies function, and how to extract insights from data as well as training in core business disciplines (accounting, finance, management, marketing, operations) which will teach students how to perform various functions inside businesses. In addition, elective courses will deepen students' skill sets after core training is complete.
Students can find out when these courses will be offered on our Rady Course Schedule.
Lower Division (9 classes, 36 units)
- Math 10A/20A
- Math 10B/20B
- Math 10C/20C
- Econ 1: Principles of Microeconomics
- Econ 3: Principles of Macroeconomics
- Econ 5/Poli 5: Data Analytics for the Social Sciences
- MGT 45: Principles of Accounting (or both MGT/ECON 4 and MGT 5)
- MGT 16: Personal Ethics at Work
- MGT 71/R: Operations Management
Upper Division (13 classes, 52 units)
UD Core Classes (10 classes, 40 units)
- Econ 100A: Microeconomics, A
- Econ 100B: Microeconomics, B
- Econ 110B: Short-Run Macroeconomics
- Econ 120A: Econometrics, A
- Econ 120B: Econometrics, B
- MGT 100: Customer Analytics
- MGT 160: Experiments in Firms
- MGT 162/162R: Negotiations
- MGT 164: Business and Organizational Leadership
- MGT 180/R: Business Finance*
MGT 180 is not offered for Winter 2022. However, we are allowing Business Economics majors and minors to use MGT 189, Topics in Finance: Business Finance, to fulfill MGT 180 if taken in Winter 2022. To enroll in MGT 189, please submit an EASy request.
UD electives (3 classes, 12 units)
- One MGT course 100-199
- One ECON course 100-199
- One MGT or one ECON course 100-199
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I declare the Business Economics major?
The major will be available to declare, effective FA21, using the Major/Minor Tool on Tritonlink. The major code for the Business Economics major is EN30.
I'm a Senior, can I still declare the Business Economics major?
Contact your College, regarding the Quarter Limitation policy. If you have 150+ units, any major change requires Department and College Approval, when submitting a Major Change Request in the Major/Minor Tool on TritonLink (effective FA21). Please contact the Economics Department if you have questions regarding your major declaration form.
When will the required MGT courses for the Business Economics major be offered?
Students can view the Rady Course Schedule to review our tentative course schedule for the academic year. New MGT courses (71, 100, 160, and 180) are awaiting approval from Academic Senate. We cannot guarantee the timing but all will be offered at least once during 2021-22. More information will be shared on our website as it becomes available. Until then, we recommend prioritizing other Business Economics core and elective course work.
I'm newly admitted to UC San Diego, can I declare the Business Economics major?
Yes. Students can declare the major, effective Fall 2021.
Can I double major and add the Business Economics major?
The major is open to all students, except those with the following majors: Economics (EN25), Management Science (EN26), Joint Mathematics-Economics (EN28, MA33), International Studies-Economics (IS26), and BA/MPP Economics in Public Policy/Masters in Public Policy (EN29).
I'm currently a Rady Business minor, what courses from the Business minor can apply to the Business Economics major?
Students cannot major in Business Economics and minor in Business due to overlap of curriculum. If you are interested in changing your major to Business Economics, you must drop the Business minor. Please see the Business Economics major requirements on the Economics Department website to see what courses you can use from your minor.
I'm currently a Rady Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Accounting or Supply Chain minor, what courses from my minor can apply to the Business Economics major?
Students can major in Business Economics and minor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation or Accounting or Supply Chain. Students can overlap a maximum of two upper-division courses (or 8 units) between their major and minor. Please see the Business Economics major requirements on the Economics Department website to see what courses you can use from your minor.
I want to declare the Business Economics minor. Can any major declare a Business Economics minor?
The minor is open to all students, except those with the following majors: Economics (EN25), Management Science (EN26), Joint Mathematics-Economics (EN28, MA33), International Studies-Economics (IS26), and Business Economics (EN30).
Can I double minor in Business Economics minor and a Rady minor?
Student can double minor in Business Economics minor and any Rady minor, which includes Business (M074), Entrepreneurship and Innovation (M077), Supply Chain (RS25) or Accounting (M070). A student with a double minor must fulfill the separate requirements of each minor, with no overlap of upper-division courses. Courses taken in fulfillment of lower-division requirements may overlap to any degree.
I have a question about an ECON course, who do I contact?
Please contact an Economics Department Advisor with any questions regarding ECON course requirements and enrollment.
I have a question about an MGT course, who do I contact?
Please contact a Rady Advisor with any questions regarding MGT course requirements and enrollment.
Can I take MGT courses P/NP for the Business Economics major? (Please see update for quarters affected by Covid)
A minimum GPA of 2.0 is required in the upper-division courses used to satisfy major requirements. All courses must be taken for a letter grade and passed with a grade of C- (C minus), or better. This applies to both upper and lower division requirements. The only exception to this rule is MGT 198 and 199 which are only offered with the pass/no pass grading option.
Update of P/NP Policy for quarters affected by Covid: Rady Undergraduate Programs has updated their allowance of Pass/No Pass courses for quarters affected by Covid. Rady will accept the Pass/No Pass Grading for MGT courses taken Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Winter 2021, and Spring 2021 to fulfill Business Economics major requirements. A maximum of four courses with a "pass" grade will be allowed each quarter.
Can I take courses for P/NP for the Business Economics minor?
Grades of P/NP are acceptable for business economics minor courses.