Economics (The College)
Fernando Leiva Bertran
About this opportunity
The Department of Economics at ASU provides highest-quality instruction to students, conducts cutting-edge research in economics and provides leadership and service to its professional communities. The department's undergraduate students are provided the critical thinking and communication skills needed to succeed in business, government or graduate school.
The BS program in economics is built on a strong core of economic theory, supplemented by mathematics and data analysis. All students are encouraged to develop programs of study tailored to their individual needs and interests. Students choose from a variety of courses within the department as well as from The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the university to broaden their knowledge and skills and individualize their learning experience. Many students have concurrent degrees in Economics and other discipline. More information on concurrent degree programs through The College can be found here: https://thecollege.asu.edu/concurrent-and-second-baccalaureate-degrees.
Thesis
For general college information on thesis projects, including how to obtain permission to enroll in thesis credit, click here. For more on our suggested timeline to complete a thesis in economics see our Recommended Timeline section below.
Academic Preparation
The Department of Economics offers specialized honors versions of its core curriculum. An honors version of a course that is offered in the Fall and/or Spring semester takes a deeper dive into the course’s material and allows for a higher student engagement with the professor. This facilitates the creation of student-director partnerships when it comes time for the student to develop their honors thesis.
Specific Honors Classes offered in Economics:
The specialized honors courses offered by the Department of Economics are often regular catalog courses and have reservations.
- ECN 211 Macroeconomic Principles (honors reserved course typically offered in the Spring)
- ECN 212 Microeconomic Principles (honors reserved course typically offered in the Fall)
- ECN 231 Honors Business Statistics (typically offered in the Fall)
- ECN 312 Intermediate Microeconomic Theory (all sections considered honors)
- ECN 313 Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory (honors section typically offered in the Spring)
- ECN 414 Advanced Microeconomic Theory (honors section typically offered in the Fall)
Recommended Timeline
The following is our recommended timeline for successful completion of an honors thesis in economics:
1. Topic exploration and search for advisor
We recommend that you start searching for a thesis topic and director in your junior year. A good research topic is one that interests you enough that you think will keep you engaged through at least a year of work. A good director is a professor that knows you and believes you have the work ethic and skills to successfully complete your thesis. Sometimes it is easier to find a topic than a director and others it is the other way around. You can consult our FHA for advice.
2. Preliminary research (literature review, search for data)
Once you have a topic then you should conduct a literature review to catch up to the latest developments in the field and/or search for the relevant data to answer the specific question you may have in mind. Ideally, you should have started this process by the end of your junior year.
3. Prospectus completion
Once you have a thesis director, a well-defined question and preliminary research, you should write a prospectus that summarizes your project. Ideally, you should have the prospectus ready shortly after the last semester of your junior year. For more information on submitting the prospectus, click here.
4. Classes to sign up for to complete an ECN thesis:
In the last two semesters before graduating you should register for the following courses (one in each of the two semesters):
- ECN 492 Honors Directed Study
- ECN 493 Honors Thesis
Other Honors Opportunities
The Department of Economics is engaged with students interested in developing their economics knowledge and planning ahead for life after graduation. Visit the following to learn more:
Students Economics Association
Career planning and internships: